Things to do in L.A. this weekend: May 8–10

It’s time to put a bird on it! It’s been eight years since Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s sketch-show send-up of Portland and all its quirks ended—though it lasted a full eight seasons without ever seeming to run out of ideas. The friends and creative partners will reunite at the Ford for a nostalgic evening of “storytelling, jokes, conversation and more.” And given the caliber of guest-stars the IFC show attracted, I wouldn’t be surprised if some stopped by.

The sky above L.A. State Historic Park becomes a gallery made entirely of kites during this family-friendly festival from local arts and culture nonprofit Clockshop. Held in honor of the diverse communities surrounding Los Angeles State Historic Park, this sixth-annual free event features flying demonstrations, art workshops, a large inflatable art sculpture, a cumbia dance lesson and musical performances—plus a contest for the best handmade kite.

If your parents took you to the circus as a kid, now it’s time to return the favor. Each Mother’s Day for 26 years and running, Theatricum Botanicum’s “MOMentum Place” crafts a fantastical world of aerial and circus performers, dancers and musicians in its rustic outdoor amphitheater. The family-friendly event is staged specifically in honor of moms, and is complemented by an optional pre-performance brunch.

As of Friday, May 8, you’ll officially be able to “ride the D”—the Metro D Line, that is, which is expanding its reach westward on Wilshire Boulevard with three new stops: Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega. It’s big news for locals and tourists alike, and will hopefully make visiting Miracle Mile museums and the surrounding attractions sans car a breeze. To mark the occasion, Metro is hosting an afternoon of community celebrations at the new stations, as well as the existing Wilshire/Western D Line station, featuring DJ sets from Metro Art and KCRW’s “Soundtrips,” food from neighborhood favorites (think Pink’s, Met Her at a Bar and Canter’s), family-friendly activities and booths from museums and local organizations. Metro will be offering free rides all weekend, too, from 4am Friday through 3am on Monday.

L.A. has changed immeasurably since 1921, when this event was first staged as an agricultural fair. However, the perennially popular event still has farm-friendly appeal (livestock beauty contests, local produce) alongside the more modern wine tastings, exhibitions, art installations, concerts (this year’s headliners include War, Brad Paisley, Ramon Ayala and a comedy show by Jeff Dunham), roller-skating rink and carnival rides. This year’s theme, “Play Your Way,” celebrates recreation, imagination and letting loose, transforming its grounds into the county’s biggest playground.

RECOMMENDED: A guide to the L.A. County Fair

I’ll watch anything Demetri Martin does since the days of Important Things on Comedy Central, but I’m particularly intrigued by his latest effort. Known for incorporating both music and drawing into his live shows, this later addition to the Netflix Is a Joke lineup finds the comic staging a comedy show inside a gallery of his paintings—located at 729 N Fairfax Ave—all of which will be for sale to visitors. The gallery space itself will be open all week, and Martin himself will pop in for a few free shows, including Saturday, May 9 at 3pm. Email studio@artjokes.com to RSVP.

Shop homegrown style at this one-of-a-kind marketplace—which remains the only AAPI/woman-owned market in the country after 18 years. Discover unique finds from a curated selection of 75 vendors selling, clothing, accessories, wellness products, stationery, gourmet treats and more—perfect for last-minute Mother’s Day shopping. Eliminating the middle man and buying directly from the artisans themselves means both cheaper prices for you and more profit for their small businesses—a win-win and boost for L.A.’s economy. The $12 admission fee includes free drinks, a DIY charm-making station and a photo booth with free Polaroid prints. And for $2, you’ll score a tote bag for storing all your new treasures. 

L.A. native and artist Gary Baseman is bringing his unmistakable style to “Off the Menu,” his first solo exhibition in the city in over a dozen years. The show is a love letter to L.A. dining, featuring 40 of the artist’s “action” drawings that he’s doodled on menus while dining at local restaurants, from Musso and Frank to Canter’s. And it couldn’t be held in a more fitting place: the iconic Johnie’s Coffee Shop, right across from the Academy Museum. The exhibition’s opening (May 8, 3–6pm) will coincide with the Metro D Line expansion’s opening—it’s just steps from the Wilshire/Fairfax station. On May 9, there will be an opening reception (6–9pm), and the show will remain open through June 14. The classic diner hasn’t been open to the public in over 25 years, so don’t miss your chance to step inside.

