50 Awesome Things To Do This Weekend in L.A. [9-21-2018 to 9-23-2018]

Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome. Since time is precious in this fast paced city we curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).

This weekend, from Friday, September 21 to Sunday, September 23, features Venice Afterburn, LA Film Fest, Pasadena Greek Fest Taste, Union Station’s Retrocade Experience, The 11th Frogtown Artwalk, Tarfest, Japan House Sake & Shochu tasting and MUCH more.

advertisements

Remember you can always go to our L.A. events calendar page to get an updated rundown of what’s happening around the city.

Hope you find the rundown useful and, as always, enjoy your week!

Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River, looking towards DTLA. Credit: Brian Champlin / We Like L.A.

Keep in mind that while we retain complete editorial control of our content, for some of the ticketing options provided we utilize affiliate links and receive a commission if you purchase through our links.

Friday September 21st, 2018

1. Shake off the dust of Burning Man at Venice Afterburn, a 3-day long event (September 21-23) showcasing the art, installations, mutant vehicles, and everything else we know and love about Burning Man, right in Venice Beach. FREE

2. Man’s best friend finally has an art exhibit made just for them! dOGUMENTA LA is a free, dog-friendly art show hosted over two consecutive weekends (September 14-16 & 21-23) at FIGat7th in Downtown L.A. FREE

3. The LA Film Festival returns Sep. 20-28 better than ever ,showcasing award-winning films from around the globe, a VR experience, shorts, web series, talks and more.

4. Alcove | Big Bar welcomes the arrival of Autumn with a special silent disco party spanning the main garden patio. The shindig will feature a lillet spritz and flower bouquet bar, a beer garden on the south patio complete with giant lawn games, plus Absolut Elyx punches and bottled cocktails created by own bar manager Cari Hah in copper disco punch bowls. FREE

5. Rooftop Cinema Club returns to the rooftops of LEVEL in DTLA and NeueHouse in Hollywood with multiple screenings this week that include A Quite Place, Back to the Future and more.

6. Alpine Village Oktoberfest celebrates 50 years! The fun kicks off this Friday with traditional Bavarian fun like Oom Pah Pah party bands, German fare, and delicious cold German beers. Oktoberfest runs Fridays and Saturdays September 7 through October 27.

7. 260LA is hosting a Sandro sample sale September 18-23. Score deals on the French labels mens and womens ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories .

8. Get up close and personal with sharks at the Aquarium of the Pacific during Shark Lagoon Nights. Guests will have the opportunity to touch bamboo sharks and view large sharks in an after hours setting.

9. Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at Corey Helford Gallery during Frankenstein 200 a group art show featuring over 100 artist. On view now through October 13. FREE

10. Pasadena Greek Fest Taste will have guests enjoying authentic food, live Greek music and dancing in a family friendly setting September 21-23.

11. The LA County Fair at the Pomona Fairplex hosts an enormous assortment of activities, musical performances, carnival style food and more. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

12. There’s a midnight showing of Hedwig And The Angry Inch at the Landmark Nuart Theatre on the westside this Friday.

Saturday September 22nd, 2018

Enjoy free play of classic arcade games from the 70’s-90’s during Union Station’s Retrocade Experience happening September 22-23. Guests will also get to enjoy classic arcade food, 80s soft drinks, a Pac Man competition and more. FREE

24. The 11th Frogtown Artwalk takes place along the Los Angeles River featuring pop-up galleries, artists’ studios, musical performances, food and art installations. FREE

25. Head over to The Autry on September 22-23 to enjoy the tunes of Tin Pan Alley and Broadway! Musicians Cindy Miller and Alan Jones join music historian Michael Lasser to deliver a specially crafted experience exploring the American West through both songs and storytelling.

26. The 16th annual Tarfest is back for 2018 with a free showcase of music, dance, live artwork, a biergarten and wine bar, all at the iconic La Brea Tar Pits park. FREE

27. Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with a screenings of Jurassic Park at Poinsettia Rec Park in West Hollywood, Mean Girls at Victory Park in Pasadena and Moonrise Kingdom at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades. Select screenings are discounted via Goldstar. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

28. The Valley Urban Market an open-air, family-friendly, food experience will grand open at the Sportsman’s Lodge parking lot in Studio City this Saturday. About 20 local food vendors will be on hand including Lobsterdamus, Sticky Rice on Wheels and The Beached Pig a Tennessee-BBQ concept by Chef Billy Terrell. Musician Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters will help The Beached Pig serve up pulled pork sandwiches and plates during the grand opening.

29. Opera at the Beach presents ‘Don Carlo’ at the Santa Monica Pier. Grab your chairs and blankets to enjoy a picnic while a live broadcast of the opera gets screened on the pier. FREE

30. Head over to Platform in Culver City for UNIQUE LA, a shopping experience featuring local artisans and designers selling their one-of-a-kind goods on September 22-23.

