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Spring is wrapping up, summer is revving up, and some of the finest event series in the city are on deck… starting this weekend.
From May 29-31 in Los Angeles, catch a Late Night at the Skirball, Barnsdall Friday Wine Nights, Off the 405 at the Getty, Museums of the Arroyo Day, The Magic Flute at the LA Opera, Debs Park Community Movie Night, Books & Booze in North Hollywood, MONSTERPALOOZA in Pasadena, and more.
Things To Do This Weekend
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Barnsdall Friday Wine Nights – M > Friday night wine tasting events are back at the Barnsdall Art Park West Lawn starting May 29. Now in its 17th season tickets cost $45 and get you a flight of wines curated by Silverlake Wine, plus access to a rotation of food trucks, all supported by tunes from local DJs and sweet sunset views of the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory. The series continues every Friday through throughout the summer, and all proceeds benefit the Barnsdall Art Foundation. Ticketes range from $35-$90. Events start at 5:30 p.m. More info here.
Late Night! Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos – TP > This Friday, celebrate the launch of the Skirball Cultural Center’s newest exhibition, Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos: Punk Culture 1976–86 with an after-hours celebration featuring a live DJ set by Black Flag frontman Keith Morris, hands-on screen printing and leather workshops, and a record store pop-up from Cretin Hop. The night concludes with an outdoor screening of the 1984 cult classic Repo Man, introduced by Morris and co-star Zander Schloss. General admission tickets cost $25, while museum members enter for free. Runs 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.
Mahjong + Men & Beasts at Angelino Wine – TP > This Friday, Angelino Wine hosts a mahjong night with wine and vegan Chinese food from 5 to 8 p.m. Janet Li leads guests through a lesson and guided play while Men & Beasts serves up bao buns, Szechuan elote, vegan pork belly skewers, and more. Tickets are $25 and include a glass of wine, with $11 pours available all evening. More info here.
Movie Night at Ovation Hollywood -> Kick off your weekend under the stars this Friday as the Ovation Hollywood courtyard transforms into an open-air cinema for its monthly summer film series. This screening of the sports comedy-drama Bend It Like Beckham begins with a pre-show festival featuring live sets by Sound Nation DJ, a dance performance by LA BOLLYWOOD, and henna art. Guests checking in will receive a complimentary blanket along with a TCL Chinese Theatre voucher valid for one free small popcorn and 25% off additional concession items. Events starts at 5 p.m. More info here.
Debs Park Community Movie Night – FA > Celebrate biodiversity with a special movie night at the Audubon Center at Debs Park this Friday. The programming features a screening of Pixar’s animated classic A Bug’s Life, plus pre-show activities including a hands-on soil exploration with LA Compost, microscope discovery with FoodED, and native plant adoptions with Aini California. Guests can also participate in a raffle for nature apparel and a milkweed planting workshop. Pack your own blankets and camp chairs to set up on the courtyard lawn. Starts at 6 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
UCLA Festival of Preservation – FA > Unlocking the vaults of cinematic history, the UCLA Film & Television Archive returns to the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum for its 22nd biennial showcase. This three-day event (Friday to Sunday) features 45 meticulously restored works brought back to life, ranging from silent-era masterpieces and mid-century noir to television rarities preserved from rare kinescopes. Audiences can look forward to world premieres of unseen footage and post-screening discussions with preservationists and filmmakers. All free to attend! Get more info and see the full schedule here.
MONSTERPALOOZA – M > Unleash your inner creature as Monsterpalooza stomps into the Pasadena Convention Center this Friday to Sunday, taking over 100,000 square feet with a massive celebration of horror, science fiction, and fantasy filmmaking magic. This internationally acclaimed convention brings together over 450 specialized exhibitors, industry-leading special effects studios, and legendary monster makers. Attendees can explore a dedicated horror museum featuring screen-used props, witness live special effects makeup demonstrations, and attend exclusive panels featuring film directors and actors. Single day tickets start at $43.91. More info here.
The Magic Flute – TP > Experience the intersection of classical music and vintage animation as LA Opera presents Mozart’s masterpiece, The Magic Flute, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. This production by Komische Oper Berlin features interactive, large-scale projected animations inspired by 1920s silent cinema. The staging follows Prince Tamino and his lovable sidekick Papageno on an enchanted quest to rescue Princess Pamina from the plotting Queen of the Night. Conducted by James Conlon in his final performances as Music Director, the opera stars Miles Mykkanen, Sydney Mancasola, and Aigul Khismatullina. Performances begin May 30 (this Saturday), and will continue through June 21. Tickets start as low as $49 plus fees. More info here.
Tia Chucha’s Celebrating Words Art and Literacy Festival – FA > Fuel your creativity and community spirit at the 21st annual Celebrating Words Festival, hosted this Saturday by Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore inside the Global Green Generation campus in Pacoima. This free event centers on artistic exploration and literacy, featuring a massive book giveaway of 1,000 brand-new titles for all ages in English, Spanish, and bilingual editions. The afternoon includes live musical and dance performances, an indie marketplace with dozens of local creators, and an extensive lineup of hands-on arts, crafts, and tech workshops. Event runs 3 to 7 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
Off the 405: aja monet – FA > The Getty’s annual Off the 405 concert series kicks off for 2026 this Saturday with a performance by the surrealist blues poet and storyteller aja monet. Known for her Grammy-nominated debut, monet blends jazz rhythms with urgent, lyrical precision. This performance arrives just days after her Carnegie Hall debut and features new music co-produced by Me’shell Ndegeocello, reflecting on contemporary Los Angeles through an Afropunk-tinged lens. Event opens at 6 p.m. Tickets are free, but there is a fee for parking. More info here.
