January 2025 events calendar for Los Angeles

As firefighters continue to work to get the Los Angeles wildfires under control, many of us are wondering: What can we do to help? FireAid, a just-announced benefit concert taking place January 30 at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome, offers one way. Proceeds from the event will go toward “rebuilding infrastructure, supporting displaced families and advancing fire prevention technologies and strategies to ensure L.A. is better prepared for fire emergencies.” We can’t think of a worthier cause. Billie Eilish and Finneas, Green Day, Joni Mitchell, Lady Gaga, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many, many more top the lineup. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 22 at noon via Ticketmaster.

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.

Show off your ride for a good cause at the Petersen Automotive Museum’s Sunday-morning car show-meets-charity event. A $50 ticket will get you coffee and bagels, museum admission and parking—whether you pull up in a show car or not. All proceeds will go to the Los Angeles Food Bank, LAFD Foundation and LAPD West Bureau. The Red Cross will be on-hand for a blood drive, and Love You So Studios will be collecting new items to donate to families affected by the fire. (Even though it’s an auto-themed event, if you want to show up sans car, you can get a free Waymo robotaxi to and from the event with promo code PAM.)

Announced last-minute, this showcase of beloved local comedians at the Regent will donate 100% of ticket proceeds to GiveDirectly.org/lafires, which provides cash relief to low-income families impacted by the fires. Chris Garcia will host the night, which will find Atsuko Okatsuka, Reggie Watts, Beth Stelling, Eddie Pepitone, Frankie Quinones, Sheng Wang and Whitmer Thomas performing 15-minute sets for the good cause.

The L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs and Asian makers’ market MAUM are teaming up to present the third annual Lunar Block Party in North Hollywood, celebrating Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese cultures. Welcome in the new and good at the free community event, which will fill Lankershim Boulevard (between Hesby Street and Magnolia Boulevard) with arts and crafts for kids, shopping at MAUM market, lion and dragon dance performances, Asian-owned food trucks and more.

Produced and curated by IHEARTCOMIX, this fundraiser—the seventh installment of LA Gives Back—is backed by some of the city’s coolest promoters. This time around, 100% of the funds raised will go to charities supporting victims of the wildfires, first responders and animals in need. The lineup drops January 27, but promises an “incredible” group of artists, special guests and partners donating their time for a one-night-only concert that will showcase the city’s music scene. (Past LA Gives Back artists have included ZEDD, Bonobo, Flying Lotus, TOKiMONSTA, SNL’s Sarah Sherman, Weyes Blood, Tim Heidecker and Eric André, so we have high hopes for the latest lineup.)

This South Bay Lunar New Year celebration offers live entertainment, a wishing well, arts and crafts, food trucks and carnival-style snacks. The free, family-friendly event also boasts a petting zoo, where visitors can get close to roosters, sheep, goats and pigs—as well as a variety of live snakes and other reptiles, in honor of the Year of the Snake. Parking is free too; head to 22nd and Miner streets to park and catch a free ride to the event from the Downtown San Pedro Red Trolley. Note: The usually-outdoors event has been moved indoors to AltaSea (2451 Signal St, Berth 60, Door 39), due to a rainy forecast.

Concerts for wildfire relief keep popping up, and this one is a must for indie-rock fans. All proceeds from For Los Angeles—which spans two nights, at the Troubadour on January 22 and across town at the Lodge Room on January 28—will go directly toward the California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery and Pasadena Community Foundation’s Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund. Actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse will host the night at the Troubadour, where Phantom Planet, Annika Bennett, Cannons, Local Natives, Lydia Night, Madison Cunningham, Winnetka Bowling League and more will take the stage (get tickets here). At the Lodge Room the following week, you can catch stripped-back sets from Lord Huron, Stephen Sanchez, Magdalena Bay, Madi Diaz, Zinadelphia and more (get tickets here).

The historic theater is putting on eight distinct cultural events to mark the Lunar New Year during this multi-week festival. Highlights include a performance of Patsy, a play about the first Asian American congresswoman, on January 25; a screening of the first-known Chinese American film, The Curse of Quon Gwon, on January 31; a live lion dance performance by the East Wind Foundation and a dragon puppet-making workshop by Bob Baker Marionette Theater on February 1; and, that evening, a program of new classical works inspired by the moon called “Lunar Harmonies.” Plus, from February 14 through March 9, Master Class finds Tim Dang directing Terrence McNally’s Tony-winning play about opera icon Maria Callas. See the full lineup of events here.

