Grand Prix of Long Beach
Photograph: Courtesy Unsplash/Brian McCall
Photograph: Courtesy Unsplash/Brian McCall

April 2025 events calendar for Los Angeles

Plan your month with our April 2025 events calendar of the best activities, including free things to do, festivals and our favorite concerts

Gillian Glover
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It’s Coachella time, but Angelenos have plenty of other reasons to sing April’s praises, too: Beach weather is practically here, and we’re on the lookout for wildflowers, too. From major museum exhibitions to lots of concerts, free events and festivals, there are plenty of fun things to do packed into our April events calendar.

As always, we’ll continue to add more events to this page as they’re announced, so check back here often.

RECOMMENDED: Full events calendar for 2025

The best events in L.A. this April

  • Things to do
  • Performances
  • Hollywood

The Hollywood Bowl hosts this free concert on April 1 for first responders and communities impacted by this January’s wildfires. Gustavo Dudamel conducts the L.A. Phil in a program that includes John Williams favorites and a performance from Christina Aguilera. Note that the L.A. Phil has worked with community organizations to distribute tickets to those eligible; otherwise, most Angelenos can’t score seats to this. But you can tune in to Classical California KUSC (91.5 FM) to listen to a live broadcast on April 1.

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  • Things to do
  • Late openings
  • USC/Exposition Park
  • Recommended

Kick off your weekend with dinosaurs and DJs at the Natural History Museum’s First Fridays series. From March through June, you’ll find a KCRW-presented evening of music and hands-on learning, allowing visitors of all ages to stay late for a night at the museum. Each month offers a different lineup of musical guests and DJs, art installations, guided museum tours and scientist-led talks in the new NHM Commons. This month’s “Sound and Nature” edition explores the science and art of sound healing, with a live performance by Ozomatli, plus soothing sound baths in the Sound Lounge.

  • Music
  • Punk and metal
  • Pomona

L.A.’s own feminist punk rockers, the Linda Lindas, have had quite the trajectory: After being discovered by Amy Poehler and going viral after performing their single “Racist, Sexist, Boy” in not one but two L.A. libraries—when the members were between 11 and 17 years old—they’ve gone on to play Coachella and Lollapalooza, open for Paramore and the Rolling Stones, and tour with Green Day. You can catch the girls at two SoCal shows this month—at the Glass House April 1 and at the Novo April 5—screaming about injustice and growing up.

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  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Downtown
  • Recommended

Easy like Saturday morning—that’s the saying, isnt’t it? It will be this month, when Grand Park hosts two community-centric days of free programming to rejuvenate Angelenos’ minds, bodies and souls in the wake of the wildfires. Enjoy yoga, arts and crafts, outdoor games, music, dancing, nature-inspired activities, a dog adoption fair and more. Local favorite Bob Baker Marionette Theater will be on hand for puppet shows, and Smorgasburg is curating an eclectic marketplace of local artists and shops and selling picnic-perfect bites and treats.

  • Things to do
  • Recommended

The term CicLAvia stems from a similar Spanish word for “bike way,” and in L.A. it’s become a shorthand for the temporary, festival-like closing of L.A.’s streets. The event welcomes bikes, tricycles, skateboards, strollers and basically anything else without an engine to ride a rotating cast of car-free routes—this month’s Koreatown meets Hollywood edition features a 4.75-mile route that connects Hollywood, East Hollywood, Melrose Hill and Koreatown (see the map here). Shop owners and restaurants along the CicLAvia route tend to host specials. And it goes without saying that you should bike or take the Metro to your desired spot along the route.

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  • Things to do
  • Late openings
  • Culver City
  • Recommended

This U.S.-via-France arts-and-culture marathon of performances, discussions and screenings explores the important theme of common ground. Highlights include a walking meditation in the Wende Museum’s garden; stargazing on the rooftop of the Kaufman Cultural Center; panels on literature’s power to transcend borders, L.A.’s upcoming Olympics-hosting plans, and AI and ethics; a line dance party; and a Haitian storytelling session—all for free. 

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Westlake
  • Recommended

Grab a cold one and gather ’round for a daylong celebration of America’s favorite beverage. The LA Beer Fest is returning with 200 pours from over 80 breweries, along with food trucks and live music. Tickets include unlimited beer samplings (food is sold separately); choose from either a GA ticket or a connoisseur ticket, which will get you access to a VIP lounge and event deck, tacos, exclusive beers and more.

