Free things to do in Los Angeles this month

The multisensory nature of art is explored in this exhibition, which looks at the intertwined relationship between contemporary art and living materials through large-scale installations, painting, mixed-media sculpture, video and sound. Over 20 artists from North, Central and South America have employed mediums like stones, avocado, cacao, achiote, cochineal and clay in their works, inviting visitors to engage their senses of touch, smell and hearing when interacting with the art. On Saturday, April 4, get an after-hours sneak peek of “Several Eternities,” plus three more new spring exhibitions, complemented by sets by Chulita Vinyl Club DJs in the courtyard, a photobooth and a cyanotype art-making activity—all free.

Easy like Saturday morning—that’s the saying, isn’t it? It will be this month, when Grand Park hosts two community-centric days of free, family-friendly programming to rejuvenate Angelenos’ minds, bodies and souls. Enjoy yoga, arts and crafts, music, dancing, nature-inspired activities and more. Local favorite Bob Baker Marionette Theater will be on hand for puppet shows.

In celebration of the late Bob Baker’s legacy, his namesake puppet theater hosts this annual celebration at Los Angeles State Historic Park. The free fest and outdoor carnival features puppet performances throughout the day, plus an assortment of other entertainment, vendors, crafts and family-friendly activities. For the first time this year, there will be a doggie costume conest you can enter your pup into. Stay tuned for the grand marshal announcement and lineup of special guests.

Listening to live poetry in the Getty Center’s Central Garden—can you think of a more idyllic way to spend an afternoon? On April 12, the museum will host the next edition of its Poetry in the Garden series. This time around, it’s partnering with Dublab and taking inspiration from scores by midcentury experimental artists (think Yvonne Rainer, John Cage and Benjamin Patterson). Words and live music will mingle with nature throughout the day, interspersed with DJ sets. Make a free reservation, bring a blanket, settle in and enjoy the experimental performances.

The multicity Jackalope art fair is back in Old Pasadena this month, featuring over 200 local artisans selling their high-quality, handcrafted goods at Central Park. You’ll find everything from luxe candles and cactus-inspired lamps to plant-based skin care and homemade treats, as well as family-friendly activities. Kids can make their own slime, get their face painted, make friendship bracelets and feed butterflies in an interactive garden. For grown-ups, there’s custom poetry, tarot readings and screen-printing. And unlike some artisan markets, Jackalope offers free admission.

Bibliophiles flock to the USC campus each spring for this annual two-day event. The outdoor book fair of sorts features stalls from a variety of booksellers, as well as author readings, signings and culinary demos. The sheer variety and quality of talent the festival attracts is impressive and legendary—this year’s lineup includes a mix of superstars from the literary, entertainment and culinary worlds, including Amy Tan, Elvira, David Duchovny, Hannah Brown, Larry David, Lisa Rinna, Megan Abbott, Roxana Jullapat, Roxane Gay, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Susan Orlean. Bring the kids and spend the weekend discovering new titles, watching screenings and enjoying live music and cultural entertainment. Entry and tickets to conversations are free (reservations open up April 12), while a limited number of speaker-series events are ticketed, starting at $28. Before the weekend kicks off, the 46th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes awards the year’s best in literature on Friday (tickets are $28–$83).

Tied to Earth Day, Friends of the L.A. River is teaming up with the California Native Plant Society and the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society for a community clean-up event that expands upon its monthly Habitat Restoration Days. Roll up to the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve ready to get your hands dirty—you’ll be helping remove invasive vegetation inside the San Fernando Valley park, planting native species and rolling seedballs to scatter across the land. Afterward, take a guided nature walk and refuel with food truck fare. Participation is free, but registration is required.

This show aims to give Black queer culture in California—particularly in Los Angeles—the credit it’s due as a part of the decades-long fight for LGBTQ+ rights and recognition. Through historical materials, photographs, film and vintage newspapers, the exhibition recovers a history that’s been largely excluded from the record, introducing visitors to sites, protagonists and allies who played a role in the fight for democracy and free expression. 

Need a little lunch break relaxation? Log off, grab a bite and head to Colburn Plaza for one of these free concerts by the renowned school’s students, held Tuesdays at noon from April 7 to May 5. The first 50 guests each week will receive a free cup of Groundwork coffee from or tea from Art of Tea at the Colburn Café, courtesy of DTLA Alliance.

The term CicLAvia stems from a similar Spanish word for “bike way,” and in L.A. it’s become a shorthand for the temporary, festival-like closing of L.A.’s streets. The event welcomes bikes, tricycles, skateboards, strollers and basically anything else without an engine to ride a rotating cast of car-free routes—this month’s West L.A. edition features a new three-mile route that connects Santa Monica and Westwood Boulevards (see the map here). Shop owners and restaurants along the CicLAvia route tend to host specials. And it goes without saying that you should bike or take the Metro to your desired spot along the route.

