BLACKPINK
Photograph: Courtesy Coachella/Miranda McDonald | BLACKPINK
Photograph: Courtesy Coachella/Miranda McDonald

Things to do in L.A. this weekend

We pick out the best things to do in L.A. this weekend, including our favorite concerts, culture and cuisine

Gillian Glover
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We don’t know about you, but our mind is always focused on the weekend. It can never come soon enough—which is why we’re already thinking about what new restaurants we want to try or where we can drive for the day. Whether you’re looking to scope out the latest museum exhibitions or watch a movie outdoors, you’ll find plenty of things to do in L.A. this weekend.

We curate an L.A. weekend itinerary of the city’s best concerts, culture and cuisine, every week, just for you. The Fourth of July is behind us, and the city returns to its usual summer programming—don’t fret, though, because that still includes tons of outdoor movie screenings, free concerts, dance parties and more. Paul Simon, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and BLACKPINK are all in town this weekend; the Lotus Festival celebrates Echo Park Lake’s floating flowers; and you can take a night walk under the full moon at the Arboretum. This weekend is also your last chance to catch the vibrant exhibition “Color in Motion” at the Academy Museum and snap a pic of the ruby slippers.

The best things to do in L.A. this weekend

  • Movies
  • Old Pasadena

Watch a movie inside Pasadena’s charming One Colorado shopping plaza during this free summer series. If you happened to have spent at least $50 per person cumulatively at the shopping center’s vendors earlier in the day, you’ll nab free VIP seating, which includes popcorn and a beverage, plus a free ticket to the IPIC.

  • Things to do
  • Walks and tours
  • Arcadia

Slow down and soak in the magic of the woods during these guided, moonlit forest walks at the Arboretum, inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, which is said to boost immune strength, reduce stress and improve cognitive function. Each meditative walk starts just before sunset and wraps up underneath the full moon with herbal tea.

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  • Things to do
  • Classes and workshops
  • Downtown

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.

  • Art
  • Installation
  • Beverly Hills

A thundering herd of 100 life-sized elephants has taken over Beverly Hills as part of this free, public exhibition spanning four blocks of Beverly Gardens Park all month. The powerful art-meets-conservation display arrives in L.A. after a 5,000-mile journey across the U.S. that began on the East Coast. Each sculpture was made from invasive lantana by Indigenous artisans from India’s Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and modeled after real elephants. On July 20, the installation gets even more stylish with Wrapped in History, a textile takeover featuring 70 bespoke blankets created by global designers. And on August 1, stop by for a public farewell event called “Kiss Them Goodbye,” hosted by luxury beauty brand Chantecaille.

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  • Music
  • Folk, country and blues
  • Downtown

When you listen to Paul Simon’s latest albums, you’re quickly reminded: Wait a minute—this guy is a pop star. That is to say, not just a prescient urban-folk bard and boomer hero but an actual hit maker. His songs are often wildly infectious, effortless-seeming reprisals of Graceland’s brain-teasing, booty-moving mastery. Catch him over five nights at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for the live debut of his acoustic composition Seven Psalms and a collection of his timeless hits.

  • Music
  • Latin and world
  • Downtown

See a free salsa concert every second Friday of the summer—plus a rescheduled show on July 25—during this series at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. This year’s lineup includes Gabrielito y La Verdad, the Echo Park Project, Arsenio Rodriguez Project and Conjunto Oye!—all featuring Super DJ Robby. Each night kicks off with a free salsa dance class at 6pm, courtesy of Dancing 101 with Roberto. 

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  • Music
  • Westside
  • Recommended

Hilltop sunset views and rising bands combine to make this Getty tradition a worthy destination for Angelenos on both sides of the 405. This weekend, singer-songwriter Madi Diaz performs. 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.

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  • Things to do
  • Talks and lectures
  • Angeles National Forest
  • Recommended

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).

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  • Music
  • Downtown
  • Recommended

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 through August 23 you’ll find free concerts (though you should RSVP ahead of time to reserve a spot). And on Friday nights, you’ll find a mix of poetry, film and classical music during Fridays in the Amphitheater. 

