The best things to do in Los Angeles this week
Find concerts, screenings, art exhibits and more of our critics’ picks with the best events and things to do in Los Angeles this week
If we could write the rules of living in Los Angeles this would be our No. 1, always at the top of our list: When you live in this city, there’s no excuse for boredom just because it’s a weeknight. There are hundreds of things to do in Los Angeles each week, including concerts, comedy shows, happy hour deals, free museum days—and that’s really only scratching the surface. Well, we don’t make the rules, but we will provide you with plenty of ideas for your next free weeknight right here. Now put down that TV remote. There you go. Now get out of the house and tackle these things to do in L.A. this week.
Time Out loves
LA Zoo Wine Dinner Series
It’s easy to go moderately wild at the zoo. But throw in some wine? Well, now you’re really going wild. The LA Zoo reprises its hit dinner series with a focus on sustainably-made, locally-sourced wines that pair through your five-course meal.
Drag His Ass: A F*ckboy Treatment Program
In this comedy show, deadpan darling and stand-up supreme Mary Beth Barone takes down emotionally puerile bros and gives audience members some much-needed catharsis with the help of her very funny friends.
Taschen Art Book Sale
Get cultured without breaking your wallet with Taschen’s art book sale. The coffee table book purveyors are taking 25% to 75% off photo books on Bowie, Warhol, the Stones and more at their Beverly Hills and Original Farmers Market locations.
Del Close Marathon
UCB’s famed three-day improv marathon makes the jump to L.A. with around-the-clock performances. The lineup so far comprises Rachel Bloom, Lauren Lapkus, Thomas Middleditch and more.
Summer Nights in the Garden
Spend an evening outside the Natural History Museum with live music, garden-inspired cocktails, hands-on science projects, botanical tours and food trucks.
Street Style Cinema
See a slate of fashion-inspired films at the Grove on Thursday nights during this free screening series from Who What Wear.
Roaring Nights at the LA Zoo
See the zoo in a whole new light at this special after-hours exploration series.
Donna Huanca: Obsidian Ladder
Known for using nude bodies as her canvas, Huanca’s site-specific performance piece will fill the Marciano’s theater gallery, a former gathering place for the Freemason’s secret order of men, with painted female models.
Dance Downtown
The Music Center offers a free, joyous mash-up of music and dancing all summer long, with different themes (90s, line dancing, cumbia, etc.) and free dance lessons plus live bands. Head to Grand Park and join in the fun—no dance experience required.
Friday Night Wine Tastings
Perched atop Olive Hill on the west lawn of the historic Hollyhock House (which you can tour during the evening for an additional $15), 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.
Popular
LA Zoo Wine Dinner Series
It's easy to go moderately wild at the zoo—especially after dark, when the sun sets and you're surrounded by the sights and sounds of tigers, elephants, reptiles, snow leopards and primates. But throw in some wine? Well, now you're really going wild. This spring the LA Zoo reprises its hit dinner series with a focus on sustainably-made, locally-sourced wines that pair through your five-course meal. Each event takes place in a different section of the park, and can include up-close animal encounters, discussions with zookeepers, and a farm-to-table menu with dishes like seared diver scallops with cauliflower, fava beans, country ham, and parmesan bread crumbs; pork shank ragu over fresh rigatoni with sage ricotta; and crab fritters with Meyer lemon aioli. On March 21, dine in the Amazonian stilthouse at the Zoo’s Rainforest of the Americas exhibit as you sip Presqu’ile Winery, then follow it up with the next installment, the April 11 dinner on the Cambodia terrace at Elephants of Asia while you enjoy a selection from Cambria Estate Winery. On May 30, head to the Mahale Mountain terrace in the Zoo’s Africa section for a dinner full of Brave & Maiden Estate pours, then close out this year's series on a bridge overlooking the LAIR—that's the "Living Amphibians, Invertebrates and Reptiles" section—with some Riverbench Vineyard & Winery in hand. Sorry, little wild ones, these dinners are 21+. But if you're a Zoo member, we've got good news: You can enter your information for di
Let’s Go, Atsuko! A (woke) Japanese Game Show
Refreshing, artistic and boundlessly confident, Atsuko Okatsuka’s sense of humor makes audiences feel like they have always been on her side, even when she’s taking them to task. On the last Sunday of the month, she hosts this Japanese game show-inspired evening at Dynasty Typewriter, with appearances from stand-ups and cultural commentators.
