Things To Do

Things To Do This Mother’s Day Weekend in L.A. [5-12-2023 to 5-14-2023]

May 11, 2023 by Brian Champlin and Christina Champlin
Opera at the Beach. Photo via LA Opera

Kites, brunches, dance, drag, opera, and… Game of Thrones? Sounds like mom is in store for a heck of a weekend.

For May 12-14 in Los Angeles, you’ll find Community & Unity People’s Kite Festival at L.A. State Historic Park, a vinyl record fair at The Music Center, RuPaul’s DragCon at the Convention Center, a Games of Thrones Live Concert at The Bowl, LA Opera on the Beach in Santa Monica, Concerts in the Dome at Mount Wilson, Grand Views at Forest Lawn Museum, and MUCH more. Happy Mother’s Day, ya’ll!

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Your Weekend With Metro

We begin our guide every Thursday with a few Metro-accessible to-dos pulled straight from our weekly collab with L.A. Metro. Want to ditch the traffic and the parking costs this weekend? Start here.

Cosmogony: A Live Digital Performance -> This Friday, The Music Center’s Digital Innovation Initiative presents Cosmogony, a mind-altering digital dance performance broadcasted from Geneva, straight to the screens of Jerry Moss Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles. Swiss dancers transform into avatars (tethered by motion capture cameras) creating an original dance piece in real time accompanied by music from rock band Tar Pond. The 30-minute performance will be shown on Jerry Moss Plaza’s two 12’ x 20’ LED screens, and there will be four performance dates in total: May 12 plus June 3, 10 and 17. All events begin at 7 p.m. Free to attend, standing room only. More info here.

GO METRO: Take the B or D Lines to Grand Park / Civic Center station


3rd Annual Community & Unity People’s Kite Festival -> Head to Los Angeles State Historic Park on Saturday for the 3rd Annual Community & Unity People’s Kite Festival. Hosted by Clockshop, expect demos from kite masters, special workshops, curated snacks for purchase, and tons of colorful kites sailing through the sky. Free to attend, and donations welcome. Runs 2 to 6 p.m. More info here.

GO METRO: Take the L Line to Chinatown station


Free Admission at UPAM -> The USC Pacific Asia Museum is offering free admission everyday in May to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month. In addition to UPAM’s courtyard and permanent collections, guests can peruse their newest exhibition Global Asias, which features contemporary works from over a dozen artists of Asian heritage. Plus, on Mother’s Day (May 14) the museum offers a free ikebana flower arranging workshop (RSVP required). Remember the museum is open on Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info here.

GO METRO: Take the L Line to Memorial Park station

More Things To Do This Weekend

M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick


Don’t Tell My Mother: Mama Drama ShowM > Just in time for Mother’s Day, catch an evening of comedy where performers spill the beans on real-life drama they would never share with mama (so hopefully she’s not attending). This Friday, Nikki Levy hosts a lineup that includes Heather Dubrow (Real Housewives of Orange County), Isabella Gomez (One Day At A Time), Judy Carter (The Comedy Bible), and Jared Goldstein (The Unicorn). GA tickets are $20. Show starts at 7 p.m. More info here.

Silent Disco on The PromenadeM FA > Downtown Santa Monica has been hosting a free Silent Disco on Third Street Promenade once a month during the spring, and the series is set to wrap up this Friday. An onsite DJ will curate a trio of channels, with headsets available to guests on a first-come, first-serve basis. Program runs from 6 to 9 p.m. More info here.

Jazz at LACMAFA TP > This Friday, Catch a live jazz performance at LACMA’s Smidt Welcome Plaza by the Daniel Rotem Quartet. Concerts runs 6 to 8 p.m. Free to attend, but seating is first-come, first-serve. More info here.

Live Band KaraokeFA > This Friday, Casual Encounters brings their brand of live Karaoke to Benny Boy Brewing, offering brave crooners the chance to belt out a selection of over 300 tunes in-front of the beer garden. Quarantine Pizza and Good Mexican Girl will be on hand selling bites for purchase. No cover. Starts at 7 p.m. More info here.

North Hollywood Handmade Makers MarketM FA > The Afterglow Makers Market returns to Lawless Brewery this Friday with a lineup of over 20 local artists and creative vendors offering vintage clothing, artwork, jewelry, pottery, and more. Free to attend. Runs 5 to 10 p.m. More info here.

Blue13 Dance at The Wallis -> This Friday and Saturday, the acclaimed Blue13 Dance Company returns to The Wallis with a performance of five Bollywood-inspired works by Artistic Director and choreographer Achinta S. McDaniel, including one world premiere. Tickets start at $29, and performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on both evenings. More info here.

RuPaul’s DragConM TP > This Friday and Saturday, Expect two days of all things drag via a series of panels, photo ops, meet-and-greets, shopping, performances, an after hours party, plus plenty of face time from the stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Single day tickets range from $50 to $70. More info here.

Free LA Opera at the Beach / On the Lawn FA > This Saturday, catch a free operatic performance of Othello under the stars as the L.A. Opera simulcasts a show at two outdoor locations: on the beach at the Santa Monica Pier and on the lawn at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Both spots will offer pre-show arts and crafts activities for kids along with bites available for purchase from on-site food trucks. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and the performance begins at 7:30. More info here.

On The Record: Vinyl FairM FA > On Saturday, On The Record: Vinyl Fair brings a one-day celebration of all things vinyl to The Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza, including DJs, workshops, and performances along with a marketplace of vinyl vendors curated by Beat Swap Meet and In Sheep’s Clothing Records. Free to attend. Runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info here.

National Dog Moms Day Event at Wags & Walks -> Wags and Walks adoption center in West LA is celebrating dog moms this Saturday with a day of yoga and pampering. Bring your pup in for complimentary manicures (nail trims for pups and manicures for mom), doggy caricatures, a mommy-and-me photoshoot, light bites and a juice bar. Classes are held at 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Tickets cost $45 per person and all proceeds will benefit homeless dogs across Los Angeles and beyond. More info here.

16th Annual Day of Black DocsM > On Saturday the Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers (BADWest) presents “Day of Black Docs” a screening event at AFI, showcasing four documentaries about the Black experience made by Black creatives. The screenings will also include Q&As with the filmmakers moderated by critic Tim Cogshell. Tickets start at $15. More info here.  

Game of Thrones Live Concert ExperienceTP >  Emmy Award-Winning composer Ramin Djawadi returns to The Hollywood Bowl this Saturday with a special encore performance of the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience. The immersive live show features Ramin conducting The Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra as they perform some of his most iconic melodies from the show. Tickets start at $29.50. More info here.

Grand Views at Forest LawnFA > This Saturday, Forest Lawn Museum hosts an opening reception for their newest exhibit, Grand Views: The Immersive World of Panoramas, which explores the history of panoramas through an array of artworks and artifacts, including never-before-seen paintings, prints and posters dating to the 19th century, archival photographs, and more. Forest Lawn Museum is free to visit Tuesday to Sunday. Grand Views remains on view through September 10. More info here.

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Vine & Vinyl on the RoofM > After a sold-out first event, Vine & Vinyl on the Roof is back this Saturday with another evening of wine tasting and L.A.-inspired cars to the rooftop of Grand Central Market. Expect a lineup of retro cars curated by Caffeine & Classics, vinyl records spun by Que Madrein, and tasting pours from Good Boy, Jumbo Time, Wonderwerk, and more. Tickets are $25 if you purchase by May 13, or $40 at the door. Runs 6 to 9 p.m. More info here.

Bob Baker Theater at ESMoAFA TP > Puppets and puppeteers from the Bob Baker Marionette Theater stop by the El Segundo Museum of Art this Saturday for a special live performance inside the gallery space. The 1-hour performance begins at 3 p.m. Admission is free. More info here.

Just Like Heaven -> Just Like Heaven returns to Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday with a line up that includes Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, Azealia Banks, Future Islands, Empire of the Sun, M83, Hot Chip, Caribou, The Walkmen and other acts. Tickets start at $189. Doors open at noon. More info here.

SeltzerlandM > If sparkling beverages are your thing you’ll want to grab tickets for Seltzerland happening at Downtown LA’s Grand Park on Saturday. Sip your way through dozens of brands, enjoy some games and bites with plenty of photo-op moments and seltzer swag in-between. Tickets start at $49. More info here.

A Current Affair -> The pop-up vintage marketplace with a highly curated list of vendors from all over the state is taking over the Cooper Design Space in DTLA this Saturday and Sunday for a multi-decade shopping experience. Runs noon to 6 p.m. both days. GA tickets start at $15. More info here.

Sunday Funday at The WallisFA > The May edition of Sunday Funday at The Wallis features a kid-friendly performance by Mostly Kosher followed by a Vogue dance lesson from the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Free to attend. More info here.

Concerts in The Dome – TP > Mount Wilson Observatory launches the 2023 season of its classical and jazz concert series this Sunday, a special monthly event hosted inside the historic 100-inch telescope dome where the acoustics are said to be some of the finest in the world. The Lounge Art Ensemble will perform this Sunday and there will be two separately ticketed sets; one at 3 p.m. and the other at 5 p.m. An artists reception bridges the shows at 4 p.m. Tickets are $55. The series takes place once a month from May through October. More info here

626 Night Market MiniM FA > 626 Night Market returns to Downtown Santa Monica this Saturday and Sunday with the “mini” version of their popular Asian-fusion food market. The open-air food event includes over two dozen vendors offering an array of dishes and an alcohol garden for attendees 21 years and older. The market is free to attend (though capacity is limited). Starts at 1 p.m. on both days. More info here.

Dining & Drinking

Ceviche-Bomba-Sendero
Ceviche Bomba at Sendero The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles. Photo by Katrina Frederick.

Brunch at Sendero The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles -> Treat mom to beautiful views, unlimited mimosas and Chef Kevin Luzande’s Pan American inspired buffet. Highlights include a Seven Seas Raw Bar, stations dedicated to ceviche, charcuterie, and a carving station featuring prime rib, rack of lamb, and a whole roasted pig “lechon” with Nixtamal tortillas, and more. Guests can end the experience with a visit to the sweets display filled with chocolate truffles, pops, bark, tres leches, arroz con leche, alfajores and a live action station for churros and raspadas. It’s a family affair at Sendero, a dedicated section for kid-friendly foods will also be set up for the pickiest of eaters. Sunday brunch takes place May 14 from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m. for $165 per person; $45 per child 6 – 11 years; children under 6 are free. Reservations will be available on Tock.

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Mother’s Day Brunch at Pizzana Silver Lake -> For Mother’s Day, master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi debuts a special brunch menu at Pizzana’s newest location in Silver Lake. This Sunday diners can enjoy brunch classics with Italian flare such as a Porchetta Breakfast Sandwich, Crespelle (farro crepe with whipped ricotta, candied pistachio and blueberry) and Pizza A Colazione a white pizza made with leek, crispy potato, fried egg and toasted black pepper. Pizzana’s a la carte menu will also be available during brunch (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) Reservations are available on Resy.

Mother’s Day Big Bake Sale at Ghia House -> Non-alcoholic apéritif brand Ghia is hosting a Big Bake Sale at Ghia House this Mother’s Day, benefitting Downtown Women’s Center. Expect baked goods from Botanica, Kismet, Clark Street Bread and much more. All proceeds go to the Downtown Women’s Shelter. Admission cost $45 and come with a Ghia branded tin plus five tickets to secure baked goods of your choice. Additional treats can also be purchased at the event, including whole cakes and pies. More info here

Soulmate Mother’s Day Party Brunch -> On Sunday, West Hollywood’s Soulmate is throwing a Mother’s Day Party Brunch that includes a three-course meal alongside a live DJ and tropical bottomless mimosas. Brunch costs $70 a person and will feature family-style starters such as Berries & Cream and Croquetas de Pollo, the choice of one main dish like a Pork Belly Benedict to Lobster BLT. An assortment of Spanish sweets and pastries end the entire meal.  Reservations for brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. can be made on OpenTable.  

Sweet Lady Jane x Martriarch Cake and Flower Bundle -> Sweet Lady Jane has teamed up with L.A.-based florist Martriarch for a Mother’s Day bundle. The deal includes Sweet Lady Jane’s iconic Triple Berry Cake made with vanilla sponge cake layered with cream frosting with fresh berries ($72) and a beautiful bouquet from Matriarch ($40.) Orders can be made online to be picked up at all Sweet Lady Jane stores in Los Angeles.


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