The winter edition of Dine L.A. is back from January 24 to February 7, with hundreds of restaurants participating in the two-week blitz of bang-for-your-buck set menus. Scattered among the prix-fixe tradition’s dizzying full list of menus are some of L.A.’s best restaurants offering their signature fare at a more budget-friendly price point. Before you make a reservation, check out our list of the best lunch and dinner deals the event has to offer. In light of the recent fires, LA Tourism is donating $5 per reservation made to the American Red Cross, which will be matched by Banc of California.

Even before the passing of visionary director David Lynch this week, Gold-Diggers was planning this Twin Peaks-themed night, where singers I Can’t Hear Cassandra and the Nightingales will perform songs by Julee Cruise (the series’ roadhouse singer whose song “Falling” also served as Twin Peaks’ theme song) and DJs will supplement the soundtrack with tunes befitting the vibe. Come dressed in your Lynchian best. And we forgot the best part: The night doubles as a benefit for Pasadena Humane, which has been helping pets affected by the fires.

Forget Dorothy and her ruby slippers—head to Oz for the story of Elphaba and Glinda. Follow the Wicked cast down a different yellow brick road for a beautiful tale of friendship, love and courage. The ever “Popular” show returns to the Pantages—just weeks after the feature film’s release—to expose the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. You don’t even have to paint your skin green, just belt out “Defying Gravity” and “Something Bad” to fit in here. Wicked and its “Wonderful” set will inevitably win over your heart, and change your perspective on Emerald City “For Good.”

Honor Fraser gallery’s new artist-in-residence is none other than feminist icon and Pussy Riot creator Nadya Tolokonnikova, who’s known—and has been imprisoned in Moscow—for her performance-based acts of protest. Her exhibition, which features self-portraits and sculptural installations that examine protest and imprisonment, will kick off with the debut L.A. show of her new project, Pussy Riot Siberia. (Tickets to the free performance January 18 7-9pm are sold out, but you can join the waitlist here. The group will play on the closing night of the show as well, January 25.) Throughout the week, Tolokonnikova will be activating the installation with live music and performances.

If you miss the show this time around, look out for a follow-up exhibition, Punk's Not Dead: Part 2, which will focus more on Tolokonnikova’s art rather than performance, this May.

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.

More than 100 wines, plus food trucks, live music and a classic L.A. setting—sounds like a perfect Saturday to us. Uncorked Wine Fest returns to Union Station for its 10th anniversary in L.A.—sending wine fiends into a frenzy with some incredible varietals from around the world. General admission will allow you to sip from 6 to 9pm, while VIP ticketholders get an extra hour to imbibe starting at 5pm, as well as access to the station’s historic Fred Harvey restaurant, with dedicated seating and even more premium wineries. New this year—and perfect for those partaking in Dry January—is a “zero proof lounge” with nonalcoholic wines and mocktails. Tickets include all beverage tastings, with food sold separately.

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.

The shopping center welcomes the Year of the Snake in its Grand Court with a festive afternoon of lion dance performances, live beats, Chinese calligraphy and more. Snack on bites from Yardbird, AB Steak and Tangtastic, and pair with Chinese tea cocktails or a traditional tea service from Steep LA. In its own take on the holiday tradition, the mall is giving each guest a red envelope containing a Beverly Center gift card ranging from $10 to $500. Tickets are $30, but the center is donating and matching 100% of the proceeds from the event to support the LAFD Foundation.

Sure, the holidays are over, but that doesn’t mean we want to stop pretending it’s winter in L.A. yet! The city of West Hollywood is throwing its hat into the outdoor ice skating scene by transforming West Hollywood Park into a rink and a Winter Village with photo ops and a general store. A 90-minute skating session will cost you $22. There are also free festivities on offer at the end of the month: On Saturday, January 25, from 1–4pm, the park’s South Lawn will host a Winter Wonderland with activities, crafts, music, games, hot cocoa and festive treats (free entry, no RSVP required). And a free Polar Plunge Pool Party on January 26 (4–6pm) on the fifth floor of the West Hollywood Aquatic and Recreation Center offers a less intimidating take on the New Year’s tradition, with a heated pool, games, giveaways, arts and crafts and apple cider. You can RSVP here.