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  • Things to do
  • Little Tokyo

Cure a case of the Mondays with a restorative sound bath at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s private Garden of the Clear Stream, an urban oasis in Little Tokyo. At the start of every week in April, you can bring a mat and enjoy an hour of healing sounds and reflection amid the garden’s lush flora and cascading waterfall. Afterward, stick around to purchase lunch and a matcha and enjoy them in the garden.

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • East Hollywood

Learn how to decorate a traditional Ukrainian Easter egg (a pysanka, which features colorful wax applied to the egg) during this free community festival on Melrose. The Ukrainian Art Center hosts an afternoon with Ukrainian food, entertainment and an Easter market. Though the event is free to attend, donations are accepted at the door; those, as well as food and vendor proceeds, benefit humanitarian war relief for the people of Ukraine.

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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Chinatown
  • Recommended

In celebration of the late Bob Baker’s legacy, his namesake puppet theater hosts this annual celebration at Los Angeles State Historic Park. The free fest and outdoor carnival, which runs from 10am to 5pm, features puppet performances throughout the day, plus an assortment of crafts and activities that typically includes everything from bubbles to balloons to music. In the wake of the fires, this year’s theme is “Recovery Through the Arts,” so expect an uplifting and community-building event. Stay tuned for the lineup of special guests.

  • Things to do
  • Sport events
  • Long Beach

Celebrating “50 years at full speed,” this high-octane extravaganza takes place over a two-mile street circuit that includes plenty of straights and curves. Spectators should expect to spend the afternoon biting their nails. Concerts, a lifestyle expo, food trucks and a family fun zone where kids 3 to 6 years old can race their own cars round the weekend out nicely. 

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  • Things to do
  • Walks and tours
  • Pasadena

If you’ve ever adopted a feline or canine friend, you know how important animal shelters are—and in particular, the Pasadena Humane Society’s importance to Los Angeles after it stepped up to take care of displaced pets during the Eaton Fire. So here’s your opportunity to help them out, at Pasadena Humane’s annual walk, which helps cover the costs of its inhabitants. All you need are your walking shoes—dogs optional—and maybe some friends or family, and you’re ready to embark on a route around the Rose Bowl. The event is technically free to attend/watch, but the PHS encourages you to start a team (registration starts at $50) or find sponsors to help raise funds. Afterward, you can look forward to photo ops, pet-friendly vendor booths, food trucks, a training park and a doggy costume contest. If you can’t make it, you can still donate here.

  • Music
  • Classical and opera
  • Downtown

Can’t get enough of his yearly appearance at the Bowl? The LA Phil wraps up its two-year John Williams at Disney Hall with a second season of live scores and concerts in his honor. This month, you can witness a Williams-conducted evening with Yo-Yo Ma (April 3, 4, 2025) and a Gustavo Dudamel-conducted spotlight on Williams (April 5, 6, 2025).

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  • Things to do
  • Film events
  • Hollywood
  • Recommended

The iconic Hollywood Roosevelt hotel is honoring the spirit of L.A. with poolside screenings of some favorite films featuring the city. Tickets are super reasonable ($12), and all proceeds from sales will go toward wildfire relief efforts, specifically Baby2Baby, which provides essential resources to families in need. And don’t worry if it’s a chilly night: Towels, blankets and heaters are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Find the series running every Thursday night through the end of June.

  • Music
  • Rock and indie
  • Hollywood

Phans, rejoice! This spring, the tireless jam-band vets hit the Hollywood Bowl with another crowd-pleasing set for their extremely loyal fan base. Fan culture at Phish concerts is the fuel of the band’s success, with euphoric dreadlocked attendees under the influence of more than just music. After all, there’s a reason the band’s light shows are out of this world. Should be a phun time for all.

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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Huntington Beach
  • Recommended

Is it the stumpy legs? The size-too-big ears? The woolly rump? Whatever the cause, we love corgis, and so do the devoted dog owners at So Cal Corgi Nation. This free, semiannual meetup invades the Huntington Dog Beach, just north of the southern entrance by Tower 22, welcoming all dogs and their humans for a day of corgi contests, shopping at a pet-centric marketplace, food trucks, photo ops, goodie bags and even a corgi kissing booth.