Latin Sounds at LACMA – M FA > On Saturday, Latin Sounds continues at LACMA with another evening, outdoor concert at Hancock Park (adjacent to the museum campus). The series brings world-renowned artists performing everything from Indigenous music to sounds from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, and Los Angeles. This week, catch a performance by L.A.-based Cuban Band SitaraSon. Free to attend. Runs 5 to 7 p.m. More info here.
Books & Booze – FA > This Saturday, Idle Hour and The Last Bookstore Studio City are partnering up hosts another edition of Books & Booze, billed as the “grown-up scholastic book fair of your dreams.” Browse crates of used books and unique goods from featured creators like Velvet Dames, Crimson Hour Stationery, Upcycled Enchantments, and Siren & Swan. There will also be school lunch-themed food and cocktail menu alongside a free door prize raffle. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis, and we definitely expect a line. Runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info here.
Downtown Burbank Summer Arts Festival – FA > This Saturday and Sunday, the Downtown Burbank Arts Festival is back with a massive vendor marketplace curated by Jackalope Arts. The two-day event features 170+ indie sellers offering curated goods include original fashion and jewelry design, paper goods, innovative home decor and housewares, art, photography, food, and more. Free to attend. Runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. More info here.
The Art of Home Quince Pop-Up -> Quince is taking over the Sunset Tower Hotel’s private venue space this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the result looks like Pinterest come to life. Expect beautifully styled rooms showcasing the Signature Furniture Collection, an on-site shop stocked with linen bedding, cashmere throws, and candles, plus complimentary bites and drinks from Leora, Alfred Coffee, and Fleur et Sel. Free to attend. More info here.
Museums of the Arroyo Day – M FA > Five museums and historic homes along the Arroyo Seco offer free admission for the annual Museums of The Arroyo Day, back for 2026 this Sunday. Participants include The Gamble House, Heritage Square, the L.A. Police Museum, the Lummis Home, and the Pasadena Museum of History. Runs noon to 4 p.m. More info here.
Biggest Little Zine Fair – FA > On Sunday, dive into the global DIY publishing scene at the Biggest Little Zine Fair (BLZF), hosted outdoors at Recreational Coffee in Long Beach. This marketplace features over 300 unique, handmade titles sourced from independent creators worldwide. All tables are staffed directly by the BLZF team, allowing attendees to seamlessly browse and buy small-press booklets covering art, poetry, personal histories, and niche subcultures. Alongside the marketplace, the event features a communal maker space fully stocked with free materials for visitors to sit down, design, and assemble their own zines on the spot. Runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Salt & Straw Chef Series (May 29 – June 25) -> Salt & Straw taps some of the country’s most celebrated chefs for a five-flavor limited-edition series, available at local scoop shops and via nationwide shipping. Head ice cream maker Tyler Malek collaborated with each chef to translate their signature styles into a scoop. A few highlights include Hong Kong Milk Tea with Toasted White Chocolate from LA’s own Mei Lin of Daybird and 88 Club, Chocolate Caramel Smoked Budino from Miami’s Alex Meyer and Luciana Giangrandi of Michelin-starred Boia De and Walrus Rodeo, and Starling Sweet Potato Buckwheat Crumble from Dan Barber of the iconic Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
Florentine Steak Dinner Series at All’Antico Vinaio (May 29) -> Italy’s beloved sandwich destination All’Antico Vinaio steps beyond the schiacciata with Florence Underground, a three-month dinner series at their Santa Monica location centered around bistecca alla Fiorentina. For $160 per pair, the meal opens with cured meats, cheeses, and house-made schiacciata bread before the main event: a massively thick T-bone seasoned only with salt and olive oil, served slightly before medium-rare with classic sides family-style. Olive oil cake and crema close it out. With only 30 spots per dinner and just three dates, May 29, June 26, and July 30. Reservations via Toast are worth securing early.
Coming up…
Agnes Celebrates Five Years with a Month of Collaborative Dinners (June) -> Pasadena’s Agnes rings in its fifth birthday with a full month of collaborative chef dinners. The series kicks off June 1 with a ticketed cocktail party featuring chef Teresa Montaño of Otoño alongside Lydia Clarke and Reed Herrick of the now-closed DTLA Cheese Superette and Kippered, with passed appetizers and stations serving paella, tapas, tinned fish, artisanal cheese, tray-passed bites and more. The rest of June brings an LA Farm Dinner with Andrew Holladay of Lula Cafe and Duyen Ha of BONDLE Wines, a Thai Night with Cathy and Vanda Asapahu of Ayara Thai, a whole pig roast with Ray Garcia of Broken Spanish Comedor, and an Anniversary Finale with Neal Fraser of Redbird. More info here.
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