You’ve planned a day at one of L.A.’s best beaches and finalized the rest of your summer plans, but there are far more free things to do in August. From an avocado fest to summer concerts wrap-ups, these are the best ways to make the most of your month without breaking into your wallet.
Aug 1–31
Lucy Sparrow’s Sparrow Mart exhibition; The Standard, Downtown L.A.
Felt fabric and seemingly name-brand grocery store products sit in unlikely harmony on the shelves of artist Lucy Sparrow’s unique namesake installation.
Aug 4, 18
Alexa Meade Live Painting Exhibit; Beverly Cañon Gardens • Paley Center for Media
Let your eyes play tricks on you at artist Alexa Meade’s two-day exibition as part of the BOLD Summer Nights series in Bevelry Hills.
Aug 4, 11, 18
Pershing Square Downtown Stage; Pershing Square
Close out the free Downtown concert series with sets from Smash Mouth, Spin Doctors and more.
Aug 8
Did Women Ever Rule the World?; Getty Center
UCLA professor Kara Cooney and author Joyce Tyldesley delve into the history of female rulers in ancient Egypt.
Aug 10
Summer Nights in the Garden; Natural History Museum
Spend an evening outside with live music, garden-inspired cocktails, hands-on science projects, botanical tours and food trucks.
Aug 11, 12
Avocado Festival; Angel City Brewery
Celebrate Southern California’s green staple with avocado-flavored beer and more.
Aug 11–19
Nisei Week Japanese Festival; JACCC
Celebrate Japanese culture with displays of martial arts, tea ceremonies, flower arranging and more.
Aug 16–19
Echo Park Rising; Various locations
Celebrate the Eastside’s music scene with three days of free shows all over Echo Park.
Aug 17
Friday Flights at the Getty; Getty Center
Ride the monorail to the Getty for the first seasonal performance of this art-centric take on a tasting flight, featuring live music and a book fair.
Aug 25
Off the 405; Getty Center
Enjoy a free outdoor concert from Combo Chimbita and evening views of the city at this summertime series.
Through Sep 7
Dance Downtown + DJ Nights; Grand Park
Brush up on your dance steps during this free Downtown tradition.
Through Aug 18
Grand Performances; California Plaza
Scope out a diverse mix of music, live scores, films, poetry and theater at this water-encompassed stage.
Through Oct 21
“Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography, 1911–2011”; Getty Center
The Getty examines how photographers have influenced the course of fashion and style through 200 photos as well as a selection of costumes, advertisements and magazine covers.
Through Feb 2019
“A Journey That Wasn’t”; The Broad
The show inspired by the passage of time includes works from the likes of Gregory Crewdson, Andreas Gursky, Glenn Ligon and Anselm Kiefer, as well as the return of Ragnar Kjartansson’s The Visitors.
Through Aug 25
KCRW Summer Nights; Various locations
Bust a move as this beloved live music and DJ series continues with nights in Chinatown, at Union Station and at KCRW’s new Santa Monica headquarters.
Through Sept 2
“Made in L.A.”; Hammer Museum
The fourth in the Hammer’s ongoing series of biennial exhibitions focuses on work created by 32 emerging and under-recognized L.A. artists.
Through Aug 21
Moonlight Movies on the Beach; Granada Beach
Pack up your folding chairs and head to Long Beach for this unique outdoor screening series.
Through Aug 25
Olafur Eliasson: Reality Projector; Marciano Art Foundation
See the sculptor bathe the art museum’s massive first floor gallery in light and shadow.
Through Aug 18
“One Shot”; UTA Artist Space
UTA relocates its gallery from Boyle Heights to an Ai Weiwei-overhauled warehouse Beverly Hills with this survey of Color Field painters.
Through Aug 29
Sea Saw; Santa Monica Pier
See six performances artists, dancers and musicians push the boundaries of their mediums with free performances by the sea every Tuesday and Wednesday.
Through Aug 18
Shakespeare by the Sea; Various locations
Enjoy one of the many free performances of The Merry Wives of Windsor or The Winter’s Tale, put on by Shakespeare by the Sea throughout summer.
Through Sept 13
Silver Lake Picture Show; Sunset Triangle Plaza
Liven up your Thursday nights at this free Eastside screening series.
Through Aug 5
U.S. Open of Surfing; Huntington Beach
Hit the beach to cheer on the country’s biggest pro surfers at this annual competition.
Ongoing
Free concerts; Various locations
Listen to some tunes without breaking the bank with free shows at the Echo, the Satellite, Grand Park and more.
Ongoing
Free museum days; Various locations
Make the most of free days at LACMA, the Natural History Museum and more, plus always-free museums like the Hammer, Getty and Broad.