  • Los Feliz
  • Recommended

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 fund raisers 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.

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  • Things to do
  • Malibu
  • Recommended

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?

  • Movies
  • Downtown
  • Recommended

Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair. 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 (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StonePride & Prejudice) and local favorites (La La LandFriday), as well as the occasional TV marathon. 

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  • Movies
  • Hollywood
  • Recommended

Each year, Cinespia brings classic cult favorites to Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The outdoor screenings are an L.A. rite of passage, a quintessential summer experience and one of the best film venues in the city. Pack a picnic (yes, booze is allowed), pose in the photo booth and enjoy DJ sets, dance parties and all sorts of other magical mischief that’d otherwise be strictly forbidden behind the cemetery gates. This weekend, catch a screening of It (July 12).

  • Music
  • Jazz
  • Miracle Mile
  • Recommended

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.

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  • Shopping
  • Pasadena
  • Recommended

Perhaps the Los Angeles area’s most iconic flea market, this event around the exterior of the Rose Bowl is staggeringly colossal—but what else would you expect from a 90,000-seat stadium? The sheer size and scale of this flea market means that it encompasses multitudes: new and old, handcrafted 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, 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.

  • Music
  • Redondo Beach

Swing by Redondo Beach’s Fisherman’s Wharf on Thursday and Saturday evenings in the summer for a free series of concerts held on the west end of the pier. You can expect tribute shows on Thursdays (from the Eagles to Oasis cover bands) and local contemporary acts on Saturdays.

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  • Movie theaters
  • Outdoor
  • Beverly Hills

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.

  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Arcadia

The late-night snacker’s greatest fantasy is just a car ride away. America’s first large-scale night market takes over Santa Anita Park’s Paddock Gardens during select summer weekends. Come hungry and caffeinated—this lively market, complete with over 250 Asian street food and booze peddlers, live music, artists, games and more, won’t put itself to bed until 11pm. (The event has also expanded its way to Orange County, including a discounted “Night Market Flight” edition, which serves only appetizer-sized items.)

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  • Things to do
  • San Marino
  • Recommended

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.

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Rancho Palos Verdes/Rolling Hills Estates

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 flower vial filled with nectar to attract and feed the butterflies yourself. Carve out some time to explore the gardens afterward.

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  • Art
  • Painting
  • Laguna Beach

Life imitates art, literally: Classic paintings, statues and murals take on a new dimension as real people dress and pose to re-create original masterpieces—a trick popularized by vaudeville artiste Lolita Perine at the first festival in 1932. A professional orchestra, a narrator, intricate sets and theatrical lighting help bring the works to life at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach. This year’s theme, “Gold Coast: Treasures of California,” breathes life into the state’s history be re-creating both monuments and masterpieces from museums including the Getty, LACMA and Norton Simon Museum.

  • Shakespeare
  • Griffith Park
  • Recommended

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.

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  • Music
  • Westlake

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. Expect a genre-spanning mix of local acts that range from cumbia to ska to EDM. This weekend, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and La Verdad perform.

  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Downtown Arts District
  • Recommended

Every Sunday, you can find dozens of food vendors at this market at ROW DTLA, a Brooklyn import that boasts a mix of much-loved pop-ups and future foodie stars. Over a dozen new vendors joined the lineup this year: Feast on Afro-Caribbean cuisine from withBee, Lebanese street food from Teta, ice cream tacos from Sad Girl Creamery and more. Right now, Summer of Smorgasburg is in session, with special programming, live DJ sets and Ice Cream Alley, full of pop-up vendors serving sweet, cool treats.

