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What’s a in a November in Los Angeles? Glad you asked.
On the calendar for this month in L.A. you’ll find the Self Help Graphics Día de los Muertos, Fall Brewery Artwalk, a new exhibition at The Wende, the LA NDN Flea at The Broad, the Great Los Angeles Walk, Autumn Festival at The Aquarium, Jackalope Pasadena, Inglewood Open Studios, the Hollywood Christmas Parade, and more.
Things To Do This November
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
The 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Bash (November 1) – FA > If you still need to get rid of your days-old jack-o-lanterns and want to make sure it gets composted correctly, why not make a party? Swing over to Pan Pacific Park on Sunday, November 1 for the 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Bash where you’ll find a host of gardening workshops and demos, a costume parade, giveaways, bites from local faves, and of course a Pumpkin Smash Zone. Runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
24th Annual Encuentro de Jaraneros (November 1) – M FA >Celebrate the rich folk traditions of Veracruz at the 24th Annual Encuentro de Jaraneros at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes on November 1. This annual festival unites Jarocho musicians and dancers from communities across California for a full day of performances, workshops, and shared celebration. Starts at noon. Free to attend. More info here.
Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest & Pawrade (November 1) – FA > Runway Playa Vista hosts the 7th Annual Pawestruck! Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest & Pawrade, inviting dogs and their owners for a festive day of pet vendors, spooky photo ops, and a costume contest benefiting Wags & Walks, with cash prizes up to $700. General admission is free. Runs noon to 3 p.m. More info here.
24th Street Theatre Día de los Muertos (November 2) – FA > 24th Street Theatre’s Día de los Muertos Festival is baa the annual event draws thousands of guests, offering an evening of live performances, food vendors, artisan booths, altars, art installations, and a cemetery of remembrance. Runs 6 to 10 p.m., and free to attend. More info here.
NatGeo Live at BroadStage (November 5) -> National Geographic Explorer and disease ecologist Sarah Knutie comes to BroadStage Santa Monica to share groundbreaking field science and close encounters with giant tortoises, hammerhead sharks, and Darwin’s finches during National Geographic Live: Discovering the Galápagos. Program begins at 7:30 PM. Tickets start at $60. More info here.
Renegade Craft (November 7-8) – FA > Renegade Craft market once again pops up for a day-two affair at the Santa Monica Airport open space featuring over 275 craft designers, artists, and creative vendors. Free to attend. More info here.
See NOW Festival (November 5–21) -> REDCAT’s annual NOW Festival returns for its 2025 edition, spotlighting nine bold new works in dance, theater, and music from Los Angeles artists. Over three weeks, the festival brings together timely, risk-taking performances exploring themes from immigration to mental health through opera, movement, clowning, and more. Each weekend features three artists sharing the stage Thursday to Saturday at 8 p.m., with Saturday shows livestreamed. A full festival pass to see all nine works costs $50. More info here.
Fall Brewery Artwalk (November 7-8) -> The Brewery Artwalk opens the historic Brewery Arts Complex for a rare, direct look inside the working studios of more than 100 resident artists, including Andre Miripolsky, Charles Swenson, Jane Szabo, Richard Ankrom, and Christopher Ulrich. Admission is $5 covering both days, free for ages 17 and under and local zip codes (90031, 90033, 90023) with ID, with free parking onsite. Runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.,m. both days. More info here.
Wende Museum Fall Exhibition Opening (November 7) – FA > hosts the opening of Competing Cosmologies: Interpreting the Sky, exploring how space exploration during and after the Cold War inspired international visual artists through historical artifacts, Sputnik-1 models, and contemporary works. Admission is free. Opening event runs noon to 5 p.m. More info here.
Self Help Graphics Día de los Muertos (November 7) – FA > Self Help Graphics & Art presents its 53rd Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration as a block party outside its Boyle Heights facility, featuring live music, community altars, hands-on workshops, a storytelling stage, and a local Muertos Market. Highlights include a 2:00 PM procession starting from Mariachi Plaza led by Grupo Chicomecoatl, along with mainstage performances by Grammy Award winners Los Lobos and La Santa Cecilia. Admission is free. Runs 3 to 10 p.m. More info here.
LA NDN Flea (November 7-8) – FA > The Broad hosts the LA NDN Flea in collaboration with The Chapter House, celebrating National Native American History Month with a vibrant Indigenous makers’ market. Visitors can shop for handcrafted goods, jewelry, apparel, and original artwork, participate in a Jeffrey Gibson–inspired Family Weekend Workshop, receive a free limited-run poster, and enjoy live DJ sets and food vendors. Admission is free. Starts at 10 a.m. both days. More info here.
It’s Alive Marketplace at Common Space (November 8) – FA > It’s Alive Marketplace, the ultimate Horror Market featuring 100% Vegan eats, pops up at Common Space Brewery with 35+ vendors selling spooky shopping, horror collectibles, morbid art, and creepy cosmetics. Enjoy dark tunes from DJs and delicious plant-based food from vendors like The Frankenstand and Vegan Jam Taqueria. FREE entry, all ages, and dog friendly! Costumes and cosplay are strongly encouraged. Runs noon to 5 p.m. More info here.
Pershing Square Holiday Ice (November 12 – January 3, 2027) – M > The 7,200 square foot skating rink in the heart of DTLA returns for the holiday season. GA tickets, including skate rental, cost $23.32 for adults. More info here.