Drag His Ass: A F*ckboy Treatment Program
In this comedy show, deadpan darling and stand-up supreme Mary Beth Barone takes down emotionally puerile bros and gives audience members some much-needed catharsis with the help of her very funny friends. At this edition, Brendan Scannell, Jamie Loftus, Dewayne Perkins, Maggie Widdoes, Melanie Field and Blair Socci take the stage.
Last Remaining Seats
The L.A. Conservancy offers a delightful summer time machine in the form of live entertainment and classic films, screened across Downtown’s grand old movie palaces throughout the month of June. This year’s lineup includes vintage crowd-pleasers like The Maltese Falcon and Spartacus alongside some modern classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Network. Most screenings include a special introduction and a post-film Q&A. Members of the conservancy can snag discounted tickets early; peep the schedule for showtime and location deats.
LA Food Fest
All good things must come to an end, but not all endings have to be a sad affair. Just ask LA Food Fest, which after 10 years of annual chef talks and tastings is going out with a bang. The beloved food fest has gone from street-food–focused vendors and single-day tickets to a sprawling weekend affair with chefs from all walks of kitchen life, and everywhere in between. In its 10th and final iteration, expect one full afternoon of more than 60 vendors who’ll be popping up their stalls in Santa Anita Park to hand out burgers, tacos, fresh pasta, musubi, sushi, curry, flautas, mochi and more. Each ticket gets you unlimited bites from chefs in L.A., greater Southern California, Baja and Mexico City, not to mention access to sections devoted to coffee, ice cream, and wine. Check out the Nuevo Gastropub tent to catch Mexico’s visiting chefs and run through some tequila tastings, then meander the rest of the fest and pull up a picnic blanket on the grass. Don’t forget to hit National Geographic’s Uncharted lounge, where you can taste a few items inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s new show, and if you’re splurging on VIP tickets (which get you early entry, at 2pm), you can spend the afternoon in an exlusive lounge with its own bar, free swag and a photo booth. Who says goodbyes have to be tearful?
Free
Jazz at LACMA
One of L.A.’s best free live music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured such legends as Wayne Shorter, John Clayton, Kenny Burrell, Les McCann, Billy Childs, Arturo Sandoval, Cannonball-Coltrane Project and Ernie Watts. Celebrating over two decades at the museum, the program continues to be one of the museum’s most recognizable (and beloved) programs. It’s a celebration of L.A.’s finest jazz musicians, and more than 42,000 visitors attend the program annually from April through November, making it a true L.A. rite of passage.
Street Style Cinema
See a slate of fashion-inspired films at the Grove on Thursday nights during this free screening series from Who What Wear.
‘Stranger Things 3’ Fun Fair
The summer of 1985 is descending upon Santa Monica this month—and it’s bringing a few Demogorgons along with it. The upcoming third season of Stranger Things finds the Hawkins, IN crew out of school and hanging out at the fictional town’s new mall, and Netflix is transporting those throwback summer vibes to the Santa Monica Pier with a Stranger Things-themed carnival takeover. On June 29 and 30, you’ll enter the pier’s parking deck to find games, a slime-filled dunking booth and dessert from Scoops Ahoy, the ice cream parlor slated to feature in the third season. Other pop-ups include the Demogorgon-filled Curiosity House, a photo op with Max’s BMX and a bunch of live entertainment: a performance from the Hawkins High School Cheerleaders, ‘80s cover bands, food eating contests, magicians and more. In addition, you’ll find Stranger Things-inspired takeovers of some of Pacific Park’s existing amusements: The landmark Pacific Wheel Ferris Wheel will dress up as the Hawkins Wheel. Admission is totally free; just swing by the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30 from 11am to 9pm.
