June 2025 events calendar for Los Angeles

Take a leisurely walk through Descanso Gardens as the day starts to cool, then stick around for live cultural dance and music before closing time at these Thursday-night shows on the Main Lawn. The diverse lineup includes Ukrainian folk dance by Chervona Kalyna Ukrainian Dance Ensemble (June 12), Brazilian dance by Viver Brasil (July 10) and Mexican folklórico dancing by Pacifico Dance Company (Aug 14). The performances are included with admission.

Now one of L.A.’s most treasured summer traditions, Barnsdall Park’s wine tastings regularly attract sell-out crowds. Perched atop Olive Hill on the west lawn of the historic Hollyhock House (which you can tour during the evening for an additional $36), the Barnsdall Friday fundraisers include fine selections of boutique wines provided by Silverlake Wine with a spectacular sunset and 360-degree views of the city. Bring along a blanket and a picnic basket, or just nosh on the variety of food trucks parked up there. Though there used to be lots of kids running around, the event lawn is now 21-and-up—perfect for a date night. Proceeds support the park’s art programs and historic renovations.

Drive down the newly reopened PCH to the Malibu Pier and support the city’s small businesses as they rebuild and recover in the wake of the Palisades Fire. Every second Sunday this summer, the boardwalk will be filled with free live music (courtesy of Aviator Nation Dreamland), food and drink, plus pop-ups from local vendors. A portion of every purchase will support California State Parks. What better way to spend a summer Sunday?

Everyone’s favorite NPR member station has a hand in a slew of summer concert slates at public plazas and beloved museums, and this summer’s schedule is reliably packed. Familiar KCRW DJs will be providing free, open-air tunes on select nights from June through September at Union Station, CAAM, Descanso Gardens, Bowers Museum, Wende Museum, the Autry, Benny Boy Brewing, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, California Plaza and—our favorite—the party-till-midnight bashes at Chinatown Central Plaza. Expect a bunch of food trucks, beer gardens and after-hours museum admission. (Note: The kickoff June 7 event at Benny Boy Brewing and Aug. 29’s Descanso Gardens event are only for KCRW members).

Halloween is still months away, but for the first time, the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is opening its gates during the offseason for this Friday the 13th (and Saturday the 14th) experience. Only one maze will be open—Feast, which finds you navigating the ship’s twisted kitchens and galley halls with only a glow stick to guide you as you try to escape the butcher—and some other rooms will be open for exploring. Combo ticket holders can watch a seance that draws on the ocean liner’s haunted history. Clearly many already have a hankering for Halloween, because tickets quickly sold out, but you can add your name to the waitlist here in case more go on sale.

One of L.A.’s best free live-music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured legit legends over its three-decade run at the museum. Seating for the program is available in the museum’s plaza on a first-come, first-served basis, though you’re welcome to picnic on the grass, too (you won’t really be able to see the show, but you’ll still hear it). You’ll find the series on Friday evenings in LACMA’s welcome plaza (just behind Urban Light) throughout the summer.

For more than 50 years, this venue has drawn theatre aficionados to its storied, open-air stage for engaging productions in a magical setting. The 299-seat amphitheater in Topanga Canyon hosts audiences of all ages for plays from a wide range of genres, from Shakespearean classics to folk tales. This season, whose theme is “A Season of Resilience,” catch highlights such as William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as a Malibu-themed retelling of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull and Strife by Nobel Prize-winning writer and activist John Galsworthy.

The L.A. Conservancy offers a delightful summer time machine in the form of classic films, screened inside Downtown’s grand old movie palaces throughout the month of June. This year’s film lineup consists of The Freshman and Roman Holiday at the Orpheum Theatre on June 7, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes at the United Theater on roadway on June 14, and High Noon and Carmen Jones at the Million Dollar Theatre on June 21. Most screenings include a special introduction and a post-film Q&A, and there are also ticket bundles that add in a proper theater tour.

The beachside city has been hosting this Juneteenth celebration for 33 years—three decades before it was recognized as a federal holiday. The theme of this year’s family-friendly event, “A Family Affair: Unifying, Healing, and Restoring,” pays homage to the enduring legacy of Black resilience and culture with a free day of music—from West African drumming to jazz—spoken word poetry, storytelling, food trucks and shopping from local Black-owned small businesses.