Printed Matter presents the L.A. Art Book Fair, a unique showcase of artists’ books, catalogues, monographs, periodicals and zines. Over 250 international presses, booksellers and independent publishers from around the world come together to hawk their wordy wares at this not-to-be-missed event at Pasadena’s ArtCenter College of Design South Campus complex (950 S Raymond Ave). Peruse pulp paperbacks, catalogues full of fancy modern art and books that you don’t really “read” so much as just admire, and check out the lineup of hands-on workshops, live music and experimental installations. Admission is free on Sunday.

Still need a thoughtful, unique gift for Mom? Head to SUAY Sew Shop Downtown, where In Todo is hosting a craft fair this Saturday featuring wares from over 90 BIPOC artists, designers and small-business owners. Shop apparel, jewelry, home goods, beauty and food—highlights include truffles from the Grumpy Chocolatier, blankets from the Zapotec Weavers, plus-size vintage finds from Thick Thrift and patterned pieces by Good Karma. Entry is free, as are an on-site clothing swap and community dye bath.

Stamptown is something of an enigma to me—but it comes highly recommended via word of mouth, which is why I’m excited to check it out in person. Led by professional clown Zach Zucker, the zany live variety show is taping its first special as part of the festival. Expect a 90-minute raunchy and chaotic production; past comedian guests have included Neil Patrick Harris and Rachel Sennott. A third show was just added by popular demand, so you have three chances to see what the buzz is about. 

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 doesn’t take place inside the dome of the 100-inch telescope. Instead, screenings take place inside the 256-seat auditorium inside the astronomical museum, the same venue used for the site’s Talks & Telescopes lectures.

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.

See more of this season’s outdoor movie screenings in L.A.

Celebrate the stories that shape a community at the second annual Nikkei Children’s Book Festival at the Japanese American National Museum. Timed to AAPI Heritage Month, Japanese Children's Day and Children’s Book Week, this vibrant, all-ages celebration brings together beloved authors and illustrators for a day of lively readings, signings and hands-on crafts, plus a pop-up bookstore spotlighting Nikkei voices. It’s a joyful, culture-rich day where storytelling, heritage and imagination take center stage. Among the confirmed attendees are Stan and Julie Sakai (Chibi Usagi), Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura (Love in the Library), and Korey Watari and Mike Wu (Kimi the Ballerina).

The city of Santa Monica will become a playground for jazz during this inaugural music fest, which fulfills Grammy-winning bassist Stanley Clarke’s vision for a world-class jazz festival in Los Angeles and celebrates the centennials of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Route 66. Fellow Grammy winner Kamasi Washington tops the bill on a week of performances by both world-renowned and emerging talent at venues across the city. On May 8 is a tribute to Coltrane at the BroadStage, headlined by Isaiah Collier. The fest culminates in “A Day at the Park” at Tongva Park on May 9—a full afternoon of performances, with Washington wrapping up the fest.

The Venice Art Walk returns for its 47th year to benefit the Venice Family Clinic with an auction and a free opportunity to glimpse the Venice and wider L.A. art scene. From May 8 to 17, pop into 910 Abbot Kinney to see (and potentially bid on) pieces from Ed Ruscha, Helen Pashgian, Kenny Scharf, Ed Templeton and this year’s signature artist, sculptor Alison Saar.

How’s this for a surreal, one-of-a-kind lineup: Lizzo hosts and performs at a night of music and comedy (and “yo mama,” as the show poster cheekily reminds that it coincides with Mother’s Day) that includes Eric André, Bob the Drag Queen, Dulcé Sloan, Myke Wright and Godfrey. 

One of L.A.’s best free live-music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured legit legends over its 35-year 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. We’re betting it’ll be even more popular than usual this year, with the new David Geffen Galleries in the background.

Perhaps the Los Angeles area’s most iconic flea market, this event around the exterior of the Rose Bowl is staggeringly colossal? The sheer size and scale of this flea market means that it encompasses multitudes: new and old, hand-crafted and salvaged, the cheap and the costly. On the second Sunday of each month, an odd mix of vendors populates the loop around the stadium: for every eye-catching artwork, there’s a ratty $5 T-shirt, and for each elegant craft there’s a competing “as seen on TV” demo. But you may have more luck in the rows and rows of old furniture, albums and vintage clothes and accessories that fill the adjacent parking lot.

