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Weekend to-dos? We’ve got a few.
This November 21-23 in Los Angeles, you’ll find the debut of the 2025 LA Auto Show, Venice Winter Fest, La Bohème at the LA Opera, the Great Los Angeles Walk, and Stranger Things edition of CicLAvia, the Pasadena Doo Dah Takeover, Venice Winter Fest, and more.
Things To Do This Weekend
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
LA Auto Show – M > Beginning this Friday, get up close with the future of driving at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show, returning to the Los Angeles Convention Center from November 21-30. Expect to explore and compare hundreds of the latest cars, trucks, SUVs, and EVs, all folded into new attractions like the Creator Studio and The Underground for custom car culture, alongside favorites like the Showcase Hall and hands-on experiences like the Camp Jeep and Ford Bronco Built Wild Adventure Courses. Adult tickets start at $18. Get more info here.
World of Japanese Jazz: Afro-Mingei – M > The JACCC and In Sheep’s Clothing team up again this Friday to present the World of Japanese Jazz: Afro-Mingei Listening Party. This 21+ event invites attendees to explore Japanese modal, spiritual, and soul-jazz from the ’70s and beyond, featuring artists like Ryo Fukui, Sadao Watanabe, and Kimiko Kasai. The evening also includes a full-listening premiere of Takuro Okada’s new album, Konoma, which explores the concept of Afro-Mingei. Guests can enjoy the music and Japanese whiskey in the hidden James Irvine Japanese Garden. Tickets are $15. Runs 7 to 10 p.m. More info here.
Ivy Station Night Market: Friendsgiving – M FA > Gather friends and family to celebrate the season of gratitude at the Ivy Station Night Market: Friendsgiving edition this Friday in Culver City. This free event (rescheduled from November 14 due to weather) features shopping from local makers, delicious eats from food trucks and pop-ups like Handsy Pies, and craft beer from Los Angeles Ale Works. Attendees can make a DIY friendship bracelet, contribute to a community gratitude wall, and bring non-perishable items for the fall food drive benefitting Westside Food Bank. Admission and parking are free for this all-ages, pet-friendly market. Runs 5 to 10 p.m. More info here.
Venice Winter Fest – FA > This Saturday, kick off the holiday season by the sea at Venice Winter Fest, a festive block party in Downtown Mar Vista blending retro ski lodge charm with surf-town energy. Enjoy artisan markets, live music, hot cocoa, festive bites, and winter-themed activities for all ages. Snap photos at cozy holiday installations, shop one-of-a-kind gifts from local makers, and soak up the cheerful community spirit by the water. Free to attend. Runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More info here.
LA Opera Presents La Bohème -> Beginning this Saturday, the LA Opera celebrates its 40th Anniversary Season with the return of Herbert Ross’s beloved production of Puccini’s La Bohème, a timeless tale of love, art, and heartbreak in 19th-century Paris. Conducted by Resident Conductor Lina González-Granados, the revival runs for six performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Tickets start at $37.50. More info here.
Great Los Angeles Walk – M FA > The 20th edition of the Great Los Angeles Walk returns this Saturday, inviting participants to join a group 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, walkers just need to show up. People’s Vision Zero will also be holding a crosswalk paint party nearby in Westwood later in the day. The walk begins promptly at 9 a.m. More info here.
Community Holiday Event at The Greek – FA > The world-famous Los Angeles Greek Theatre kicks off community the holiday season on its Front Plaza this Saturday with a free day of family fun, including snow sledding, arts and crafts, music, and pictures with Santa. While admission is free, the organizers will be accepting donations of new and unwrapped toys upon entry, such as markers, Play-Doh, and action figures, to support a local toy drive. The event runs from 3 to 6 p.m. More info here.
Threads of Identity – M FA > The USC Pacific Asia Museum hosts “Threads of Identity,” an evening celebrating the complexities of Filipinx American identity through fashion this Saturday. The free event features a conversation with designers Marybelle Bustos (Bárû Mu) and Puey Quiñones, exploring cultural preservation and fashion as resistance, moderated by Eleanor Lipat-Chesler of Ube Arte Collective. A fashion show of traditional and contemporary attire, including designs from both artists, will follow the discussion. The program runs from 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.
Jackalope Pasadena – M FA > After a rainout postponed the event from last weekend, indie craft market Jackalope returns to Central Park in Old Pasadena this Saturday and Sunday 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.
Annual Moby Dick Reading – FA > This Saturday and Sunday, join the Venice Oceanarium for a beloved Venice Beach tradition, now in its 30th year! From sunrise to sunset, the public is invited to listen or volunteer to read from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. More info here.
‘Netflix x CicLAvia-Melrose Ave: Stranger Things 5 One Last Ride’ – M FA TP > On Sunday, CicLAvia is teaming up with Netflix to turn a 4-mile stretch of Melrose Ave into Hawkins, Indiana for one day only, all to celebrate the final season of Stranger Things. Bike, skate, or stroll the route connecting Fairfax, Larchmont, and East Hollywood while channeling your favorite character or monster with neon, windbreakers, or any totally awesome retro fit. Costumes encouraged! Free and open to the public. Runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info here.
Tastemakers at The Getty -> This Sunday evening, the Getty Center hosts “Tastemakers: Queer Food,” a literary and culinary journey inspired by The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook. The event features select recipes from the iconic text, along with a conversation led by award-winning author John Birdsall. He will explore how food has long been a form of self-expression and community-building in queer and creative circles throughout history. Tickets are required and include appetizers, entrée, and dessert. Starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $75. More info here.
Pasadena Doo Dah Takeover – M FA > This Sunday, instead of the annual Pasadena Doo Dah Parade, catch colorful community celebration called the Doo Dah Takeover, which will bring a day of music and odd ball entertainment to Old Pasadena. The day starts with “Doo Dah’s Big Bang!” at Dog Haus Biergarten, featuring live music from MA the Band and The Rock and Roll Preservation Society, plus the annual Doo Dah Queen Tryouts & Crowning Ceremony. The celebration then moves to The Old Towne Pub for the official 21+ After Party. The main alley festivities run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Burger & Beaujolais Special at Petit Trois (November 20–28) -> Petit Trois is keeping things festive with a limited-time Burger & Beaujolais special, priced at $28 and served with a heaping side of frites. The star is a wagyu patty loaded with American cheese, Nueske’s bacon, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a punchy house sauce, all tucked into a soft Breadbar potato bun. It’s only on the menu for eight days, so snag it while you can.
Woon Matcha Affagato (November 21) -> Pour Sport Coffee is popping up once again at Woon in Historic Filipinotown, serving espresso and matcha affogato on the patio this Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. The treat features 626 Hospitality Group’s sake kasu ice cream plus a mini matcha shortbread cookie for good measure. More info here.
Kato’s Holiday Cellar Sale (November 23) -> Kato is opening its cellar for the holidays once again, offering a chance to shop hundreds of rare and hard-to-find bottles from their exclusive collection. Pastry chef Erica Chan will also be on hand with baked goods for purchase. Swing by this Sunday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
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