This is not a drill: The World Cup is indeed coming to Los Angeles next summer—we’re one of 16 cities that will host games. In the meantime, though, the Club World Cup is taking place this summer, where 32 of the world’s top club teams compete, rather than national teams. The Rose Bowl is hosting six of these matches, where teams hailing from Paris, Milan, Madrid, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Japan will go head-to-head.

This epic (and free) outdoor concert series features live performances by artists from around the world at the totally overhauled California Plaza stage in DTLA, where the shallow water separating the stage from the audience has been replaced by a proper event lawn. Don’t miss a diverse and highly intriguing mix of bands, DJ sets and dance parties. Saturday nights from June 14 through August 23 you’ll find free concerts (though you should RSVP ahead of time to reserve a spot)—highlights this year include a 30-year anniversary show by Grand Performances mainstay Ozomatli and tributes to John Coltrane and Dr. Dre. And on Friday nights, you’ll find a mix of poetry, film and classical music during Fridays in the Amphitheater. 

For the football-loving dad, celebrate Father’s Day with a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium where his favorite teams play. The tour will grant access to areas that are normally off-limits to the public, including team locker rooms, premium suites, the Owner’s Club and more. As for the “Dine” part, the experience will be complemented with a brunch buffet enjoyed overlooking the field. An NFL Los Angeles upgrade is also available, which lets you tour the league’s on-site West Coast headquarters.

See the story of a man-child and his bike on the big screen for the 40th anniversary of Paul Reubens’s zany film—much of which was filmed in Los Angeles. Sadly, Reubens isn’t here to celebrate the milestone, but if you’ve watched his recent HBO docuseries, Pee-wee as Himself, chances are a rewatch of his breakout Tim Burton-directed flick is in order. The rest of the cast will be there for a Q&A after this special screening at the Alex Theatre, including E.G. Daily (Dottie), Diane Salinger (Simone), Mark Holton (Francis) and writer Michael Varhol. Plus, a live string quartet will perform Danny Elfman’s iconic score and themed photo ops will abound. What’s more, 50% of ticket proceeds will benefit Stand Up to Cancer. 

The midnight snacker’s greatest fantasy is just a car ride away. One of America’s largest Asian food markets spans the course of Santa Anita Park’s front Paddock Gardens during the summer. Come hungry and come caffeinated—this lively market, complete with over 250 Asian street food and booze peddlers, live music, artists, games, and beyond, won’t put itself to bed until nearly midnight.

On select Saturday afternoons in the summer, the historic Mount Wilson Observatory screens a decades-spanning lineup of sci-fi and astronomy-inspired shorts and feature-length films. Unlike the San Gabriel Mountains site’s concert series and stargazing sessions, Matinees on the Mountain won’t take place inside the dome of the 100-inch telescope. Instead, screenings will take place inside the 256-seat auditorium inside the astronomical museum, the same venue used for the site’s Talks & Telescopes lectures.

Annenberg Community Beach House’s historic public pool—just steps from the sand of Santa Monica Beach—hosts this inclusive swim for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies that promises a safe and judgment-free space for all bodies. Grab a pool float and take a dip in the pool, then afterward warm up with some s‘mores. Show up early for a Pride happy hour at the on-site Back on the Beach Café (5–7pm).

Catch some comedy and learn at the same time at this educational and interactive game show hosted by creator Chris Duffy and produced by the National Academy of Sciences’ LabX. The set-up: A panel of comedians play games and quiz a scientific expert on their work. This month’s installment tackles a universally beloved subject—ice cream—with the help of food scientist Dr. Maya Warren (and maybe some frozen treats). If you can’t make it to Dynasty Typewriter for the show, you can opt for a $7 livestream option.

If you really want to immerse yourself in local theater, you can’t miss the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Since 2010, this fest has specialized in productions from emerging writers and performers, and it now boasts hundreds of different shows—most are around $15 a ticket or less, and some cost absolutely nothing. Expect one-person shows, new musicals, comedies and edgy dramas to descend on Hollywood once again from June 12 through 29. See the full list of shows here.

Just about every outdoor screening series has The Sandlot in their lineup. But you know what they don’t have? Dodger Stadium. Catch a screening of the ’90s classic from the outfield grass at Chavez Ravine; the film will be screened on the DodgerVision videoboards. Before the screening, expect photo ops, pressbox tours, specialty concessions and some pitching in the bullpens.