Exercise your support for L.A.’s artists at the biannual Brewery ArtWalk. Totally free to attend (and park), this open studio weekend takes place at the roomy Lincoln Heights arts complex, where over 100 resident artists—including Guillermo Bert, Andre Miripolsky and Jane Szabo—show off their new works for purchase or simply the admiration of art-loving locals. Chat with midcentury-inspired ceramicists and multimedia sculptors before dining and drinking at the Brewery’s on-site restaurant. You’ll return home buzzed on culture—and potentially the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Any crafter worth their weight in cashmere yarn knows that Renegade Craft Fair is the fair all others aspire to. Held in urban epicenters around the country, Renegade is a locally focused marketplace showcasing work from hundreds of the best contemporary indie craft artists. Aside from the wares, Renegade offers all sorts of homemade DIY fun and festivities: Think classes and demos, photo booths and tons of tasty food trucks. Renegade’s epic Los Angeles spring fair is held at L.A. State Historic Park. Plus, entry is free. 

Nonprofit arts organization the Billboard Creative mounts this annual show around town, which turns the city into an open-air gallery. Billboards around L.A. will sport works by a diverse group of 20 artists working across different mediums, whose art will be seen by hundreds of thousands of commuters. This year’s “Sightlines: Art in Public View” iteration kicks off April 6 and runs through May 4. A mobile map shows you all of the entries’ locations and shares info about each artist. 

More than 200 of SoCal’s most innovative inventors, tinkerers and makers will come together to share their creations during this free celebration of science and creativity. Last year’s event at Exposition Park drew over 30,000 people; this year, the faire is back with educational programming aplenty. Fuel up at food trucks in the middle of all the hands-on learning and inspiration.

Catch sets from up-and-coming performers, local legends and global talents during this free music series at the Getty, which features a pair of shows from a different band each weekend. The concerts kick off in February with Inuit soul musicians Pamyua and continue in March with gospel choir Jimetta Rose & the Voices of Creation and April with Persian poets Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat. Get there early to check out the museum’s exhibitions, then head to the Harold M. Williams Auditorium for the show.

The reopened Getty Villa will descend into the underworld with this exhibition, which looks at the ritual spells and religious writings ancient Egyptians employed to garner favor with Re and Osiris in the afterlife. See the Getty’s collection of rare Book of the Dead rare hieroglyphics-adorned and illustrated manuscripts, dating back to around 1000 BCE, which were last displayed in 2023. The show should dovetail nicely with the museum’s “Sculpted Portraits From Ancient Egypt,” which runs through January 2027.

Made up of a Melrose Avenue workshop and two galleries—including one designed by Frank Gehry—Gemini G.E.L. has been at the forefront of fine art printmaking for 60 years now, an accomplishment it’s celebrating in this show which doubles as a love letter to L.A. On display are innovative works by artists including David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha and Robert Rauschenberg—many of which haven’t been shown in decades—which are inspired by the atmosphere and streets of Los Angeles.

“Let’s hang out at the Pier” is something Santa Monica locals probably say next to never, but this monthly series is trying to change that. Every third Thursday from September to May, you’ll find everything from live music to storytelling to a classic car show on the Santa Monica Pier, all free to attend. 

Artist Ralph Steadman—known for his unmistakable illustrations, cartoons and collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson—has imbued his work with political, satirical, environmental and spiritual threads throughout his six-decade-plus career. Now, on the eve of his 90th birthday, you can see 149 of Steadman’s works, including some influenced by Los Angeles, for free at the Torrance Art Museum—it’s the only Southern California stop on the show’s national tour. If you’re feeling inspired, you can embark on your own off-the-page adventure, thanks to the exhibition’s accompanying interactive Gonzo Art Trail (find details here).

Step back into the era of grunge, supermodels and the dawn of the internet at this free exhibition at the ASU FIDM Museum in DTLA. This retrospective explores the decade’s spirit of rebellion and experimentation, featuring high-fashion couture from icons like Vivienne Westwood and Gianni Versace alongside the flannel shirts, slip dresses and bold prints that defined everyday style. Through a curated mix of garments, vintage magazines and video footage, visitors can trace how 1990s innovation continues to shape contemporary trends.

Anonymous feminist art collective the Guerrilla Girls—whose members gained notoriety for donning gorilla masks and fighting the patriarchy—is coming up on its 40th anniversary, and the Getty Center is marking the occasion with a behind-the-scenes look at the group. See photography, protest art and the group’s famed posters—sporting statistics, bold visuals and satirical humor—that showcase the tactics the members used to demand recognition for women and artists of color. The Guerrilla Girls have even created a newly commissioned work for the exhibition. And you can add your own mark on the “graffiti wall” installation, giving visitors a creative outlet for their complaints about the world today. 

The California Science Center is inviting kids to get in the game with a new 17,000-square-foot exhibition about the power of play and the human body in motion. Besides teaching about the science behind sports, it also offers interactive challenges and video coaching from a team of Los Angeles-based mentor athletes including dancer Debbie Allen, the Dodgers’ World Series hero Freddie Freeman, Olympic medalist softball player Rachel Garcia and more. And for the first time ever, the center has commissioned public art—all by local artists—to complement the exhibition, including a Dodgers mural by Gustavo Zermeño Jr. The free exhibition will run at the Science Center through the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Dealing with a difficult subject head-on, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA’s new show, “Monuments”—co-presented by the museum and nonprofit the Brick (formerly LAXART)—juxtaposes both intact and vandalized Confederate monuments with contemporary artwork. The show looks at the recent wave of monument removals from a historic perspective and encourages discourse about challenging topics amid an ongoing national debate about the role of these statues and what they represent. Tickets for the special exhibition are typically $18, though if you book far enough ahead of time, you can take advantage of free admission on the first Friday of every month.