RECOMMENDED: The cutest corgis at Corg-A-Palooza

  • Things to do
  • Pasadena

Luxury food fest Masters of Taste—which usually fills the Rose Bowl Stadium with bites from some of L.A.’s finest bars and restaurants each spring—is hitting pause this year in the wake of the wildfires, but in its place it’s hosting this one-night-only dining experience. Tickets, while pricey, grant access to a cocktail hour with unlimited access to food trucks, bars and a cheese spread by Agnes; a seated five-course tasting menu; and, to end the night, dessert and coffee from bakeries including Lark Cake Shop. Tickets are still available for the Foothills Dining Room, with a menu from Wife and the Somm, Good Alley, Ayara Thai, Poppy & Seed, Bacari and Cervecería Del Pueblo. All proceeds support Union Station Homeless Services, which is providing housing and services to residents who were directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.

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  • Comedy
  • Stand-up
  • Long Beach

Ansari shot quickly through the stand-up ranks following his start on MTV’s Human Giant and career-making turns in Judd Apatow’s Funny People and NBC’s Parks and Recreation; the stand-up soon found himself headling arenas with tales about 50 Cent and his cousin Harris and starring in his own lauded Netflix show, Master of None. After retreating from the spotlight and staging a thoughtful comeback, the comic is stopping at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach as part of his Hypothetical Tour.

  • Things to do
  • Literary events
  • Griffith Park

Literature lovers, listen up: Reading Rhythms has arrived in L.A. Billed as a “reading party,” the event series started in NYC and got noticed by The New York Times and Good Morning America for its refreshing spin on book clubs: You bring a book of your own choosing to a central location, then alternate between peaceful reading time and chatting with fellow readers about what you’re reading. This month, Reading Rhythms is hosting an alfresco outing at Griffith Park’s Mineral Wells Picnic Area, where a DJ will be spinning ambient and jazz vinyl throughout the afternoon (tickets here), followed by a cozy afternoon of reading at Black-owned and woman-owned Octavia’s Bookshelf (tickets here).

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  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • USC/Exposition Park

More than 200 of SoCal’s most innovative inventors, tinkerers and makers will come together to share their creations during this free celebration of science and creativity. Last year’s event at L.A. State Historic Park drew over 30,000 people; this year, the faire is moving to Exposition Park. Fuel up at food trucks in the middle of all the hands-on learning and inspiration.

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  • Music
  • West Hollywood

Once affectionately known as Localchella, now officially (and boringly) billed as “Goldenvoice Presents April,” this two-week series brings a bunch of Coachella acts to smaller stages considerably closer to home. For 2025, you can catch Beabadoobee, Miike Snow, Jimmy Eat World, Together Pangea, DJO, Basement Jaxx, Parcels, Irish-language rappers Kneecap and more at venues like the Fonda, the El Rey, and the Fox Theater and Glass House in Pomona. (You’ll also find shows in the Bay Area and San Diego.) See the website for a full lineup of shows and to buy tickets.

  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Montecito Heights

Magic Market is bringing all things fae and witchy to Heritage Square, including tarot, palm and lip readings, a pet psychic, aura photography, a scavenger hunt and, of course, tours of the museum’s handsome old homes. Don your witchy, whimsical best and spread out a blanket for a vegan picnic, or shop metaphysical and occult wares, crystals and vintage clothes from 75 vendors at a curated marketplace. Springing for a witch’s pass will get you a Magic Market tote bag, sound bath session and exclusive Octagon house tour.

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  • Art
  • Pop art
  • Boyle Heights

Corey Helford Gallery regularly hosts fun shows highlighting the artistry of pop-culture subjects, and the lastest exhibit is no exception. Presented in partnership with Mattel Creations, “Toys as Art” celebrates eight decades of Mattel and the impact of its brands, from Barbie to Fisher-Price. See original toy-inspired artwork by over 80 artists from around the world—if you’ve got a cool million lying around, you can even take home a life-size Hot Wheels toy car. Free Saturday programming includes L.A. artist and cartoonist Gary Baseman signing his new UNO deck (March 22, 2pm), a panel of artists discussing toys and their creative processes (March 29, 2pm) and an inner-child workshop led by Case Kenny of Instagram fame (April 5, 2pm). 