Hilltop sunset views and rising bands combine to make this Getty tradition a worthy destination for Angelenos on both sides of the 405. This year’s lineup of free Saturday-night shows includes SML (May 31), Mabe Fratti (June 14), Madi Diaz (July 12), Empress Of (July 26) and Emile Mosseri (Aug 23). Tip: Avoid the traffic and the crowds and arrive early, preferably after 3pm when the parking price drops to $15 (though it’s actually free if you wait until the show starts, after 6pm). You’ll get to visit the exhibits, which stay open until 8pm on Saturdays, and beat the dinner rush.

Support Pasadena’s resilient restaurant scene and enjoy some delicious food at this new culinary festival, which will transform Union Street between Raymond and Fair Oaks Avenues into a big, pedestrian-friendly alfresco dining room. In fact, the fair is also a celebration of the street’s newly expanded outdoor dining spaces. Groove to live music from local bands as you order fare from Pez Coastal Kitchen, Union, Bone Kettle, Chado Tea Room, the Blind Donkey, Pie ’N Burger and more. You can also expect DJs, a beer garden, and games like tic-tac-toe basketball, cornhole and French fry Jenga (which I didn’t know was a thing but now need to try).

Explore the Autry into the evening at the Griffith Park museum’s Thursday-night series that spotlights the city’s emerging and established artists, musicians, poets, writers. Programming ranges from a sound bath to alfresco music to hands-on silkscreen printing. The museum galleries stay open late, too, plus drinks and food trucks are also on offer.

Rodeo Drive fills with rare cars and motorcycles both new and old during this free Father’s Day tradition. For its 30th edition, the “Luxury in Motion”-themed event will feature supercars and hypercars from McLaren, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Pagani and Bentley, as well as the North American public debut of Lamborghini’s latest models and a skills demonstration from the Beverly Hills Police Department Motor Unit, all set amid the luxury shopping of its 90210 setting.

The Music Center offers a free, joyous mash-up of music and dancing all summer long, with different themes (salsa, Bollywood, cumbia and disco among them) and free dance lessons, plus live DJ sets so you can show off your new moves. Head to the Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza and join in the fun—no dance experience required.

Santa Monica illuminates the Third Street Promenade with a canopy of rainbow lights as part of this citywide LGBTQ+ celebration. Look out for a party along the expanse of the Promenade on June 21 with music, games, drinks and giveaways (2–7pm). Nearby, you’ll find drag bingo at Main Street Beer Garden (3–6pm). Over at the Santa Monica Pier, the day begins with a family-friendly morning of drag storytelling and face painting presented by the Crow comedy club at 10am. And from 11am to 5pm, you can try practice your sporting skills with open-format beach volleyball, as well as mini kickball, dodgeball, soccer, football, tennis and cornhole tournaments. 

Who says no to free outdoor concerts? We don’t, and neither should you. This 22nd annual all-ages celebration of live music and art will hit Pan Pacific Park (not the La Brea Tar Pits anymore) on June 14. Listen to live music and DJ sets from the likes of CHROMEQUEEN and Garth Trinidad, browse handcrafted goods at the curated artisan marketplace, and grab a bite at one of the many gourmet food trucks. The annual fest will also partner with the Korean Cultural Center, Academy Museum, La Brea Tar Pits Museum, Petersen Automotive Museum and Gloria Molina Grand Park to offer kid-friendly art-making and cultural activities, as well as dance workshops from hip-hop collective JUiCE. In addition to free entry, parking at Pan Pacific Park is also free. 

The best things in life really are free—love, happiness and an evening spent watching movies on a giant inflatable screen at the beach. On select dates from June until August, pack up your folding chairs, grab your kids and head to Long Beach for this unique outdoor screening. Thanks to Alfredo’s Beach Club, you can give your babysitter the night off while you and the fam enjoy a host of kid-friendly flicks. Bring your own picnic, or munch on eats from the nearby snack stand. You’ll find the event on Granada Beach.

Walk, run, skate, bike and explore car-free stretches of South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel during the latest edition of this open streets event series (formerly known as 626 Golden Streets). The Metro-presented Active Streets clears cars off the road in different parts of the San Gabriel Valley for one day only. On Sunday, June 22, you’ll be able to set foot on five miles of streets sans cars, from Mission Street in South Pasadena, down Marengo Avenue and along Alhambra Road, Main Street and Las Tunas Drive toward Mission Drive in San Gabriel (hence the “Mission at Twilight” name of this particular event).