CicLAvia
The term CicLAvia (Spanish for “bike way”) can also be used to describe a temporary closing of L.A.’s streets. The event—inspired by the first Ciclovías in Bogotá, Colombia—welcomes bikes, tricycles, skateboards, strollers and smiles (sounds cheesy, but it’s true) to ride a rotating cast of car-free routes. While most rides center around Downtown, past events have taken the event to Wilshire Boulevard, Venice and South L.A. Expect music, street performances and food trucks, as well as general whimsy and shenanigans. Shop owners and restaurants along the CicLAvia route will also open their doors. It goes without saying that you should bike or take the Metro to your desired spot along the route.
Self Help Graphics & Art Print Fair
Whether you’re an art aficionado or you’re in the market for some cool prints to dress up your work space or home, head to Self Help Graphics & Art’s annual print fair on June 29. Spend the afternoon browsing the collection of limited-edition fine art prints by SHGA’s community of Chicano and Latino artists. All proceeds from the fair will go towards the the non-profit visual art center’s general fund and professional printmaking program.
Concerts
Chic featuring Nile Rodgers
We don’t think anybody predicted the remarkable resurgence of Nile Rodgers a few years back but, with new material and a collabo with the world’s hippest dance act under his belt, the funkmaster general is going from strength to strength. In 2019, he’ll top the Hollywood Bowl’s annual Fourth of July fireworks spectacular.
Movies
Street Style Cinema
See a slate of fashion-inspired films at the Grove on Thursday nights during this free screening series from Who What Wear.
Last Remaining Seats
The L.A. Conservancy offers a delightful summer time machine in the form of live entertainment and classic films, screened across Downtown’s grand old movie palaces throughout the month of June. This year’s lineup includes vintage crowd-pleasers like The Maltese Falcon and Spartacus alongside some modern classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Network. Most screenings include a special introduction and a post-film Q&A. Members of the conservancy can snag discounted tickets early; peep the schedule for showtime and location deats.
Eat|See|Hear
Eat|See|Hear travels to different locales throughout the city each Saturday during the summer, showing cult flicks on an inflatable screen taller than your average Malibu mansion. Bring your own bites or sample snacks from the impressive roster of resident food trucks and show up early for a set from local L.A. bands. Parking is free at most of the venues, and tickets for screenings at the Autry even include admission to the museum. What’s more? If you want to skip the crowds and stroll in casually during the opening credits, spring for an exclusive “Fashionably Late” pass, which guarantees you a reserved seat in front. All of the events dog-friendly, and a portion of ticket sales benefit Best Friends Animal Society.
Cinespia Cemetery Screenings
It isn’t summer in L.A. until the first cemetery screening brings hoards of movie-lovers to Hollywood Forever, toting folding chairs, picnic blankets, snack spreads and lots of booze. Each year, Cinespia brings classic cult favorites to the hallowed resting place of such Hollywood greats as Rudolph Valentino and Bugsy Siegel. The series typically releases its slate one month at a time, most recently for July: Bring It On (July 6), The Exorcist (July 13), Dumb and Dumber (July 20) and Twilight (July 27) join the month’s previously announced showings, which include Mad Max: Fury Road with fireworks (July 3), E.T. with fireworks (July 4) and Rear Window (July 19). In addition, Cinespia will present an off-site series: The original Star Wars trilogy on Saturday nights in July at the Ford Theatres. Angelenos line up for hours to partake in the concept—and to enjoy DJ sets, dance parties, sleepovers and more magical mischief otherwise strictly forbidden behind the cemetery gates. It’s an L.A. rite of passage, a quintessential summer experience and one of the best film venues in the city. Just be sure to get your ticket early, arrive early (doors open at 6:45pm), pee early… it’s getting a bit overcrowded, to say the least.
Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán
Grab some grub from Umami Burger and a glass of sangria at this rooftop screening series, which boasts deck chairs, wireless headphones and easily one of the best views in all of Hollywood.