  • Shopping
  • Markets and fairs
  • Old Pasadena

The multicity Jackalope art fair is back in Old Pasadena this spring, featuring over 200 local artisans and high-quality, handcrafted goods at Central Park. You’ll find everything from luxe candles and cactus-inspired lamps to plant-based skin care and homemade treats. And unlike some artisan markets, Jackalope offers free admission.

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  • Things to do
  • Literary events
  • USC/Exposition Park
  • Recommended

Bibliophiles flock to the USC campus each spring for this annual two-day event. The outdoor book fair of sorts features stalls from a variety of booksellers, as well as author readings, signings and culinary demos. The sheer variety and quality of talent the festival attracts is impressive and legendary—this year’s lineup includes a mix of superstars from the literary, entertainment and culinary worlds, including Chelsea Handler, Jenny Slate, Jon M. Chu, Rachel Kushner, TJ Klune and chefs Brooke Williamson and Nicole Rucker. Bring the kids and spend the weekend discovering new titles, watching screenings and enjoying live music and cultural entertainment. Entry and tickets to conversations are free, while a limited number of speaker-series events are ticketed, ranging in price but often starting as low as $10. Before the weekend kicks off, the 45th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes awards the year’s best in literature on Friday (tickets are $22–$83).

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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • South Park

Carb lovers, rejoice: This two-day festival dedicated to all things pizza is returning to L.A. Live. Sample slices from 40 different vendors, watch live dough demos and hear from pizza experts including Roxana Jullapat of Friends & Family Pizza Co. and food writer Andy Wang. More than a handful of Time Out’s favorite pizzerias in town—Pizzana, Hail Mary, Triple Beam Pizza, Prince Street Pizza, Prime, Apollonia’s, LaSorted’s and Ozzy’s Apizza—are on the lineup. 

  • Things to do
  • Atwater Village

Pick up litter along the L.A. River for a few hours while learning about its history and how to protect it during this free cleanup event in honor of Earth Day. L.A. Waterkeeper is inviting Angelenos to register for a meetup at North Atwater Park, where you’ll begin picking up trash before going home with a handmade wildflower-seed ball to support local pollinators.

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  • Music
  • Music festivals
  • Indio

Nearly 125,000 music lovers make a pilgrimage to the Empire Polo Club during each identical weekend of Coachella, whether bound for campgrounds or shuttling over from golf resorts and midcentury modern homes. Though its bespoke dining experiences and hotel party scene may try to steal headlines, Coachella remains about the relaxed desert air euphoria of a well-curated music festival. Coachella’s all-embracing three-day lineup consistently crafts the pool of performers from which all other summer music festivals borrow. This year’s headliners lead a stacked lineup: Lady Gaga, Missy Elliott, Green Day, Charli XCX, Post Malone and Megan Thee Stallion—plus Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil will even take the stage Saturday.

RECOMMENDED: See our complete Coachella coverage

  • Art
  • Installation

The desert-spanning biennial is back, with premieres of site-specific works from about a dozen artists. For its fifth iteration, Desert X will once again stage outdoor installations across about 40 miles of the Coachella Valley through May 11—making it the perfect pit stop if you’re making your way out to Coachella in April. This year’s works explore Indigenous futurism, activism and technology’s role in society, among other themes. Don’t miss Agnes Denes’s monumental The Living Pyramid.

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  • Movies
  • Culver City
  • Recommended

The Culver Hotel is embracing Culver City’s cinematic history with a new series of screenings celebrating the golden age of cinema. To mark the centennial of both MGM and the hotel, you can catch a classic MGM film at the Culver Theater, then head across the street for a themed gathering at the hotel’s Velvet Lounge, complete with cocktails and bites inspired by the evening’s featured presentation.

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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Recommended

This can’t-miss festival for classic-film buffs showcases four days’ worth of beloved movies—from the iconic to forgotten gems—courtesy of Turner Classic Movies. This year’s “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film”-themed lineup includes 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bringing Up Baby, Jaws, Superman, Suspicion, The Wiz and more. See these time-honored favorites on the big screen at a handful of Hollywood theaters—the TCL Chinese Theatre, Chinese 6 Theatres and Egyptian Theatre—the way they were meant to be seen. Check the fest’s website for a full lineup of screenings and special guest announcements.