Get ready to get your groove on. The immersive Brassroots District: L.A. ’74 transports adventurous theatergoers (or is that concertgoers?) into a funk-tastic, pre-cellphone world of 1970s bands and record label battles—complete with original music performed live by a funk and soul band. Dressing for the period is highly encouraged for this part-musical, part-concert, part-immersive experience about a band on the cusp of releasing their first album. You can even sample the band’s music on the website in advance to get a taste of what’s in store at Jewel’s Catch One every Saturday and Sunday night through June—the show has been extended by popular demand.

The hour stands before another springtime, and the Renaissance Pleasure Faire is nigh. Good mistresses and masters, prepareth thy schedules and costumes for the return of the oldest Ren Faire in the country, a spectacle that cov’reth 20 Irwindale acres with Elizabethan libations and amusement: fully armored joust tournaments and tea parties with the queen along with beguiling stage acts, rides, games, delicious edibles and ales abound. The festivities will transpire each weekend at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area; procureth day or season passes in advance by visiting ye olde online box office. And no, we can’t stop talking like this.

Walk through a pavilion of fluttering tropical butterflies you can’t normally glimpse in Southern California, and peep a chamber with pupae and caterpillars at South Coast Botanic Garden’s seasonal exhibition. For an extra $6, you can pick up a nectar “lollipop” to attract and feed the butterflies yourself. Carve out some time to explore the beautiful gardens afterward.

Step into the soundtrack of your favorite ’80s movies at this brand-new show from For the Record, set inside CineVita’s huge mirrored Spiegeltent at Hollywood Park. Hear tracks from over 25 films, including Footloose, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Say Anything, Dirty Dancing, Top Gun, Valley Girl and Back to the Future, performed in the immersive setting by a cast of singers, musicians and dancers with Broadway and TV credits. 

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. 

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. 

Travel back to the LBC circa 1996 inside the Grammy Museum’s new celebration of Sublime. Three decades after the release of the legendary Long Beach ska-punk-reggae trio’s self-titled breakthrough—as well as the passing of singer and guitarist Bradley Nowell—the museum has assembled this nostalgic showcase of flyers, instruments and black-and-white performance photos. Highlights include handwritten lyrics to “Wrong Way,” archival live footage and Nowell’s sticker-covered acoustic guitar.

The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. The series is known for its excellent film choices, comfy lawn chairs and a steady supply of snacks and booze. And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word. Enjoy a steady stream of modern classics (Inception, Pride & Prejudice) local favorites (La La Land, Friday) and recent releases (Sinners, The Housemaid), as well as the odd TV marathon, screened atop LEVEL DTLA. 

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).

You may have come across Danish artist Thomas Dambo’s massive troll sculptures—which he makes from reclaimed wood and hides in nature to encourage people to get out and enjoy the outdoors—on Instagram. But you don’t need to book a trip to Denmark to see the gentle giants. The 87 acres of Palos Verdes’s South Coast Botanic Garden are currently home to 12 of the whimsical figures, and you can glimpse them all with your general admission ticket. For $33, you can take a guided walking tour of the Twelvelings (with general admission included). To see the trolls in a different light, one night a month, the gardens will host the Canopy Club—an after-hours dance party in the woods with pop-up performances, food and drinks ($34–$50).

Nature lovers, rejoice! The Natural History Museum is bringing back its annual Butterfly Pavilion, which will be open March 22 through August 23 and house 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. You’ll need to purchase a $10 add-on ticket on top of your museum ticket in order to explore the pavilion for a half-hour.

It’s a very Fast & Furious kind of year in L.A. between Universal Studio’s roller coaster and this 25th anniversary exhibition of the movie franchise. The Petersen Automotive Museum is showcasing movie vehicles, stunt cars and production prototypes in its second-floor galleries, including the 1993 Toyota Supra “Stunt #3” and 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) in the original film, Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) 1968 Dodge Charger R/T and 1993 Mazda RX-7, Suki’s (Devon Aoki) 2001 Honda S2000 and more.

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.

