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.

Weekly Arts District market Smorgasburg heads to Arcadia for this Memorial Day Weekend collab. You’ll find a Smorg-curated lineup of six of the best pop-up BBQ vendors in the city at Santa Anita Park—think Texas, Filipino, Japanese, Cambodian and Cuban styles—alongside 10 carnival rides, games, bounce houses for the kids and, of course, horse racing all weekend long.

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

Tucked away in picturesque Topanga Canyon, this Memorial Day weekend festival has become a favorite local tradition. Bohemian residents of all ages, as well as curious onlookers, converge to celebrate music, food, arts and Mother Earth. Some complain that the masses have commercialized this neighborhood event, but there are still enough true hippies, vegan food vendors and healing arts to make you feel like you’re at a West Coast offshoot of Woodstock. Let the kids enjoy games like three-legged races, water balloon basketball, musical chairs and tug-o-war while you dance to local bands like the Long Beach Dub Allstars. There are also animal imitation and pie-eating contests, in keeping with the country fair vibes. And don’t miss the DIY Memorial Day parade on Monday morning (8:30am)—you can even make your own float and join in yourself. Parking troubles are alleviated by a free shuttle along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. 

One of the coolest ways to spend this Memorial Day weekend? Inside seven concert halls and bars at this eclectic new music festival taking over Highland Park. Find a certified-cool lineup of a “frenetic and fuzzy array of rock & roll artists,” including Fear, Adolescents, Flamin’ Groovies and Reggie Watts, plus L.A. rockers Strawberry Fuzz, Levitation Room, the Warlocks and Death Valley Girls and many more. All the shows are all ages—and some are even free. With a day pass, you can venue-hop between the Lodge Room, Oblivion, Highland Park Ebell, Cheerio Collective, De La Playa Records, Blind Barber and North Figueroa Books.

Ponyo loves Sosuke! And we love this exhibition at the Academy Museum dedicated to the wholesome Hayao Miyazaki film. Studio Ghibli donated more than 100 objects to the Academy Collection, and you’ll find everything from an animation desk to colorful art boards to dozens of frame-by-frame pencil drawings of the scene when Sosuke first finds Ponyo. Though you may recognize a couple of items from the museum’s debut Hayao Miyazaki retrospective, the vast majority of Ponyo pieces are new—and some have never been displayed in North America before. It’s also a colorful and super kid-friendly exhibition; you can watch clips of the gorgeously hand-drawn movie, recreate the wave-running scene and even make your own stop-motion animation. You’ll find it on the museum’s second floor, inside the first few galleries of the “Stories of Cinema’ space.

The Original Farmers Market has been a cornerstone of L.A. for over 90 years now, and many of its most beloved stalls are multi-generational family businesses. Learn more about their culinary and cultural identity during a free Memorial Day weekend scavenger hunt organized by Ancestry.com and chef Nancy Silverton. Pick up a tour map and stop by Magee’s Kitchen, Bennett’s Homemade Ice Cream, Charlie’s Coffee Shop, Huntington Meats & Sausage and Sticker Planet to explore their roots, reflect on your own family history and, naturally, pick up a treat or two.

Nature lovers, rejoice! The Natural History Museum is bringing back its annual Butterfly Pavilion, which will be open March 22 through August 23 and house 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. You’ll need to purchase a $10 add-on ticket on top of your museum ticket in order to explore the pavilion for a half-hour.

It doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile—or if you’re more of a fan of the street racing and respect era or heists and hackers phase of Fast & Furious: There’s plenty of familiar motorized might to behold at this Petersen Automotive Museum exhibition honoring the high-adrenaline film franchise. You’ll find roughly 20 screen-used cars and production prototypes—including ones on loan from Vin Diesel’s private collection, as well as from the late Paul Walker—on display in the second floor of the Miracle Mile museum. It’s a very Fast & Furious kind of year in L.A. between Universal Studios’ roller coaster and this 25th anniversary exhibition. While the Petersen’s exhibition is certainly encyclopedic (the selections here span the entirety of the franchise, with a particular focus on the first three films), it’s not overly academic: Brief labels will let you know the story behind the stunt car you’re staring at, but this is ultimately an opportunity to ogle American muscle cars and custom Japanese imports (as well as the franchise’s melodramatic quotes about family). Highlights on display include the 1993 Toyota Supra “Stunt #3” and 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) in the original film, Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) 1968 Dodge Charger R/T and 1993 Mazda RX-7, and Suki’s (Devon Aoki) very pink 2001 Honda S2000.