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  • Things to do
  • Performances
  • Downtown

Need a little lunch break relaxation? Log off, grab a bite and head to Colburn School Plaza for one of these free concerts by the renowned school’s students, held Tuesdays at noon from April 15 to May 6. 

  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • San Gabriel Valley

The hour stands before another springtime, and the Renaissance Pleasure Faire is nigh. Good mistresses and masters, prepareth thy schedules and costumes for the return of the oldest Ren Faire in the country, a spectacle that cov’reth 20 Irwindale acres with Elizabethan libations and amusement: fully armored joust tournaments and tea parties with the queen along with beguiling stage acts, rides, games, delicious edibles and ales abound. The festivities will transpire each weekend at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area; procureth day or season passes in advance by visiting ye olde online box office. And no, we can’t stop talking like this.

 

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  • Music
  • San Marino

Treat your ears to a vibrant concert on a spring or summer night this year by attending MUSE/IQUE’s annual program. This monthly series of performances, held at cultural venues across L.A., features a mix of performances inspired by music movements and public figures, including tributes to Ray Charles, immigrant film composers, the Memphis sound, Etta James and more. The best way to attend is to become a MUSE/IQUE member; you could make a $75 donation to the performing arts nonprofit for a single event (with the exception of September’s free open house), but if you’re interested in more than just one, it’s cheaper per event to become a full-fledged member.

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  • Music
  • Rap, hip-hop and R&B
  • Inglewood
  • Recommended

The first time you listened to “Ya Ya,” you just knew that Cowboy Carter was made for the stage, right? Well, Beyoncé will finally tour behind her country-influenced album, and the limited run of dates includes a record-breaking five nights in L.A. at SoFi Stadium.

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  • Things to do
  • Film events
  • Hollywood

For the Record, a live production company known for transforming the soundtracks of favorite filmmakers into immersive musicals, is back with its most impressive display yet: CineVita, the world’s largest Spiegeltent, will be FTR’s new home in Hollywood Park, next to SoFi Stadium. And it’s kicking things off with Tarantino: Pulp Rock, which celebrates 30 years of Pulp Fiction and re-creates memorable musical moments from the director’s Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

  • Attractions
  • Theme parks
  • Anaheim
  • Recommended

Disneyland’s already the happiest place on earth, but throw in a massive parkwide food festival—and now it’s somehow even happier. Running nearly two full months, the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival takes over the state-themed park with about a dozen different culinary marketplaces under themes such as garlic, local breweries and wineries, peppers and food-truck fare. Just be sure you don’t forget the rides in all of the culinary whirlwind—fan-favorite Soarin’ will temporarily bring back its California-themed version just for the occasion.

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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Indio

Strap on your cowboy hat and make the pilgrimage to country music’s biggest jamboree, taking up residence at Coachella’s digs, the Empire Polo Club. Stagecoach is coming back for a three-day fest; expect the usual mix of contemporary and classic country. Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll and Luke Combs headline, with additional sets on the lineup from Brothers Osborne, Sturgill Simpson, Midland, Lana Del Rey, Nelly, Carly Pearce, Shaboozey, Goo Goo Dolls, Tucker Wetmore and DASHA, among others.

  • Movies
  • Downtown
  • Recommended

The masters of alfresco movie viewing are keeping outdoor screening season alive with their Fireside Films series, which ensures you’ll stay cozy, with outdoor heaters and a complimentary hot beverage with each ticket. Enjoy a steady stream of modern classics (The Dark KnightPride & Prejudicelocal favorites (La La LandFriday) and recent releases, as well as Gilmore Girls and Parks and Recreation marathons, screened atop LEVEL DTLA. And on April 17, they’re switching things up with Charli, Chappell and Carpenter: A Disco for the Dolls—a silent disco where a soundtrack of Charli xcx, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter will be pumping through the headphones.

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  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • USC/Exposition Park
  • Recommended

Nature lovers, rejoice! Spend a day at the Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion, which will be open March 23 through August 24 and be home to up to 30 butterfly and moth species, as well as an assortment of California plants. The seasonal outdoor exhibit allows for adults and children alike to witness nature up close—we’re talking walking amid hundreds of butterflies and having them land on your arms or shoulders. Tip: The prime time for these unique butterfly flight experiences is typically between 10am and 11am each morning.