Pick up some items at an open-air market and grab a bite to eat before the outdoor movie screenings commence at this monthly summertime series in front of the Queen Mary.

L.A. native, Kendrick Lamar collaborator and all-around saxophone wizard Kamasi Washington will headline three performances inside LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries this June—months ahead of its artwork-filled April 2026 opening. But he won’t be alone: More than 100 musicians will be scattered across 110,000 square feet of vacant gallery space to perform the six-part suite Harmony of Difference. Tickets go on sale in three batches (May 2, May 22 and June 12).

Every Father’s Day weekend, more than 500 artists create temporary masterpieces in chalk on the sidewalks of Pasadena, prompting thousands of onlookers to watch where they walk. Also on offer are a live DJ, food, beer garden and silent auction. Eventually awards are presented in a number of different categories, and then it’s all washed away for good. This year, the event is back at its Paseo Colorado home after a brief move to the Pasadena Convention Center’s plaza.

Take a seat in the Skirball Cultural Center’s courtyard for this series of outdoor screenings. The Sepulveda Pass museum is showing Black Panther and Captain America: The First Avenger to tie in to its Jack Kirby exhibition.

Expand your mind on breezy summer nights by listening to the words of the Bard for free. The program, founded in 1998, will put on two plays—As You Like It and Julius Caesar—with the help of talented local actors. “By the Sea” is a bit misleading; though some of the locations are ocean-adjacent, and largely in the South Bay and Long Beach, the troupe takes the plays on tour all across Los Angeles, performing for audiences from Downtown to Beverly Hills to Altadena’s Loma Alta Park, which was recently restored post–Eaton Fire.

For the third year running, Disneyland is hosting a pair of after-hours Pride nights. Programming includes a dance party along the Rivers of America, themed food, a Pride parade with Mickey and Minnie and a special fireworks show. Other highlights include line dancing at the Golden Horseshoe, inspirational photo ops (with free downloads) and a Stitch-led dance party. Each ticket ($169, a $10 increase over last year) grants you access to Disneyland for three hours toward the end of its operating hours, followed by a for-ticketholders-only party from 9pm to 1am that promises lighter crowds and shorter lines for the rides. 

Keen to see jazz greats past and present? Get ready for mellow harmonies and earthy grooves at the annual Blue Note Jazz Festival this summer—formerly the Playboy and then the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival. The two-day concert includes performances from the Isley Brothers, De La Soul, Derrick Hodge, Grace Jones, Willow and more. Remember, it’s at the Hollywood Bowl, so why not share a bottle of wine with some friends and groove along with the jazz’s pride and glory?

Culver City’s staircase-dominated plaza screens free, family-friendly flicks on Fridays in June. Complimentary popcorn will be provided while supplies last. Each screening starts at sunset.

Listen to choral covers of tracks by Madonna, Lady Gaga, ABBA, Dua Lipa and Donna Summer plus tunes from musicals including Singin’ in the Rain and Hairspray during this Pride Month concert from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. The group’s concert and gala at Beverly Hills’ Saban Theatre also includes appearances from Kristine W and Bruce Vilanch.

When R&B singer Abel Tesfaye released his debut mixtape, House of Balloons, in 2011, he did so hidden behind the Weeknd moniker: faceless and nameless, with no pictures, concerts or interviews. Since then, he’s made the leap from mystery-cloaked DIY buzz magnet to pro-hyped superstar drenched in drugged out psychosexual fantasy with ’80s funk basslines and a glossy pop shimmer. After he had to cancel his Rose Bowl show earlier this year, you can see him at SoFi Stadium for a stop on his “After Hours Til Dawn” tour.

For dinner and a movie, all in one, just follow the food trucks. During the spring, summer and fall, Street Food Cinema throws together a series of outdoor parties that include screenings of some of our favorite movies, paired with an assortment of gourmet food trucks and even a live music performance from a cool local band. The screenings are held in venues across L.A. into October and alternate from week to week, so make sure to check the schedule. Some of the outdoor venues are dog-friendly, allowing you to bring your four-legged cinema lover along.

A veritable L.A. institution, Bob Baker Marionette Theater is stopping by the Academy Museum on two Saturdays during Pride Month to perform a musical puppet show that celebrates love, self-acceptance and community. The characters will serenade guests with medleys from LGBTQ+ icons and queer history—and did we mention it’s free? Performances will take place in the Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby; it’s up to you if you want to buy a ticket and visit the museum as well. 