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. Feast on Afro-Caribbean cuisine from withBee, Lebanese street food from Teta, ice cream tacos from Sad Girl Creamery and, just for January, Swedish-style hot dogs from Hej Hej—all part of the roster of new vendors for 2025.

What better spot to mark the Lunar New Year than “the happiest place on earth”? Disney California Adventure commemorates the Year of the Snake with a month of multicultural celebrations. Kids can look forward to photo ops and meet-and-greets with Mulan, Mushu, Mickey and Minnie, and characters from Turning Red, while adults will find a tasty reprieve with treats from China, Korea and Vietnam. If you’re sticking around into the evening, “Hurry Home – A Lunar New Year Celebration” precedes each World of Color show, while during the day Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession brings dancers, a colorful dragon puppet and a couple of costumed characters across the park.

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.

You can’t seem to get more a stone’s throw away from a huge festive light display in Los Angeles come holiday season. Well, except for this new entry to the scene, which is making its L.A. debut all the way at Raging Waters. If you feel like making the trek out to San Dimas, though, Luminosa looks like quite the impressive display, boasting over 1,000,000 LED lights and larger-than-life lanterns through miles of illuminated trails. Adding to the experience are acrobatic performers, artisan vendors, food trucks and even some stone-carving.

Vibe Check prides itself on spotlighting the some of the country’s “youngest, freshest and chillest” comedians in showcases that have sold out in L.A., New York and Chicago. The lineup at this installment at the Lab at Hollywood Improv—Clay Horwitz, Mario Adrion, Paige Gallagher, Raye Schiller, Jeremy Scippio and Helen Shephard—is made up of up-and-comers you may recognize from late-night TV, streamers or sketches on social media. They promise “unique perspectives and inclusively clever commentary”—all for only $16.

Through mid-February next year, Koreatown’s Boba Bear is transforming into Arcane’s Last Drop Bar to promote the popular Netflix show’s second season. Inside the pop-up, guests will be transported straight into the heart of Zaun, where they can imbibe Arcane-inspired soju cocktails, plus a non-alcoholic option (“Shimmers”) served in a snazzy commemorative glowing glass tube. Expect plenty of games and photo ops in the space, which is decked out in the fictional city’s gritty, steampunk aesthetic, plus build-your-own cocktail classes and cosplay contests. Tickets start at $10 and are open to all ages, and each admission includes a beverage (except for Shimmers).

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.

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.

This first-floor exhibition at the Broad features hundreds of German artist Joseph Beuys’s “multiples,” editioned objects (with a focus here on environmentalism) that stretched the meaning of sculpture. But the most notable aspect of this show extends beyond the gallery walls: Inspired by Beuys’s 7000 Eichen (7000 Oaks), the concurrent Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar will plant 100 native trees (primarily coast live oaks) in Elysian Park and at Kuruvungna Village Springs.

A collaboration with the Carnegie Observatories and the Griffith Observatory, this LACMA exhibition brings together a global collection of pieces, from the Stone Age to today, that reflect humans’ ever-evolving attempts to explain the origins of the universe. Alongside pieces of sacred artwork and architecture, you can expect some heady, scientifically-minded contemporary works—like a teaser from Josiah McElheny that’s already on display in the center of the Resnick Pavilion. Island Universe features five reflective, rod-encircled spheres; each individual sculpture is supposed to represent a different parallel universe, and each branching rod the passage of time.

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.

Gawk at a collection of mid-20th-century illuminated pieces from Andy Warhol, Dan Flavin, Allen Rupperberg and eight others when the Norton Simon mounts this display of electric art.

Study the technical and cultural background of colorful clay vessels, textiles, bark-paper pages and sculptures in the Indigenous Americas—and how their significance has been downplayed among colonialist histories—during this LACMA exhibition.

A true multi-hyphenate, Carver was a painter in addition to a pioneering agricultural scientist. CAAM will display seldom seen paintings as well as his lab equipment alongside contemporary works that were inspired by his foundational work in modern conservation—ideas that started to spread with his “Jesup Wagon,” an early 1900s moveable school.