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  • Shopping
  • Pasadena
  • Recommended

Perhaps the Los Angeles area’s most iconic flea market, this event around the exterior of the Rose Bowl is staggeringly colossal—but what else would you expect from a 90,000-seat stadium? The sheer size and scale of this flea market means that it encompasses multitudes: new and old, handcrafted and salvaged, the cheap and the costly. On the second Sunday of each month, treasure hunt among the odd mix of vendors that populates the loop around the stadium—and don’t miss the rows and rows of old furniture, albums and vintage clothes and accessories that fill the adjacent parking lot.

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Boyle Heights

This exhibition of 21 soundstage-sized installations has floated its way into L.A. Don’t expect mere bundles of birthday balloons: Instead, these pieces range from room-filling ball pits to reflective LED tunnels to giant grabbable bubbles, all inspired by air in some way. The “museum” part of the name might be a little bit of a stretch (though each photogenic piece is actually credited to a named artist), but the “Let’s Fly” edition of this touring show is a more fun experience than your run-of-the-mill made-for-Instagram attraction: Whether you’re bonking the bouncy “Ginjos,” pushing a charcoal-tipped sphere or getting swept up in a staticky whirlwind of balloons, there are some undeniably entertaining—and yes, very photogenic—hands-on scenes here.

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  • Things to do
  • Play spaces
  • Anaheim

After popping up at D23 and Long Beach shopping center 2nd & PCH, themed mini-golf experience Pixar Putt has landed at its most logical home: the Pixar Place Hotel, close to California Adventure and its Pixar Pier. Putt your way through 18 themed holes and step into the stories of Pixar favorites including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Coco, A Bug’s Life, Wall-E and Inside Out. Opening weekend is sold out, but don’t worry: The course will remain open through June 1.

  • Shopping
  • Shopping centers
  • Manhattan Beach

The South Bay shopping center is welcoming spring with a celebration of sustainability and renewal, hosting a series of free eco-friendly activities, workshops and exhibitions into April. On March 22, you can take part in a 5K fun run for World Water Day. On April 5, you’ll find a springtime market with pop-up vendors, a wellness bar and live music. And on Earth Day, April 22, guests will receive free wildflower seeds to plant, as well as free treats from gourmet cotton candy company the Jolly Sheep.

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  • Things to do
  • Talks and lectures
  • Westside
  • Recommended

L.A.’s star-studded lecture series returns—both virtually and in person—with a lineup of writers, artists, performers, scientists and business leaders who will graciously blow your mind. For both online and IRL events, you’ll often have the option of purchasing a signed copy of the speaker’s book, as well.

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  • Puppet shows
  • Highland Park

The beloved puppet theater’s new show is actually a throwback to its beginnings. Something to Crow About was first created in 1959 for the Laguna Beach Festival of Art and gave Bob Baker Marionette Theater its signature style before the theater officially opened in 1963. The satirical show, which has been revitalized, uses farm animal characters to tell a story about Broadway. Note: Bob Baker is offering comp tickets to fire-affected families throughout opening weekend.

  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Downtown Arts District
  • Recommended

Every Sunday, you can find dozens of food vendors at this market at ROW DTLA, a Brooklyn import that boasts a mix of much-loved pop-ups and future foodie stars. Over a dozen new vendors joined the lineup this year: Feast on Afro-Caribbean cuisine from withBee, Lebanese street food from Teta, ice cream tacos from Sad Girl Creamery and more. Wash it all down at the family-friendly beer garden. You’ll also find shopping stalls selling everything from framed vintage ads to jewelry made locally with ethically sourced gemstones. Entry and the first two hours of parking are free.

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  • Museums
  • Movies and TV
  • Miracle Mile

Right on the heels of the release of his new film, Mickey 17, director Bong Joon Ho steps into the spotlight at the Academy Museum’s new exhibition. The first-ever museum show dedicated to the Oscar-winning South Korean filmmaker will trace Ho’s career, creative process and cinematic influences. See over 100 storyboards, posters, concept art, creature models, props and on-set photos from the director’s archive and personal collection. On Sundays, the museum’s on-site restaurant, Fanny’s, is offering an accompanying Korean Sunday Supper series with dishes like bibimbap and galbi jjim. You can reserve a spot here.