In a world of lies (and, these days, alternative facts), the only thing we can rely on is Shakira’s hips. Watch them shake with precision when the Colombian superstar returns for a stop at SoFi Stadium (rescheduled from her slated date at the Forum).

Bergamot Station’s inclusive comedy club, the Crow, hosts this family-friendly Pride event filled with music, stand-up and storytelling. The programming on June 21 kicks off with “Fabulous Fables” at 10am, with drag queen and king storytelling, face painting, dancing and a family pride parade at the Santa Monica Pier. That evening at the Crow, “Pull My Finger” is a “super silly and high energy show” for the whole family at 5pm. Ending the night are two “Storyectomy Family Pride” shows, where LGBTQ+ community members and allies will get their personal and comedic stories out alongside pro comedians (7pm and 9pm).

The Los Angeles LGBT Center hosts this annual celebration of the TGNBI+ community—the longest-running of its kind. First up is a free festival where you’ll find live entertainment, family-friendly activities, workshops, local queer vendors, resource tables and even some free food. Afterward, keep the party going with Trans Pride After Dark, complete with trans go-go-dancers, music, tattoo artists and tacos.

One of the most adaptable songwriters of his generation, Elvis Costello has recorded soul, punk, folk, country, reggae and pop, in addition to collaborating with legendary songwriters like Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach. To this day, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee maintains a steady stream of new releases and regular live dates, including this appearance, backed by his band, the Imposters.

As sunset continues to stick toward the later end of the evening, the Huntington is taking advantage of the extra daylight with this coveted after-hours series. Formerly open just for members, Twilight Garden Strolls is now open to the public, too, and will extend the San Marino garden’s hours until 8pm on select evenings in the summer. The 1919 Cafe will be open until 7:30pm (hot food stations close at 7pm), so you can even have dinner on the patio. Just a heads-up that you’ll need a timed ticket that’s separate from regular morning or afternoon admission.

The day after free SaMo Pride is this ticketed daylong dance party at the pier, with sets by live performers and DJs (the lineup has yet to be announced) taking place amid the rides and games of Pacific Park. Show up early (before 3pm) if you want to save on tickets. A portion of proceeds will support victims of the 2025 wildfires, as well as the Santa Monica Queer Prom.

Celebrate Black history during this free festival in Long Beach. Now in its fifth year, the massive daylong event is filled with family-friendly activities, local vendors, food and drink from Black-owned restaurants, live music from Grammy-winning performers and dancing.

House music hits the Queen Mary waterfront during this two-day fest from Insomniac. This year’s event, which features two main stages, features headliners Andruss, Biscits, Classmatic, East End Dubs back-to-back with Max Dean, Chris Lorenzo, Cole Knight, Eli Brown, a sunset set by Anfisa Letyago and many more.

Watch a slate of classics from the past couple of decades on one of the prettiest rooftops—now called Oasis—in Hollywood at this outdoor screenings series. All movies are piped in over sets of provided wireless headphones. Before showtime, make sure to hit up the bar or the on-site kitchen.

Summer’s just heating up, but thanks to a returning summer event series, it’s set to be scorching: Beginning May 29, Santa Monica mainstay the Bungalow will host its night market every Thursday just a block from the beach. Over the summer, expect food from the likes of Tacos 1986, House of Empanadas, Lei’d Cookies and All About the Cinnamon. As in previous years, families can enjoy a kids’ play area with complimentary face painting. The event will also feature a variety of brand activations, celebrity guest appearances and DJ and musical performances, with more info to be announced as the summer kicks off. The fun runs every Thursday night through Labor Day, from 5 to 11pm. 

Shop local at this celebration of small businesses, held not in Venice but in downtown Mar Vista, along Venice Boulevard. The arts and music festival brings together over 300 local brands and artists three times a year, attracting some 100,000 shoppers. The summer edition will kick off with a free morning yoga class. You’ll also find live music, art installations and food trucks on Venice between Centinela Avenue and Inglewood Boulevard. The fest is free and pet-friendly. Meanwhile, a ticketed beer garden features an open bar, games, lounges and cabanas, and part of the proceeds go to nonprofit Nourish LA.

Think men could do a bit of a better job listening when it comes to dating? This Bachelorette-style game show runs with that conceit as its one rule: The four men competing for a date can’t speak. Instead, they’ll nod and doodle while host Allison Goldberg searches their phones and dials their moms. You can usually find Love Isn’t Blind staged monthly (and you can even apply to participate in it).

Take a seat under the arch at the former Hollywood & Highland for this free series of movie screenings, typically held on the last Friday of the month. Stop by the Ovation Hollywood booth for free popcorn and discounted treats from the TCL Chinese Theatre concessions stand.

This interactive performance series constitutes a literary cathouse, with an all-inclusive cast providing a “night of holy queer decadence” and pleasure this Pride Month. Enjoy live poetry from queer poets, music, appetizers and themed cocktails. You can upgrade your experience with tokens that will give you access to private poetry readings behind closed curtains, where you might hear dirty sonnets or whispered secrets. Costumes, cocktail attire or themed eveningwear that channels your inner siren is encouraged. A portion of all ticket sales will go to the Sex Workers Outreach Project Los Angeles.

Each summer, Bard fanatics watch their favorite works come to life at the historic Old Zoo in Griffith Park. For 15 years running, Independent Shakespeare Co. has put on a series of lively productions each week, inviting audiences to take a seat on the grass (read: bring a picnic blanket) and enjoy performances like this season’s headliner, early Shakespeare comedy Love’s Labour’s Lost, which will be followed by Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. With construction of a permanent stage currently in process on the main lawn, this summer’s shows will again be held in the dell at the top of the Old Zoo—meaning available space is smaller, and although performances are still free, reservations are required.

Want to peer through the eyepiece of Mt. Wilson’s historic telescopes? Your best and most economical bet just might be one of the Talks & Telescopes events. These monthly Saturday-night astronomy lectures are followed up with a few hours of stargazing on portable telescopes on the grounds as well as the 60 and 100-inch telescopes for only $50 (a fraction of the price of the observatory’s late-night stargazing sessions).

You know it’s summer in L.A. when the live outdoor music starts swelling all over the city, including at MacArthur Park’s Levitt Pavilion. The Westlake concert series returns this summer with free shows almost every Saturday. The lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but you can expect a genre-spanning mix of local acts that range from cumbia to ska to EDM.

Cure a case of the Mondays with a restorative sound bath at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s private Garden of the Clear Stream, an urban oasis in Little Tokyo. At the start of every week in April, you can bring a mat and enjoy an hour of healing sounds and reflection amid the garden’s lush flora and cascading waterfall. Afterward, stick around to purchase lunch and a matcha and enjoy them in the garden.

The Culver Hotel is embracing Culver City’s cinematic history with a new series of screenings celebrating the golden age of cinema. To mark the centennial of both MGM and the hotel, you can catch a classic MGM film at the Culver Theater, then head across the street for a themed gathering at the hotel’s Velvet Lounge, complete with cocktails and bites inspired by the evening’s featured presentation.

The Boy Who Lived lives on in a wizardly spectacle with truly spellbinding special effects. As though it had cast a Shrinking Charm on itself, the formerly two-part epic is now a single show, albeit a long one—and one that our New York critic awarded five stars. Catch it at the Pantages before it closes June 22.

Listen to classical and jazz in a dome more than a mile above L.A. during this mountaintop concert series. The Mount Wilson Observatory is hosting monthly concerts this summer inside the dome of its 100-inch Hooker telescope, which was the largest telescope in the world for much of the first half of the 20th century. Tickets cost $60 (that also includes access to the exhibit at the observatory) and it’s highly recommended that you buy them in advance since seating is limited. You’ll need to be able to climb 53 steps to reach the dome, and children under 12 aren’t permitted. 

Whether your design sensibilities are professional or Pinterest-honed, celebrate L.A.’s outstanding aesthetic heritage at this annual design fest, which is dubbing itself “Design Futurism” this year and focusing on forward-thinking design. Artist studio tours, exhibitions, installations, panels and parties will be staged primarily around Long Beach, with the exception of concurrent Friday-night block parties at Row DTLA and the Helms Bakery District as well as LB. Head to the fest’s website for all of the details and the full schedule.

Angelenos, let it all hang out. The World Naked Bike Ride hits L.A. each year with its bare-as-you-dare dress code to fight “indecent exposure to cars” and promote both a healthy planet and body acceptance. The 2025 ride will expose itself Saturday, June 28. (Route details are still TBA.)

See our photos of some previous World Naked Bike Ride events.

