We pick out the best things to do in L.A. this weekend, including our favorite concerts, culture and cuisine
Photograph: Courtesy Amerigo Vespucci
Edited by Michael Juliano
Editor, Los Angeles & Western USA
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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 whatnew restaurantswe want to try or where we can drive for the day. Whether you’re looking to scope out the latestmuseumexhibitions 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.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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The best things to do in L.A. this weekend
- Things to do
Arcadia
The midnight snacker’s greatest fantasy is just a car ride away. One of America’s largest Asian food markets spans the course of Santa Anita Park’s front Paddock Gardens during the summer. Come hungry and come caffeinated—this lively market, complete with over 250 Asian street food and booze peddlers, live music, artists, games, and beyond, won’t put itself to bed until midnight.
- Things to do
- Walks and tours
San Pedro
Though it was built in 1930, this Italian Navy training ship looks more like something you’d find in the 18th century. The three-masted ship will dock at the Port of L.A. from July 3 to 8 for free visits, as well as an accompanying exhibition.
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- Things to do
- Festivals
South Park
The annual Anime Expo takes over the Los Angeles Convention Center for four days of panels, special events and plenty of cosplay. Thousands of fans come to celebrate the quirky art and culture of anime as figureheads and stars of the industry visit to speak and sign autographs. Plus, a massive wing of the convention is set aside specifically for gaming—both electronic and card-based.
- Things to do
San Marino
As sunset creeps later and later into the evening, the Huntington is taking advantage ofthe extra daylight with this coveted after-hours series.Formerly openjust for members,Twilight Garden Strollsis now open to the public, too, and will extend the San Marino garden’s hours until 8pmonselect evenings in the summer. Just a heads up that you’ll need a timed ticket that’s separate from regular morning or afternoon admission.
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- Music
- Rock and indie
Inglewood
Bowling Green, KY natives Cage the Elephant first found fame (strangely enough) in England, as well as with their showing at SXSW in 2007 and their eponymous debut album released the following year. Their take on classic garage punkis a chaotic listen that draws on psychedelia, ’70s southern rock, glam and contemporary indie: just the thing for a rollicking live show.
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- Shakespeare
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—Cardenio and Henry IV—with 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 Pasadena to Beverly Hills while promoting literacy.
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Los Feliz
Now one of L.A.’s most treasured summer traditions, Barnsdall Park’s wine tastings are back after a five-year hiatus. Perched atop Olive Hill on the west lawn of the historic Hollyhock House (which you can tour during the evening for an additional $25), 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.
- Things to do
USC/Exposition Park
Nature lovers rejoice! Spend a day at the Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion, which will openfrom March 17 throughAugust 25 withup to 30 butterfly and moth species and an assortment of California plants. The seasonal outdoor exhibit allows for adults and children alike to witness nature up close—we’re talking having bufferlies take flight and land on your arms or shoulders. Prime time for these unique butterfly flight experiences are between 10 and 11am each morning.
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- Things to do
Rancho Palos Verdes/Rolling Hills Estates
Walk through a pavilion of fluttering butterflies and peep a chamber with pupae and caterpillars at South Coast Botanic Garden’sseasonal exhibition.For an extra $6, you can pick up a flower vial or ring filled with nectar to attract and feed butterflies.
- Things to do
West Hollywood
Melrose Rooftop Theatre is taking off until the fall, but in the meantime the event deck on theE.P. & L.P. rooftop is hosting this open-air roller rink. The rooftop rink is all-ages through 2pm, after that it switches to a 21+ affair. Tickets are available in one-hour time slots and include skate rentals and a churro—though that’ll all cost you a relatively steep $30 to $35.
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- Movies
Hollywood
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.
- Movies
Downtown
The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings in Downtown L.A., with nearly-nightly showings this spring.
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- Movies
Sherman Oaks
Take a seat atop Westfield Fashion Square’s parking garage for this afresco film series. Each Friday and Saturday in the summer, you can catch a different popcorn flick, includingTop Gun,La La Land,The Sandlot,Clueless and more.
- Movies
- Animation
Santa Monica
Every Sunday during the summer at sunset, both hotel guests and vistors at the Fairmont Miramar can slip into something waterproof and enjoy a flick around the Santa Monica hotel’s luxurious pool. You’ll find a mix of nostalgic favorites and more recent releases on the Hulu-curated schedule. Eats and libations will be available for purchase from the FIG Restaurant menu, and though seating is free for hotel guests, visitors will have to secure a reservation; tickets total to about $60 with tax, tip and fees, but that includes a $45 food and drink credit plus complimentary popcorn.
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- Things to do
- Performances
Topanga
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, like Shakespearean classics and folktales. This season, catch highlights such as William Shakespeare’s The Winter's Tale andA Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well asWendy’s Peter Pan,Tartuffe: Born Again andThe Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine Vote.
- Things to do
- Markets and fairs
Downtown Arts District
Every Sunday you can find dozens of food vendors at this market at ROW DTLA, with a mix of much-loved pop-ups and future foodie stars. Look out for this year’s new vendors, includingBasket Taco Co, Battambong Barbecue and Taste of the Pacific.
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- Things to do
- Exhibitions
Westside
Let the wild rumpus start at this celebration of beloved children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. The Skirball Cultural Center will be displaying more than 150 sketches, storyboards and paintings from theWhere the Wild Things Are creator.
- Art
Downtown
Best known for her rhinestone-studded paintings of Black women, collages of old Jet Magazine spreads and revisions of historic paintings, Thomas’s large-scale works (80 of them from the past two decades)are on display at theBroadin this transportive exhibition.
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- Art
- Painting
Miracle Mile
This major Ed Ruscha retrospective includes his meticulous photos of L.A. streets and a reconstruction of his Chocolate Room (which, yes, is a room made out sheets upon sheets of chocolate).
- Art
East Hollywood
David Zwirner has onlyhad an L.A. gallery for about a year—plus a new flagship that opens with this show—but the gallerist’s history stretches back three decades elsewhere around the globe. To celebrate, you’ll find works by all of the gallery’s artists across its three L.A. buildings, includingNjideka Akunyili Crosby, Josef Alberts, Diane Arbus, Ruth Asawa, R. Crumb, Dan Flavin, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Donald Judd, Toba Khedoori, Paul Klee, Barbara Kruger, Yayoi Kusama, Gerhard Richter, Richard Serra and more.
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- Things to do
- Exhibitions
Miracle Mile
It’s more than just the low clearance: This exhibition at the Petersen explores the custom paint, engraving, upholstery and, of course, thegravity-defying suspension of the lowrider scene. In addition to iconic cars, the exhibit spotlights influentialartists inthe Chicano lowrider art scene.
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- Art
- Film and video
Miracle Mile
See how theHairspray andPink Flamingos writer and director’s delightfully filthy style has redefined the possibilities of independent cinema—as well as what exactly goes into making an indie movie—during this career-spanning exhibition at the Academy Museum.
- Art
- Installation
Downtown
Move through a suite of sci-fi installations that depict a world overcome by rising seas and unchecked capitalism in this exhibition from Josh Kline. The MOCA Grand Avenue show includes a mix of sculpture, photography, moving images and ephemeral materials.
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- Art
Miracle Mile
Judy Baca’shalf-mile–long TheGreat Wall of Los Angeles, a collaborative mural painted in the ’70s along the Tujunga Wash, has received all sorts of museum love in the past few years. But LACMAhas a particularly unique show to boast about: The local Chicana muralist and SPARC artists will paint two new sections ofThe Great Wall during museum hours. The exhibit also debuts a new section of the wall, in honor of activists known as the Freedom Riders, dubbedGeneration on Fire.
- Art
- Photography
La Brea
Two documentarians of Chicano culture—iconic black-and-white photographer Estevan Oriol and the formerTeen Angels magazine—put the spotlight on L.A.’s art, lowrider and tattoo culturein this Beyond the Streetsexhibition.
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- Art
- Drawing
Costa Mesa
See exploratory pencil-drawn line illustrations from the famous French fashion designer’s archive at this OCMA exhibition.
- Art
- Drawing
Boyle Heights
He cocreated 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.Corey Helford Gallery and the Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center pay homage to the legendary comic book artist with this tribute show near Boyle Heights, which features comic-inspired pieces from over 70 artists, as well as original Kirby artworks.
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- Art
- Contemporary art
Glendale
See works from seven contemporary artists (Eliseo Art Silva, Allison Hueman, Anthony Francisco, Maryrose Cobarrubias Mendoza, Christine Morla, Maria Villote and Junn Roca) who address issues related to Filipino culture and the Filipino-American experience during this exhibition at the Forest Lawn Museum.
- Art
- Installation
Hollywood
Hollywood’s Japan House has tapped artistSebastian Masuda to dive into the roots of all things cute and colorful with this exhibition on Japanese kawaii culture. The free show includes multiple pieces and installations from Masuda.
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- Things to do
- Exhibitions
Miracle Mile
See 1930s-to-50s concept carsplus artworkfrom Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol and David Hockney at this Petersen exhibition.
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- Things to do
- Exhibitions
South Park
The GRAMMY Museum celebrates hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with interactive DJing, rapping and sampling stations and instantly recognizable artifacts like LL Cool J’s red Kangol bucket hat and the Notorious B.I.G.’s red leather pea coat.
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- Movies
- Horror
4 out of 5 stars
Recommended
Ti West wraps his blood-splashed Mia Goth trilogy with a sexy and fun ’80s-set horror.
- Movies
3 out of 5 stars
Recommended
Jodie Comer and Austin Butler channel old-school Hollywood cool in Jeff Nichols’ moody memoir of a ’60s biker gang.
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- Movies
- Animation
4 out of 5 stars
Recommended
The life of Riley gets more complicated in this joyful and bold sequel.
- Movies
- Action and adventure
3 out of 5 stars
Recommended
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, whatcha gonna do? Much of the same actually.
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- Movies
- Action and adventure
4 out of 5 stars
Recommended
George Miller delivers the full-throttle, no-prisoners-taken prequel we’ve all been waiting for.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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