2026 Japanese Food Expo in LA (November 13-14) – > The 2026 Japanese Food Expo returns to Ovation Hollywood with food tastings, sake and beer samplings, cultural performances, and hands-on workshops across two days. Attendees can sample over 100 varieties of Japanese cuisine, enjoy live tuna cutting and calligraphy demonstrations, and participate in specialized bento or food sample workshops. Tickets are $50 for adults 21 and older, $35 for ages 11–20, $25 for ages 6–10, and free for children 5 and under. More info here.
Canto de Todes: A Performance and Conversation with Dorian Wood (November 14) – FA > Vocalist and artist Dorian Wood brings Canto de Todes to the Harold M. Williams Auditorium at the Getty Center. The 70-minute performance weaves chamber classical, folk, torch songs, and experimental music together with a cello quartet, guitar, and projections, followed by a conversation with Dr. Laura Gutiérrez. Admission is free with reservation. Program starts at 6:30 p.m. More info here.
Jackalope Pasadena (November 14-15) – M FA > Indie craft market Jackalope returns to Central Park in Old Pasadena for a two-day, pop-up marketplace with over 200 local, hand-selected artisans. Free to attend. Runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. More info here.
Inglewood Open Studios (November 14-15) – FA >The Inglewood Open Studios Art Walk offers a self-guided tour of private workspaces, galleries, and cultural organizations showcasing drawing, painting, sculpture, and performance across Inglewood. Admission is free. Runs noon to 5 p.m. both days. And there’s a free shuttle too! More info here.
CicLAvia Pasadena (November 15) – M FA > L.A.’s biggest open streets event comes to Pasadena this November, temporarily closing streets to vehicle traffic to connect nearly three miles of open asphalt along Colorado Blvd. Expect multiple community hubs plus plenty of room to walk/run/skate/cycle to your heart’s content. Admission is free. Runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info here.
Jazz at CAAM (November 19) – M FA > The California African American Museum presents Jazz at CAAM, featuring acclaimed trumpeter Keyon Harrold performing a moving tribute to jazz legend Miles Davis in honor of his centennial birthday year. Admission is free. Program starts at 7 p.m. More info here.
11th Annual Tree Lighting at Union Station (November 19) – M FA > Los Angeles Union Station kicks off the holiday season with its 11th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in the historic Ticket Concourse, hosted by pop-culture historian Charles Phoenix. The family-friendly evening features live musical performances by Mariachi Ausente and Lizzy & the Triggermen, roaming stilt walkers in festive costumes, sweet treats, and photo opportunities with Santa and special guests from the North Pole. Admission is free. Runs 6 to 8 p.m. More info here.
L.A. Zoo Lights ( November 20 – January 10, 2027) -> The Los Angeles Zoo’s brightest annual tradition will transform the zoo grounds into a world of light and holiday magic. The after-hours event offers brightly lit displays and festive family-friendly experience every night throughout the entire holiday season. Adult tickets start at $25, depending on the desired date to attend. More info here.
LA Auto Show (November 20-29) – M > The Los Angeles Auto Show returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center for its 10-day automotive festival, featuring 2027 vehicle debuts, concept cars, test drives, and custom builds alongside an art exhibit from the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, gaming demos, and pet adoptions. Single-day tickets are $25 for adults, $13 for seniors and children ages 6 to 12, and free for children under 6. Get more info here.
Great Los Angeles Walk ( November 21) M FA – The 20th edition of the Great Los Angeles Walk returns on November 21. Participants are invited to join the walk across the entire length of Wilshire Boulevard, from Pershing Square to the beach. To join the annual event, which always occurs the Saturday before Thanksgiving and no registration is required. IThe walk begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. More info here.
Best Friends Super Adoption (November 21-22) – FA > Best Friends’ annual mega adoption event returns to the Rose Bowl Stadium, bringing together hundreds of adoptable pets from local rescues and shelters. Expect a lively weekend filled with vendors, interactive activities, music, giveaways, and great food—plus plenty of furry friends waiting for their forever homes. RSVP for a free Best Friends tote bag. More info here.
Autumn Festival at The Aquarium (November 21-22) – M > This annual two-day event at The Aquarium of the Pacific celebrates Asian culture through traditional craft demonstrations, music, dance, cultural arts exhibits, and storytelling. Festival activities are included with general admission to the Aquarium, which starts at $49.95 for adults. Get more info here.
The Doo Dah Love-In (November 22) – M FA > Instead of the annual Pasadena Doo Dah Parade, this November the Pasadena Doo Dah crew hosts The Doo Dah Love-In, a free, family-friendly afternoon of live music and creative expression at the historic Memorial Park Bandshell in Old Pasadena. The event features headliner Spaghetti Cumbia alongside an eclectic lineup of local acts, colorful characters, and appearances by past and present Doo Dah royalty. Admission is free. Programming runs from 11 a.m. to sunset. More info here.
Enchanted Forest of Light (Starting November 22) -> Descanso Gardens celebrates the 10th anniversary of Enchanted Forest of Light, transforming the grounds with interactive light displays, a new laser show with a “snowfall” finale, and luminous installations including Giant Koi honoring the Japanese Garden’s 60th anniversary. Tickets range from for non-member adults and $19 to $37 for children. November 22, 2026, through January 9, 2027. Timed entry starts at 5:30 p.m. on open dates. Adult, non-member tickets range from $29 to $52. More info here.
Hollywood Christmas Parade (November 29) – M FA > Get ready for the start of the holiday season with the 94rd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade. The dazzling, U-shaped parade starts on Hollywood Blvd. at Orange Drive, travels east to Vine, then down to Sunset Blvd. and back. To avoid heavy traffic and road closures, take the Metro Red Line directly to the Hollywood/Vine or Hollywood/Highland stations, which put you right on the route. Parade starts at 6 p.m. More info here.
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