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  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Pacific Palisades

The Getty Villa reopens to the public five and a half months after its Palisades Fire closure with this international loan exhibition dedicated to the Greek Mycenaean civilization and the kingdom of Pylos, which Homer immortalized in the Iliad and Odyssey. It’s the first major museum show in North America devoted to the Late Bronze Age Mycenaeans. See treasures excavators unearthed from Messenia, the Palace of Nestor and burial sites including the tomb of the Griffin Warrior (1450 BCE)—think clay tablets, gold cups, ornate weapons and tiny signets and sealstones adorned with awe-inspiring amounts of detail. 

  • Attractions
  • Theme parks
  • Los Angeles

Theater meets thrills as Six Flags Magic Mountain welcomes the heroes (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman) and villains (the Joker, Harley Quinn and Catwoman) of DC Comics during this theme park festival. Billed as a “fully immersive, theatrical takeover of the park,” in reality the action is limited to the center of Six Flags’ DC Universe area and consists mostly of stage shows where the characters sing, dance and duke it out for control of Gotham City—with an emphasis on the dancing. The highlight is the stunt-driven “Superhero Smackdown” at the end of the night—it’s a bit like a live-action episode of Adam West’s Batman. In the meantime, make sure you ride all the roller coasters on your list, as the event runs right up until closing time. The fest takes place Fridays and Saturdays, starting at 5pm, through July 26.

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  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Westside

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. 

  • Shakespeare
  • Glendale

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 Caesarwith 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.

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  • Things to do
  • Performances
  • Topanga
  • Recommended

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.

  • Things to do
  • West Hollywood

Melrose Rooftop Theatre is on hiatus until the fall, but in the meantime the event deck on the E.P. & L.P. rooftop is hosting this open-air roller rink. The rooftop rink is a 21+ affair, serving up cocktails, appetizers and some of the best views in the city. Tickets are available in one-hour time slots and include skate rentals and a drink—a VIP option with a plate of nachos is also available, as is a pricier date night package, which comes with a three-course meal from E.P & L.P.

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  • Things to do
  • Play spaces
  • Anaheim

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.

  • Art
  • Contemporary art
  • Downtown

The Broad’s upcoming special exhibition makes its way to Downtown L.A. from the 2024 Venice Biennale, where Jeffrey Gibson became the first Indigenous artist to represent the United States with a solo exhibition. Known for his signature use of geometric patterns, patterned text, vibrant color, glass beads and found objects, the Colorado-born artist explores his Indigenous identity and pays tribute to histories of resistance in thought-provoking and optimistic ways. The first-floor galleries will be transformed into a kaleidoscopic environment with 10 paintings, seven sculptures, eight flags, three murals and one video installation by Gibson. Expect an accompanying slate of performances, talks and workshops.

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  • Art
  • Pop art
  • Westside
  • Recommended

The Skirball’s latest pop culture exhibition takes a deep dive into the six-decade career of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby. You might know him as the co-creator of Captain America, Black Panther, the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and some of the Marvel universe’s most cosmic characters. But did you know he was also a first-generation Jewish American born to immigrant parents, World War II veteran and family man who split his time between New York and Los Angeles? Learn about his life and see Kirby’s original comic illustrations, as well as other works—many on view for the first time.

  • Museums
  • Science and technology
  • USC/Exposition Park

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.

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  • Museums
  • Movies and TV
  • Miracle Mile

Right on the heels of the release of his new film, Mickey 17, director Bong Joon Ho steps into the spotlight at the Academy Museum’s new exhibition. The first-ever museum show dedicated to the Oscar-winning South Korean filmmaker will trace Ho’s career, creative process and cinematic influences. See over 100 storyboards, posters, concept art, creature models, props and on-set photos from the director’s archive and personal collection. On Sundays, the museum’s on-site restaurant, Fanny’s, is offering an accompanying Korean Sunday Supper series with dishes like bibimbap and galbi jjim. You can reserve a spot here.

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • USC/Exposition Park
  • Recommended

Nature lovers, rejoice! Spend a day at the Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion, which will be open 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.

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  • Art
  • Photography
  • Los Feliz
  • Recommended

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.

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  • Art
  • Pasadena

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.

  • Art
  • Installation
  • USC/Exposition Park

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.

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