31. The 3rd annual Nerdbot-Con is returning to the Pasadena Convention Center for a day of cosplay, nerd, gamer and superhero appreciation.

32. Record label 88rising presents Head in the Clouds Music & Arts Festival featuring contemporary artists in hip-hop, R&B and alternative music, including Joji, Keith Ape, Rich Brian and more performing at Los Angeles State Historic Park.

33. Playful Los Angeles lifestyle brand ban.do will host a huge warehouse sale at their L.A. penthouse on Sep. 22-23 with up to 80% off accessories, shoes, stationery, jewelry and much more.

34. Cinespia is back for its 17th summer season, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for screenings of films modern, cult, and classic. This Saturday they’ll screen Yellow Submarine with fireworks.

35. Join ukulele players, fanatics, vendors, and more at the 2018 Los Angeles International Ukulele Festival. Featuring an array of live performances, free workshops, strum-alongs, and giveaways, the day-long celebration is truly jam-packed with fun for players and admirers of the beloved Hawaiian instrument.

36. DEEP-LA and Bender Flow present “City Lights” at Skyspace LA. The event features yoga, an electronic sound bath, DJ tunes, shopping and more from 1,000 feet above DTLA.

advertisements

37. Celebrate the 8th day of the 15th lunar month in 2018 at the Moon Festival & Gourmet Food Fair in Temple City September 22-23. Enjoy a night market offering gourmet food, a lantern festival, merchant booths, and a range of activities and attractions, with live stage performances. FREE

38. The Silverlake Flea-Night Market taking place every Saturday from 5-10 p.m. all summer long features a plethora of local, independent sellers that offer vintage clothing, art, rare vinyl, crafts, and much more.

39. Spook Show’s Biz-aar! a gathering of spook enthusiast conjured up by Halloween Club is a free bazaar showcasing the best of the macabre through vendors, artists, collectors, spook masters and more. Happening at the Halloween Club La Mirada location.

Sunday September 23rd, 2018

40. KCRW’s World Festival comes to a close this Sunday at the Hollywood Bowl with Grizzly Bear and TV On The Radio.

41. Japan House will host a Sake & Shochu tasting in Hollywood this Sunday featuring over 25 kinds of sake and shochu from Japan paired with light bites.

42. Roaring Twenties Speakeasy returns to the historic Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round for a vintage themed lawn party with performers, live music, food, drink and rides on the merry-go-round. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

43. L.A. Dragon Studios is a new spot in the valley that features an all-access arcade all for a flat fee of $10 per day, plus an escape room and Hydra Squad VR for around $30 per person per experience. Open seven days a week.

44. Knott’s Scary Farm is back with their signature haunted attractions, mazes and thousands of monsters ready to scare the living day light out of you and your crew.

45. Get your stretch alongside some adorable dogs during Dog Yoga at The Dog Cafe. Yoga will be led by instructor Melissa Burton and will be followed by play time with pups and refreshments.

46. Sunday is Jazz Night at Grand Central Market in DTLA. Roll Call Quartet will be providing the sounds performing a variety of Be-Bop and Post-Bop Jazz arrangements on the Hill Street Platform. FREE

47. Outdoor theater Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, located in Topanga Canyon summer 2018 season begins on June 2 with a performance of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

48. The Spider Pavilion at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County  is a special seasonal exhibit that runs now through November 25.

advertisements

48. Family Flicks Film Series at The Hammer will screen The NeverEnding Story this Sunday. FREE

49. Get centered during Beach Yoga SoCal. Feel the sand in your toes, calm your senses with the sound of the ocean and do a yoga flow during sunset. Class starts at 7 p.m. and cost $15.

50. Free museum daysMuseum of Latin American Art is free and Craft and Folk Art Museum is pay what you can on Sunday.

Food Pick for the Week

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnMF8NanCJZ/?hl=en&taken-by=milkbarstore

This week’s pick by Christina Champlin, Co-Founder of We Like L.A.

The wait is finally over. Milk Bar officially open its doors on Melrose Ave. this Saturday at 11 a.m. Founder and two-time James Beard award winning chef Christina Tosi will be on hand to treat customers to $1 Cereal Milk Soft Serve, as well as cake tastings, crafts and more. Christina Tosi will also kick off the Classroom programming by leading a Birthday Cake + Truffles Class from 3-5 p.m., with proceeds of ticket sales benefitting Cookies for Kids Cancer.


Want to get our to-do lists straight to your inbox every week? Sign up for our email program.

Have an upcoming event you’d like suggest for listing? Drop us a line at [email protected]

advertisements

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *