Things to do in Los Angeles today

Roam the stalls at this Memorial Day arts festival, sample the food and listen to the music—and then take a dip in the nearby Pacific. A few logistical changes for the past few fests have streamlined the layout: You’ll still find on-the-street stalls and sidewalk vendors along Hermosa and Pier Avenues, but there’s now live music at the beach (one of four stages throughout the fest), and there’s a proper carnival inland at Pier and Monterey Boulevard. Meanwhile, there’s a beer and wine garden closer to the beach with its own music lineup—though that charges a $10 cover fee. When is Fiesta Hermosa? This year’s event takes place Saturday through Monday—May 23, 24 and 25, 2026—from 11am to 7pm on the weekend and 11am to 6pm on Monday. You’ll find it along Hermosa and Pier Avenues. Is Fiesta Hermosa free? Yes, though food, drink, games and craft vendors will of course cost you. Also, the Garden, a 21+ area with drinks and music, has a $10 daily cover fee. Is the event dog-friendly? The gated Garden area of the event isn’t dog-friendly (and, as is the case in nearly all of L.A. County, neither is the beach), but you’re welcome to bring a dog with you to the rest of the Fiesta.

The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings to LEVEL in Downtown L.A. Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair (with optional blankets for purchase to up the coziness). And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word. Find the full schedule on their site, or in our outdoor movie calendar.

It isn’t summer in L.A. until the first cemetery screening brings hoards of movie-lovers to Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 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. The series typically releases its slate one month at a time, with summertime screenings at the cemetery and a few off-site ones on either end (usually at L.A. State Historic Park). For each evening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, pack a picnic (yes, booze is allowed), pose in the photo booth and enjoy DJ sets, dance parties and all sorts of other magical mischief that’d otherwise be strictly forbidden behind the cemetery gates. For 2026, Cinespia’s 25th(!) season in the cemetery, the first batch of screenings include E.T. (May 23), Moulin Rouge! (May 24) and Mulholland Drive (May 30)—and it’s worth noting that Hollywood Forever is late director David Lynch’s final resting place. For the following month, you can catch Fast Times at Ridgemont High (June 6), The Matrix (June 13) and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (June 20). In addition, Cinespia is teaming up with See’s Candies this year to sell specially branded candy boxes during screenings. The outdoor screenings are an L.A. rite of passage, a quintessential summer experience and one of the best film venues in the city. Just be sure to get your ticket early, arrive early, pee early… it’s a popular...

L.A. native and artist Gary Baseman is bringing his unmistakable style to “Off the Menu,” his first solo exhibition in the city in over a dozen years. The show is a love letter to L.A. dining, featuring 40 of the artist’s “action” drawings that he’s doodled on menus while dining at local restaurants, from Musso and Frank to Canter’s. And it couldn’t be held in a more fitting place: the iconic Johnie’s Coffee Shop, right across from the Academy Museum. The exhibition’s opening (May 8, 3–6pm) will coincide with the Metro D Line expansion’s opening—it’s just steps from the Wilshire/Fairfax station. On May 9, there will be an opening reception (6–9pm), and the show will remain open through June 14. The classic diner hasn’t been open to the public in over 25 years, so don’t miss your chance to step inside.

The inimitable artist, musician and activist—and John Lennon’s other half—is the subject of the Broad’s highly anticipated upcoming show, Ono’s first-ever solo museum exhibition in Southern California. Organized in collaboration with the Tate Modern in London, “Music of the Mind” will allow visitors to directly interact with works from the artist’s seven-decade long career. In conjunction with the show, the museum will transform the olive trees on the outdoor East West Bank Plaza into Wish Trees for Los Angeles, where visitors can tie their own wishes on the branches. Many of the works invite audience engagement, in fact, all working toward a common goal of peace and connection. Also on display will be Acorn Event (1968) and Bed Peace (1969) anti-war works of activism Ono and Lennon worked on together. Tickets for the special exhibition are available at thebroad.org.

L.A. has changed immeasurably since 1921, when this event was first staged as an agricultural fair. However, the perennially popular event still has farm-friendly appeal (livestock beauty contests, local produce) alongside the more modern wine tastings, exhibitions, art installations, concerts (this year’s headliners include War, Brad Paisley, Ramon Ayala and a comedy show by Jeff Dunham), roller-skating rink and carnival rides. This year’s theme, “Play Your Way,” celebrates recreation, imagination and letting loose, transforming its grounds into the county’s biggest playground. RECOMMENDED: A guide to the L.A. County Fair

Everybody likes a good theme party, and this Memorial Day weekend, Main Street in Santa Monica is giving the people what they want. In an effort not only to entertain Westsiders but to support the area’s community programming, much of Main Street will transform into essentially an interactive Monopoly board game, allotting attendees “MAINopoly dollars” to be exchanged for food tastings from some of the finest establishments on and around the street. Trade a few fake bucks for dishes from spots like Ashland Hill, Triple Beam Pizza, Michael’s Santa Monica, Jameson’s Pub, HomeState and Junior Cookies. Be sure to grab drinks from the “Go to Jail” Beer Garden—for the first time this year, you can sip while you stroll from stop to stop. Dressing up is encouraged, so polish up that Monopoly monocle.

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. Thirteen new vendors are joining the lineup this year: Feast on burgers and orange chicken sandwiches from Terrible Burger, Viennese street food from Franzl’s Franks, Neapolitan-meets-Persian pies from Mamani Pizza, plant-based corn dogs from Stick Talk 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.

For a taste of Seoul in SoCal, head to the L.A. Live event deck over Memorial Day weekend for a two-day showcase of K-lifestyle, from Korean beauty to K-pop. Catch cooking demos, cover dance performances, DJ sets and more. To eat, head to the DIY hangang ramen station. Access to the event is free—though a concert at Peacock Theater Sunday night (6–8pm), featuring headliners LNGSHOT, P1Harmony and Jay Park, is ticketed.

Listen to classical and jazz in a dome more than a mile above L.A. during this mountaintop concert series curated by artistic director Cécilia Tsan. The Mount Wilson Observatory is once again hosting monthly concerts this summer inside the dome of its 100-inch Hooker telescope—which was the largest telescope in the world for much of the first half of the 20th century. Tickets cost $65 (that also includes access to the exhibit at the observatory), and it’s highly recommended that you buy them in advance since seating is limited. Note: You’ll need to be able to climb 53 steps to reach the dome, and children under 12 aren’t permitted.