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New week, new to-dos. Let’s get right to it.
From July 20-24 in Los Angeles, catch an experimental cabaret at Akbar, World’s Fastest at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Friday Art Night at LAMAG, Moonlight Movies on the Beach at Granada Park, Melons & Mahjong at ROW DTLA, KCRW Summer Nights at MOLAA, and more
Things To Do This Week
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Planet Queer at Akbar -> On Monday Planet Queer celebrates 14 years of experimental space cabaret performances highlighting a variety of queer talent at Akbar in Silver Lake. Tickets cost $10. Show starts at 8 p.m. More info here.
The Village rare Jazz Listenings Party -> In Sheep’s Clothing and Moroccan French bar and restaurant Zizou present Past, Present, Future, a listening party series dedicated to exploring jazz beyond the familiar. This Tuesday, LA-based label The Village takes the reins with a selection of eight albums spanning west coast spiritual jazz from members of the legendary Pan Afrikan Peoples Orchestra, weaving together known favorites, forgotten rarities, and contemporary music into one cohesive evening. Runs 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $17. More info here.
World’s Fastest at the Petersen -> This past weekend the Petersen Automotive Museum welcomed World’s Fastest: A Timeline of Record-Setting Automobiles, a new exhibition exploring humanity’s ongoing pursuit of automotive speed. The display chronicles the evolution of top speed as a hallmark of engineering prestige, tracing the culture of high-performance vehicles from post-WWII sports car popularity to modern record-setting production cars. Entry to the exhibit is included with general museum admission, which starts at $22 for adults. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the exhibition remains on view through August 22. More info here.
Moonlight Movies on the Beach – FA > Long Beach’s signature beachside summer cinema series continues this Tuesday with a screening of Lost Boys at Granada Beach. Movies starts around sunset (8 to 8:30 p.m.). Free to attend, and parking is free after 6 p.m., though spots are limited. More info here.
Shakespeare in the Park – FA > The Independent Shakespeare Co.’s annual Shakespeare in the Park series, held at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park, is now back for the summer. For the first half of the season (through July 26), catch a production of Coriolanus, a gripping political thriller examining power cycles, civilian riots, and the deep divide between the wealthy and the working class. Performances run every Wednesday to Sunday beginning at 7 p.m. Get more info and register to attend for free here.
Santa Monica State of the City – FA > This Thursday, State of the City 2026 brings the Santa Monica community together for an open streets celebration featuring music, DJs, poetry, giveaways, and more. It all takes place on Main Street between Hollister Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard and at the Ocean Park Branch Library. Runs 4 to 7 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
Sunset Concerts at the Skirball – FA > The Skirball Cultural Center’s annual Sunset Concerts series continues this Thursday with another pair of jazzy performances by Terrace Martin and Brandee Younger. For each event, doors open at 6 p.m., with performances at 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Free to attend, but parking is paid. Get all the details and see the full lineup of performers here.
Melons & Mahjong -> Head to ROW DTLA this Thursday as the LA Mahjong League and Weiser Family Farms co-present Melons & Mahjong, an interactive game night. Attendees can participate in a seasonal melon tasting paired with drinks while engaging in 16-tile Taiwanese Mahjong sessions tailored for beginners, intermediate players with tutors, or experienced players in open-play tables where winners take home fresh melons. Tickets start at $35, with $50 option details provided. Sessions run from 4:30 to 6 p.m., then 6:30 to 8 p.,m. More info here.
KCRW Summer Nights at MOLAA – FA TP > KCRW Summer Nights pops up at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach this Friday, offering a free, all-ages outdoor party. Attendees can dance under the stars to DJ sets from KCRW’s Tyler Boudreaux and Wyldeflower while exploring the museum’s modern and contemporary exhibitions. The evening includes access to food trucks, a full bar, and the open-air courtyard. Admission is free. Parking is $10. Runs 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.
Friday Art Night at LAMAG – FA > This Friday, head to Barnsdall Art Park for a Papier-Mâché Mask Making Workshop hosted at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, and co-presented b Heavy Manners Library. The all-ages community activity covers brief papier-mâché history alongside hands-on construction techniques to build custom masks, which can then be taken home to dry and paint. Admission is free. Runs 5 to 8 p.m. More info here.
Jazz at LACMA – M FA > LACMA’s Friday Night Jazz series continues this week witha free outdoor Friday evening concert series continues this week with a performance by the David Ornette Cherry Heritage Ensemble. Led by bassist Ollie “Basie-O” Elder, the group honors the multi-instrumentalist, composer, and poet’s legacy by blending jazz traditions with classical and global world music elements. On-site food trucks include Fresh Pizza on Wheels and Kreung Kitchen. The concert is free to attend, and museum admission is also free after 3 p.m. for L.A. County residents. Music kicks off at 6 p.m.. More info here.
The Music Center’s Dance DTLA – M FA -> Free evening dance parties continue at The Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza every Friday through August 8. At Dance DTLA, instructors will be on hand to teach guests easy-to-follow steps, allowing everyone to get into the groove right from the jump. This week features an evening of Disco with instructor Andy Vaca and music by DJ Dirty Dave. The event is always free to attend, and always all-ages. Start at 7 p.m. More info here.
Family Movie Nights at Stoner Park – FA > The West LA Sawtelle Neighborhood Council is programming free family movie nights at Stoner Park on Fridays throughout the summer. This week, catch a screening of Coco beginning at 8 p.m. Free to attend. Get more info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Le Burger & Burgundy at Camphor (July 22) -> Camphor’s Le Burger just landed at No. 15 on the 101 World’s Best Burgers list, and the Arts District French restaurant is marking the milestone with a special Wednesday menu. For $38, guests get Le Burger, pomme frites, and a house salad, with glasses of Burgundy, a cherry and chocolate milkshake, and desserts available to add on. Reservations on Resy.
Little Dom’s x WONDERWERK Wine Events (July 22 & 24) -> Little Dom’s and California natural wine label WONDERWERK are teaming up for two evenings of wine, food, and community in Los Feliz. On Wednesday July 22, WONDERWERK pours happy hour wines from the Big Juicy line at $10 a glass from 5 to 7 p.m., while Little Dom’s rolls out a special seafood menu from central coast sister restaurant Little Dom’s Seafood through close. Expect smoked fish rillettes, cold smoked salmon, tuna carpaccio, albacore pastrami, and wood oven-roasted fish alongside the regular menu. Friday July 24 brings Disco Vino, an unofficial after-party following WONDERWERK’s Barnsdall Park event. From 9 to 11 p.m., the Little Dom’s deli transforms into a vinyl-only dance floor with DJ Chelsea Dean spinning house, funk, and disco. Buy a WONDERWERK branded glass for $25 and enjoy free-flowing California wine all night. More info here.
Wildcrust Happy Hour (Wednesdays) -> Highland Park’s Wildcrust rolls out a Wednesday happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. with four wood-fired pizzas on the discounted menu alongside popular sides like meatballs and caesar salad, plus beer and wine. A solid midweek excuse to eat pizza. More info here.
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