When Mexican director Alejandro G. Iñárritu made his debut feature, Amores Perros, over a million feet of film didn’t make it to the final cut (to put that into perspective, the finished two-and-a-half-hour movie used around 18,000 feet of film). Twenty five years later, some of these unearthed reels of celluloid now zip through a ground-floor gallery at LACMA as part of a multi-channel film installation. As much a piece of sculpture as it is film or video art, Sueño Perro assembles six 35mm projectors that pierce the hazy near-dark space with raw, nonlinear snippets of the movie, fed from a mesmerizing curtain of film stock speeding along sprockets. It’s an intense experience, both sonically (during the car crash that connects the feature’s storylines) and visually (dog fighting plays a pivotal role in the film, though you’ll see here some of the behind-the-scenes tricks that kept the production cruelty-free).

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.

First up on the Academy Museum’s 2026 calendar is a deep dive into Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo. One of Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films, Ponyo was notable for its focus on hand-drawn animation, with not only the characters but the backgrounds drawn frame-by-frame rather than using animation cels or CGI. Last year, Studio Ghibli donated original production materials to the Academy Collection, so this show will highlight those items, including art boards, posters, a Studio Ghibli animation desk and original drawings—some of which will be displayed in North America for the very first time—pairing them with immersive and interactive elements like an animation table and a play environment for kids.

Whether or not you follow soccer, you probably know by now that Los Angeles is hosting eight matches of the World Cup in summer 2026. In celebration of its arrival, this LACMA show will display Lyndon J. Barrois Sr.’s ode to the world’s most beloved sport. The artist’s miniature “sportraits” re-create classic moments in both women’s and men’s soccer using materials like gum wrappers, glue and paint—even if you’re not a sports fan, the playful sculptures and stop-motion animations will win you over.

The Pacific Asia Museum’s galleries have been closed for months in preparation for this immersive new exhibition, which is taking over the entire museum and marks a new, artist-centered shift to its programming. The ambitious show will use the visual language of mythology to take visitors on an immersive journey through the immigrant experience, combining objects from USC PAM’s 5,000-year-spanning historical collection with new media technology and works by over 20 contemporary artists, led by L.A.-based Korean American muralist Dave Young Kim. Highlights include a wrap-around video installation in a reconstructed airplane cabin and an AI feature that puts visitors in the shoes of an immigrant. Along the way, mythical creatures—dragons, cranes, guardian spirits and shapeshifters—nod to intergenerational legacies.

A display of over 30 mummified people and animals is back at the California Science Center. This time around, you can see a selection of specimens never before shown in Los Angeles. Mummies are, of course, most often associated with ancient Egypt, and while Egypt is represented here, you’ll also see mummified remains that were discovered in Germany, Hungary, Peru—even the University of Maryland. Memorable artifacts include two “bundle” mummies making their West Coast debut, amulets and organ jars, an ancient Egyptian cat mummy and a shrunken sloth head. The museum’s IMAX theater will be screening the complementary Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs.

The beloved late singer, who’s ascended to music and fashion icon status since her untimely death in 1995, is the focus of a new show at the Grammy Museum. Co-curated by the singer’s sister, Suzette Quintanilla, the exhibition peeks behind the curtain of Selena’s life, artistry and career, exploring how her legacy continues as a symbol of empowerment for both young women and Latin communities. Though the exhibition is limited to a single gallery on the fourth floor, it’s packed with iconic items: You can see the singer’s personal artifacts displayed for the first time outside of the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas, including her Grammy Award, cellphone, hand-drawn fashions and microphone, still marked with her signature red lipstick. In preparation for the opening, artist Mister Toledo recently created a mural of the singer outside the museum.

Don’t go in the water, but do go to the Academy Museum to see the largest exhibition ever dedicated to Steven Spielberg’s original summer blockbuster, Jaws—which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The museum was already home to the last surviving model shark from filming, but now you can go behind the scenes and see some 200 original objects from the film across multiple galleries. Some highlights: a re-creation of the Orca fishing boat, the dorsal fin used both in Jaws and its sequels, costumes worn by the central trio and a room full of vintage film posters and merch promoting the film. There are interactive elements, too: You can have your own Chief Brody dolly-zoom moment (and see the lens used to film the famous shot), play the iconic John Williams two-note score and control a replica of the mechanical shark.

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.

More than 50 works on display at the Autry showcase how Indigenous artists have crafted visions of alternative futures in the face of enduring colonial trauma, with surreal spacescapes from Wendy Red Star, pop culture commentaries by Andy Everson and a site-specific space odyssey created by Virgil Ortiz.