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First weekend of the fall on deck? Let’s jump in head first!
In view for this September 26-28 in Los Angeles, you’ll find the return of the Reign of Terror Haunted House, LA Design Weekend, a free LA Opera simulcast, Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival + Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival, The Autry’s Annual Block Party, the Montana Ave Art Walk, and more.
Things To Do This Week
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Tequila & Tunes at MOLAA -> This Friday, the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach is hosting a special 21+ event combining dance vibes and delicious tequila tastings. Expect guided gallery walk-through of MOLAA’s exhibitions, then savor a premium tequila tasting experience featuring top brands led by expert guides. The atmosphere will include DJ sets, dancing, and back-to-back karaoke sessions. It all runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $25. More info here.
The Other Art Fair -> From Thursday to Sunday, The Other Art Fair returns to the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, bringing a curated selection of over 140 independent artists. Spy art for sale while enjoying live DJ sets, activations, installations, and a cash bar. Opening night tickets (Thursday) start at $30 with advance purchase, and GA tix for Friday to Sunday start at $30. Get more info here.
LA Design Weekend -> This Thursday to Monday, LA Design weekend puts the city’s creative side in focus with dozens of micro events popping up over three days at more than 100 studios, galleries, and cultural spaces where visitors will have the chance to interact with the local design community up close. Check the official site for locations and event schedules. More info here.
Reign of Terror Haunted House -> Starting this weekend, the award-winning Reign of Terror Haunted House h located in Thousand Oaks returns for its 25th season. The 2025 edition features 142 rooms in 11 different, inter-connected sections within 32,000 square feet of floor space. Standards tickets start at $42.99. The experience runs this Thursday to Saturday, then continues select dates through November 2. More info here.
Delusion: Harrowing Of Hell – M > Thirteenth Floor’s Delusion Halloween series is back at a new location at the Variety Arts Theater in DTLA. This year’s conceptual “moving play” immerses guests in the world of Pagan’s Path, described as “a supernatural cult that has taken the metaphors of Dante’s inferno too far.” Performances run this Thursday to Sunday, then continue on select dates through November 9. GA tickets start $113 including fees. More info here.
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns -> Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns is back a new South Bay Location. This year the experience takes over South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes on select nights (including this Friday to Sunday) through November 2. Expect a wandering path featuring thousands of glowing, hand-carved jack o’lanterns, plus enchanting light displays, towering inflatables, and playful bouncy pads. Tickets start at $24.99. More info here.
LA Opera At the Beach & In the Park: West Side Story – FA TP > This Saturday, the LA Opera welcomes the fall season with their annual free event: Opera at the Beach & Opera in the Park. For 2025, they’ll livestream a high-definition broadcast of West Side Story direct from stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to two locations in Los Angeles County: The Santa Monica Pier and Altadena’s Loma Alta Park. Guests are invited to pack blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic baskets to come experience the music and drama of opera under the stars… all for free! Pre-show park activities begin at 4:30 p.m. and beach activities start at 5 p.m. The broadcast begins at 7:30 p.m. More info here.
TinyTan Happy Meal Meetup – FA > McDonald’s is hosting a special activation at NYA WEST in Hollywood this Saturday and Sunday where TinyTan can come together for a day of entertainment featuring music, gaming, dancing, and interactive TinyTAN photo moments, all free to attend with advance RSVP. Runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days. More info here.
The Autry’s Annual Block Party -> The Autry’s annual block party returns this Saturday for a day-long celebration featuring music and dance performances, carnival games, plein air painting, docent-led tours, marketplace vendors, a classic car show, special vehicles hosted by Touch a Truck, and more. Tickets are $19. Runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info here.
Montana Ave Art Walk – FA > On Saturday, the annual Montana Ave Walk transforms 10 blocks of Santa Monica’s Montana Ave. into an art-focused, car-free, community activation featuring 150+ visual artists, live music, workshops by Paint Lab, and a VIP Wine Garden (ticketed). The Art Walk is free and open to the public. Runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. More info here.
Santa Monica Oktoberfest -> On Saturday, Third Street Promenade channels the spirit of Bavarian Oktoberfest with an afternoon of live performances and games for all ages, plus a special drinking zone for those visitors of age. Runs 2 to 7 p.m. More info here.
Saie Airstream Pop-Up in West Hollywood -> Saie’s mobile airstream rolls into West Hollywood this weekend, setting up outside Silver Springs Pilates Studio (8710 Melrose Ave). On Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests can enjoy clean beauty touch-ups by Saie experts, complimentary LA-exclusive matcha lattes made with Rocky’s Matcha, KOATJI, and Táche milk, plus exclusive merch and Rocky’s Matcha tins for sale.
Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival + Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival – M FA TP > Two signature annual events are back at Watts Towers Arts Center this weekend. The Day of the Drum Festival returns on Saturday with a lineup offering Aztec traditional dance and drumming, Korean Classical Music, Indigenous Philippine music, and more. Then on Sunday, the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival is back with a day-long concert spanning traditional jazz alongside soul, hip-hop and gospel performances. Alongside the music, expect curated art exhibitions including Politics, Race & Cartoons by David G. Brown, children’s activities, and food, arts, and crafts vendors Runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m both days. Admission is free. More info here.
Silent Movie Day at The Hammer – FA > The UCLA Film & Television Archive celebrates Silent Movie Day this year at The Hammer with a showing of The Little American (1917), directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The film screening begins at 7 p.m. and is free to attend. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Salsa Jazz Night at Butterfly (September 27) -> Butterfly, the rooftop bar from José Andrés Group, turns up the heat this Saturday with live salsa jazz by Sonido Zini, Latin-inspired cocktails, and rooftop vibes. Sip limited-time creations like the Maracuyá Condesa (passion fruit + vermouth) or the Sabor Amor (mezcal + blood orange), then dive into Butterfly favorites like the Salt-Air Margarita, stone-molcajete guacamole, ceviches, and tacos. Tickets start at $18 (entry + a cocktail), with a $30 seated option that adds a welcome drink and guac for the table. Walk-ins welcome. More info here.
$50 Hokkaido Hairy Crab Special at Sushi Kisen (September 23-27) -> Arcadia’s Sushi Kisen is serving up a rare treat: Hokkaido hairy crab for just $50, available September 23–27 with an app download. Quantities are limited and first come, first served — a steal considering how pricey this delicacy usually is. More info here.
Happy Hour at Let’s Go Disco (Daily) -> Arts District cocktail club Let’s Go Disco keeps the party going with happy hour deals every day until 9 p.m. Sip $12 classics like a negroni, old fashioned, or margarita, or go Italian with a $10 beer-and-amaro combo. Wine pours run $9, and bottles of High Life are just $3. More info here.
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