October 2019 events calendar for Los Angeles
While fall foliage is sparse in L.A., the there’s no shortage of Halloween spirit. It’s October, so there are precious few weeks left to hit up costume stores and stockpile some of the best Halloween candy. If Halloween isn’t really your holiday, then celebrate the end of summertime crowds and enjoy one of the best hikes in L.A. Regardless, you’ll find something to do among the street fairs, Halloween parties and other fun festivals in L.A. in our October events calendar.
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Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen
Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler host their variety show, Hot Tub, every Monday night at the Virgil. Expect a fresh, oddball lineup each week of stand-up comics, sketch performances and new music.
The Who
The Who—that is, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, some other musicians and two very prominent ghosts—come to town on their “Moving On!” tour. Despite the name, though, this isn’t a farewell scenario; instead, the band is pegging this as a new chapter, with their first new album in over a decade due out as well. See them during a pair of orchestra-backed shows at the Hollywood Bowl.
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend aren’t phoneys. Firstly, they chose their name before the whole prepubescent Twilight craze kicked off. What’s more, they all studied musicology, making them that rare thing on today’s rock scene: a band who know their shit. Their music, a hybrid of pop, rock and South African influences which they’ve dubbed ‘Upper West Side Soweto’, certainly reveals a careful craft and intelligence. See them play the Bowl in support of their latest record, Father of the Bride.
Wild Adventures: Behind the Scenes Tours
The L.A. Zoo houses 1,400 animals across 270 species, and those critters rely on all facets of the zoo’s support system. Through these behind-the-scenes tours (each one tackles two locations in 90 minutes), the Griffith Park institution shines a light on those programs, including its medical facilities, food storage systems, habitat design and conservation efforts. Offered on Saturdays and Sundays, this revolving selection of tours is a good fit for any visitor seeking to experience to view the zoo from the other side of the fences. While you won’t find hands-on animal encounters aboard these, you will get pretty close to some critters.
Desert Daze
Desert Daze is your antidote to the typical desert gathering (think a noisier, more indie lineup than Coachella and less dirt than Burning Man). Though it’s close enough to L.A. to go just for the day, the fest caters to campers with easy access to hiking trails and a bazaar of mystics and wanderers. The fest announces its lineup in phases, and first up is Stereolab. The October fest will mark the first U.S. performance in 11 years for the krautrock-meets-lounge pop legends. Expect more lineup announcements to come soon, starting with Animal Collective. Early bird tickets are on sale now for $199. Desert Daze returns to Lake Perris State Recreation Area from October 10 to 13. The Riverside County location proved problematic during last year’s move to the less desert-y venue: Attendees waited upwards of two hours in traffic just to park on the first day, while Tama Impala’s headlining set was canceled 15 minutes in due to lightning—leaving concertgoers and campers scrambling for shelter, and plagued by spotty cell reception. In response, festival organizers say they’ll be working to streamline the parking and check-in process, plus working to boost cell signals in the area.
Free
Artists & Fleas Venice
The newest flea market on the block, the Venice outpost of this artisan/craft-focused flea market mini-empire is bringing records, vintage and vintage-inspired clothing, cosmetics, jewelry and more to the Westminster Avenue Elementary School. A handful of small batch confectioners provide sweet treats to snack on or take home, while food trucks and nearby restaurants provide heartier bites. Though relatively small in size, owing perhaps to its prime location bookending the neighborhood’s famed Abbot Kinney stretch, vendors hawk a diverse range of hand-made and expertly curated wares that seems to simultaneously fit in and stand out in one of the nation’s most unusual neighborhoods.
Concerts
The Who
The Who—that is, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, some other musicians and two very prominent ghosts—come to town on their “Moving On!” tour. Despite the name, though, this isn’t a farewell scenario; instead, the band is pegging this as a new chapter, with their first new album in over a decade due out as well. See them during a pair of orchestra-backed shows at the Hollywood Bowl.
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend aren’t phoneys. Firstly, they chose their name before the whole prepubescent Twilight craze kicked off. What’s more, they all studied musicology, making them that rare thing on today’s rock scene: a band who know their shit. Their music, a hybrid of pop, rock and South African influences which they’ve dubbed ‘Upper West Side Soweto’, certainly reveals a careful craft and intelligence. See them play the Bowl in support of their latest record, Father of the Bride.
Desert Daze
Desert Daze is your antidote to the typical desert gathering (think a noisier, more indie lineup than Coachella and less dirt than Burning Man). Though it’s close enough to L.A. to go just for the day, the fest caters to campers with easy access to hiking trails and a bazaar of mystics and wanderers. The fest announces its lineup in phases, and first up is Stereolab. The October fest will mark the first U.S. performance in 11 years for the krautrock-meets-lounge pop legends. Expect more lineup announcements to come soon, starting with Animal Collective. Early bird tickets are on sale now for $199. Desert Daze returns to Lake Perris State Recreation Area from October 10 to 13. The Riverside County location proved problematic during last year’s move to the less desert-y venue: Attendees waited upwards of two hours in traffic just to park on the first day, while Tama Impala’s headlining set was canceled 15 minutes in due to lightning—leaving concertgoers and campers scrambling for shelter, and plagued by spotty cell reception. In response, festival organizers say they’ll be working to streamline the parking and check-in process, plus working to boost cell signals in the area.
