We curate an L.A. weekend itinerary of the city’s best concerts, culture and cuisine, every week, just for you.
Friday
Watch a stunningly beautiful hotel in Riverside turn on its 4.5 million twinkly lights during the annual Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn. The free six-week-long holiday tradition begins today with a “switch-on” ceremony at 4:30pm.
Make your way to the west side of Elysian Park to channel a bit of cold weather fun at Snow Los Angeles. The wintry pop-up packs nine acres of festive features, with 10,000 square feet of synthetic snow and snow tubing.
Escape the rush of Black Friday shopping in one of West Hollywood’s most fashionable dining rooms when E.P. & L.P. whips up a Chinese banquet above the holiday madness. Chef Louis Tikaram’s taking a page from his Chinese grandmother and cooking a family-style feast of dan dan noodles, shrimp fried rice, salt-and-pepper tofu, whole suckling pig and more.
Head over to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for a live score of West Side Story. The LA Phil is bringing Leonard Bernstein’s landmark musical soundtrack to life on a grand stage, while the iconic Oscar-winning film plays on an enormous screen.
Alternatively, let out all of that pent-up holiday tension as RL Grime brings a night of raucous trap to the Shrine Expo Hall.
Saturday
Find your new best friend during Best Friends’ #Holiday100 promotion. The pet rescue is offering the first 100 cat and dog adoptions for $10 at both its Mission Hills and West L.A. centers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Have a crafty start to the Christmas shopping season at the Craft & Folk Art Museum’s annual Handmade LA marketplace. Consider this shopping event for unique handmade gifts and an opportunity to meet the emerging and established makers behind them.
Catch a set from the Silversun Pickups as the L.A.-based four-piece plays the Theatre at Ace Hotel. All proceeds from the show benefit UNIDOS: A Hurricane Relief Fund for Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico.
Sunday
If you’re up for a bit of holiday kitsch, stake out a spot on the sidewalk for the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Watch floats and bands make their way through Hollywood during this 85-year-old tradition.
Choose between a pair of Christmas lights displays. For the fourth year, L.A. Zoo Lights bathes the Los Angeles Zoo grounds in twinkly string lights and animal-themed displays; most of the real animals will be sleeping, though you can visit a herd of reindeer.
Head to Descanso Gardens for Enchanted: Forest of Light. The botanical garden’s interactive light-up experience returns for another whimsical, wondrous, curiosity-driven display that’s among L.A.’s most stunning and, more importantly, most fun.
Find more things to do this weekend by clicking each day or by heading over to our weekend calendar.
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