  • Art
  • Sculpture
  • West Hollywood

Austrian-born Helmut Lang walked away from fashion 20 years ago to focus solely on art. Now, thanks to the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, his first solo institutional exhibition is opening in Los Angeles—in the historic Schindler House, no less. Curated by Desert X founding artistic director and Frieze Projects curator Neville Wakefield, the show consists of a series of fist-like freestanding sculptures made with found or discarded materials that “both imagine the future and materialize the past.”

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  • Art
  • Photography
  • Los Feliz
  • Recommended

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House—centerpiece of Barnsdall Art Park and Los Angeles’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site—just might be the most stunning backdrop for an art exhibition. And, in this case, the home is the subject itself, too. L.A.-based photographer Ireland captured the intricate details of the Hollyhock House in 21 photographs on display throughout the onetime residence.

  • Art
  • Film and video
  • Central LA

After its fall debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of PST ART, artist Doug Aitken’s multimedia collab with the L.A. Phil and L.A. Master Chorale makes the jump to the Marciano Art Foundation. The free museum mounts the multi-channel video piece in its massive theater gallery, which you can see during routine opening hours (Tue–Sat 11am–6pm). But look out for separate reservations for weekly (typically on Saturdays) live performances organized by both musical ensembles.

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  • Art
  • Installation
  • Little Tokyo
  • Recommended

This spectacular exhibition from the Icelandic-Danish artist brings a new series of optical installations to MOCA’s Little Tokyo location. Don’t let the reflective, colorful pieces fool you into thinking this is some run-of-the-mill “immersive” exhibition: Olafur Eliasson’s works invite you to admire the everyday miracles of physics that shape how we see the world. 

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  • Art
  • Pasadena

On the 50th anniversary of the Norton Simon Museum, look back to when Simon took over management of the Pasadena Art Museum in 1975, then ahead to the museum’s exciting future at this retrospective exhibition. See rare photos from the museum’s archives, and learn about the history of its major acquisitions, exhibitions, building and gardens—which are currently undergoing a transformation.

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • West Hollywood

The Los Angeles–based conceptual artist and now-retired CalArts educator is back with his first L.A. solo exhibition since 2019, debuting new works from his Numbers and Trees series. The colorful and complex works combine Plexiglas, watercolors and his signature numeric grid systems to depict the baobab trees Gaines photographed on a recent trip to Tanzania. The show opens February 19 with a conversation between the artist and LACMA’s Naima J. Keith, followed by an opening reception (6–8pm). The event is free, but reservations are recommended.

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  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Miracle Mile

“Color in Motion” features close to 150 objects—pieces of technology, costumes, props and film posters—from the 1890s to today. Broken up into six themes, the exhibition looks at the connection between color, music and movement, like in early dance and animated shorts; decades of color technologies, from Technicolor processes and Disney’s women-led Ink & Paint Department to contemporary digital tools; monochrome silent films; the narrative role of color; and experimental works. The final gallery in the show is dubbed the Color Arcade, an interactive, neon-hued space that includes a corridor inspired by the trippy stargate from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

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  • Art
  • Installation
  • USC/Exposition Park

The Natural History Museum’s taxidermy dioramas turn a century old this year, and to celebrate the museum is reviving an entire hall of displays that’ve been dark for decades. Expect some fresh approaches to these assembled snapshots of the wilderness, including alebrijes made of recycled materials, a crystalline depiction of pollution and a tech-driven display of the L.A. River.

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  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Miracle Mile
  • Recommended

It’s more than just the low clearance: This exhibition at the Petersen explores the custom paint, engraving, upholstery and, of course, the gravity-defying suspension of the lowrider scene. In addition to iconic cars, the exhibit spotlights influential artists in the Chicano lowrider art scene. Even if you have no interest in cars, this colorful showcase of 20-plus lowered cars and bikes is excellent: The candy-colored paint jobs are dazzling, and the craftsmanship of the customizations—many vehicles are on display with their engines and undercarriages visible—is remarkable. You’ll learn a little bit of history here, how the “low and slow” movement is rooted in the postwar Mexican American zoot suit counterculture, but largely this is an excuse to ogle some L.A. automotive icons.

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