Treat your ears to a vibrant concert on a spring or summer night this year by attending MUSE/IQUE’s annual program. This monthly series of performances, held at cultural venues across L.A., features a mix of performances inspired by music movements and public figures, including tributes to Ray Charles, immigrant film composers, the Memphis sound, Etta James and more. The best way to attend is to become a MUSE/IQUE member; you could make a $75 donation to the performing arts nonprofit for a single event (with the exception of September’s free open house), but if you’re interested in more than just one, it’s cheaper per event to become a full-fledged member.

After popping up at D23 and Long Beach shopping center 2nd & PCH, themed mini-golf experience Pixar Putt has landed at its most logical home: the Pixar Place Hotel, close to California Adventure and its Pixar Pier. Putt your way through 18 themed holes and step into the stories of Pixar favorites including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Coco, A Bug’s Life, Wall-E and Inside Out. Opening weekend is sold out, but don’t worry: The course will remain open through June 1.

L.A.’s star-studded lecture series returns—both virtually and in person—with a lineup of writers, artists, performers, scientists and business leaders who will graciously blow your mind. For both online and IRL events, you’ll often have the option of purchasing a signed copy of the speaker’s book, as well.

The Getty Center’s new featured exhibition explores the transformative role photography has played in the history of the LGBTQ+ community as a tool for exploring gender, sexuality and self-expression since the mid-1800s. See examples of the homosocial, homoerotic and homosexual imagery that helped shape the world’s awareness of queer life. During your visit, be sure to check out the accompanying exhibition “$3 Bill: Evidence of Queer Lives,” a look at the contributions of LGBTQ+ artists in the last century, in the museum’s Research Institute Galleries. 

Sure, you’ve seen the archival television clips of the Beatles’ famous appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, but what about firsthand, long-lost photographs from that same time shot by one of the band members? This spring, Beverly Hills gallery Gagosian displays 36 recently rediscovered photographs of the Beatles, all captured by Paul McCartney. A mix of black-and-white and color prints, the McCartney photos were shot during peak of Beatlemania, from December 1963 to February 1964. Expect to see a mix of self-portraits of Paul and candid shots of John, George and Ringo—as well as hysterical fans waiting outside the windows of the band’s car.

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’ Freddie Freeman, Olympic medalist softball player Rachel Garcia and more. 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 kicks off May 15 and will remain at the Science Center at least through the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

See over 50 garments from Diane von Furstenberg, best known for her iconic wrap dress, during this career-spanning exhibition at the Skirball. Alongside artwork and fabric swatches, the show will also focus on her philanthropic work as well as how her life was shaped as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor.

On the 50th anniversary of the Norton Simon Museum, look back to when Simon took over management of the Pasadena Art Museum in 1975, then ahead to the museum’s exciting future at this retrospective exhibition. See rare photos from the museum’s archives, and learn about the history of its major acquisitions, exhibitions, building and gardens—which are currently undergoing a transformation.

Nature lovers, rejoice! Spend a day at the Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion, which will be open March 23 through August 24 and be home to up to 30 butterfly and moth species, as well as an assortment of California plants. The seasonal outdoor exhibit allows for adults and children alike to witness nature up close—we’re talking walking amid hundreds of butterflies and having them land on your arms or shoulders. Tip: The prime time for these unique butterfly flight experiences is typically between 10am and 11am each morning.

The Natural History Museum’s taxidermy dioramas turn a century old this year, and to celebrate the museum is reviving an entire hall of displays that’ve been dark for decades. Expect some fresh approaches to these assembled snapshots of the wilderness, including alebrijes made of recycled materials, a crystalline depiction of pollution and a tech-driven display of the L.A. River.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House—centerpiece of Barnsdall Art Park and Los Angeles’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site—just might be the most stunning backdrop for an art exhibition. And, in this case, the home is the subject itself, too. L.A.-based photographer Ireland captured the intricate details of the Hollyhock House in 21 photographs on display throughout the onetime residence.

Study the technical and cultural background of colorful clay vessels, textiles, bark-paper pages and sculptures in the Indigenous Americas—and how their significance has been downplayed among colonialist histories—during this LACMA exhibition.

Pasadena’s USC Pacific Asia Museum hosts this exhibition based on the Getty’s scientific research into Cai Guo-Qiang’s gunpowder art. The show fills up nearly the entire museum with a vast selection of the artist’s work alongside scientific imagery exploring the nature of gunpowder and Cai’s process in using it.