Things to do in Los Angeles this Friday

The Los Angeles Times’ annual monthlong celebration of all things food finally returns, and this year there are more than 200 events to choose from. Whether you’re looking for film screenings, chef panels, cookbook dinners, vegan festivals, pizza festivals or food tours, this is the event for you. We suggest starting with these 10 standout events.

Forget the Museum of Ice Cream and 29 Rooms—the latest selfie-bait experience to hit L.A. trades cutesy for creepy, hurling you into some of the most beloved and recognizable horror films of all time. I Like Scary Movies, a 25,000-square-foot wonderland of terror-fueled photo ops, is a walkthrough experience that flips the script on the social-media "museum" craze and allows you to pose and interact with scenes and settings from IT, Beetlejuice, The Lost Boys, The Shining and Nightmare on Elm Street. Note: I Like Scary Movies runs every Thursday to Sunday in April and May, and Wednesday to Sunday in June, on the second floor of the Desmond building, at 5514 Wilshire Blvd.  

Brian, Nick, A.J., Kevin and Howie might be performing with all they have to give in their Las Vegas residency, but thankfully they’re decided to quit playing games with our hearts and show L.A. that no one else comes close: From April 10 to September 2, Downtown’s Grammy Museum will host a larger-than-life exhibit dedicated to the Backstreet Boys and their roughly three decades of making boy-band history. Set adrift on memory bliss as you stroll past merchandise, photos, costumes and other memorabilia, some original and the only one of its kind. You can stare for maybe a little too long at the open, pastel blouses the boys wore in the “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” video—you know, the one with the rain where they're soaking wet? Yes, those shirts. You can see the “futuristic” hover boards BSB flew in on as they kicked off their Millennium world tour and appreciate fan art, not to mention some personal items from the five's private collections. How personal? Oh, just things like Howie's wedding album and A.J.'s baby shoes. No big deal. There’s even a hologram station, so you can dance and pose along with BSB, plus a “confessional booth” where you’ll get chances to record a video—during the call you can let them know you’ve always been the perfect fan. If sometimes you wish you could turn back time to the ’90s, impossible as it may seem, this is the exhibit for you.

We love their adorable faces, quirky behavior and unwavering loyalty. We bring them everywhere—particularly here in L.A. And they may very well make us better people. It’s no surprise then that dogs would get an entire exhibition dedicated to their canine skills and unique relationship with humans. “Dogs! A Science Tail” takes a colorful, hands-on approach to its subject and mainly targets kids. But dog lovers of all ages will delight in the displays at the California Science Center: You can squeeze between two pointed ears to listen to how dogs perceive the sounds of a street scene different than humans; you can put your face up against a dog-shaped viewfinder that simulates canine vision; and you can test your knowledge in a game of Jeopawdy! Kids will particularly love seeing how fast they are compared to dogs and sniffing scents that a dog might encounter—from coffee and bubblegum to, yes, poop and farts. The exhibition also includes a selection of dog-featuring works of art, mostly Norman Rockwell paintings and Charles Schulz Peanuts strips, on loan from the upcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Make sure to catch daily live demonstrations of dogs’ rescue, agility, sensory and service skills (i.e. a guide dog walking a sightless trainer through an obstacle course). You’ll find the demo area near the exhibition’s exit, just before the gift shop.

Forget the Museum of Ice Cream and 29 Rooms—the latest selfie-bait experience to hit L.A. trades cutesy for creepy, hurling you into some of the most beloved and recognizable horror films of all time. I Like Scary Movies, a 25,000-square-foot wonderland of terror-fueled photo ops, is a walkthrough experience that flips the script on the social-media "museum" craze and allows you to pose and interact with scenes and settings from IT, Beetlejuice, The Lost Boys, The Shining and Nightmare on Elm Street. Note: I Like Scary Movies runs every Thursday to Sunday in April and May, and Wednesday to Sunday in June, on the second floor of the Desmond building, at 5514 Wilshire Blvd.  

Brian, Nick, A.J., Kevin and Howie might be performing with all they have to give in their Las Vegas residency, but thankfully they’re decided to quit playing games with our hearts and show L.A. that no one else comes close: From April 10 to September 2, Downtown’s Grammy Museum will host a larger-than-life exhibit dedicated to the Backstreet Boys and their roughly three decades of making boy-band history. Set adrift on memory bliss as you stroll past merchandise, photos, costumes and other memorabilia, some original and the only one of its kind. You can stare for maybe a little too long at the open, pastel blouses the boys wore in the “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” video—you know, the one with the rain where they're soaking wet? Yes, those shirts. You can see the “futuristic” hover boards BSB flew in on as they kicked off their Millennium world tour and appreciate fan art, not to mention some personal items from the five's private collections. How personal? Oh, just things like Howie's wedding album and A.J.'s baby shoes. No big deal. There’s even a hologram station, so you can dance and pose along with BSB, plus a “confessional booth” where you’ll get chances to record a video—during the call you can let them know you’ve always been the perfect fan. If sometimes you wish you could turn back time to the ’90s, impossible as it may seem, this is the exhibit for you.

Celebrate the history and ethnic diversity of northeast Los Angeles at this annual music, dance and art festival. The three-day affair honors the late Charles Lummis, the journalist who founded the Southwest Museum, hand-built his own home (the Lummis House) and defended Native American rights and culture.

Nosh on bites from a rotating lineup of food trucks during this monthly hangout just outside the Rose Bowl, complete with foot golf, outdoor games, moon bounces, photo ops and stadium tours. Even entry is through the northern end of Lot K, just southwest of the stadium.