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Ideas for the weekend? Per usual, you’ll find them here.
This August 28-30 in Los Angeles, options include KCRW Summer Nights at LA Plaza, Fiesta La Ballona in Culver City, Echo Park Rising, Leimert Park Jazz Fest, the 40th season finale of Grand Performances, Spinning Sunset, a Twilight Zone Marathon, the Chinatown Hungry Ghost Festival, Sip of Japan in Torrance, and more.
Things To Do This Weekend
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Taqueando After Dark at Level 8 – M > Bill Esparza, the James Beard Award-winning food writer behind LA’s most influential taco festivals, takes over Level 8 in Downtown Los Angeles this Thursday and Friday for two nights of serious eating. Taqueando After Dark is an immersive celebration of the street food traditions connecting Baja California, Sinaloa, Tijuana, Valle de Guadalupe, Hermosillo, and Los Angeles, curated by Esparza alongside the Houston Brothers and Chef Ray Garcia. The talent is the real draw: Ruffo Ibarra of Michelin-recognized Oryx from Tijuana on August 27, and Tomás Gastélum and José Luis Hinostroza of Mira Fireside from Valle de Guadalupe on August 28, joined by legendary street vendors from both sides of the border. Ticket start at $60.54 for GA. More info here.
Romance Reader Movie Night: Pride & Prejudice – M FA > This Friday, Ivy Station hosts Romance Reader Movie Night in partnership with book truck The Fleuria, featuring a book swap, romance novel shopping, and a beginner-friendly Regency dance workshop led by Culver City English Country Dance. The evening concludes with an outdoor screening of the 2005 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, complete with complimentary popcorn. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or low lawn chair. Admission and two-hour parking validation are free. Programming starts at 6 p.m., and movie screens at 8 p.m. More info here.
Yoiyami Night at Common Space – FA > On Friday, Common Space Brewery in Hawthorne hosts Yoiyami Night, an evening dedicated to otaku culture and local brews. Guests can shop a vibrant marketplace featuring anime crafts, books, and trading cards while enjoying live beats and fresh craft beer on tap. Runs 5 to 11 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
KCRW Summer Nights at LA Plaza – M FA > This Friday, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes teams up with KCRW for a free, all-ages Summer Nights courtyard celebration. The evening features live music from Black Pumas co-founder Adrian Quesada’s Trio Asesino, alongside sets from KCRW DJs Wyldeflower and Francesca Harding. Guests can explore museum galleries after hours, order from food trucks, enjoy bar service, and participate in special activities. Admission is free with an advance RSVP recommended for entry. Runs 6 to 11 p.m. More info here.
TAPE LA at Barnsdall Art Park – FA > All throughout August, TAPE LA takes over Barnsdall for Friday Art Nights. The free activations on Pine Grove and at the LAMAG gallery go full video with a tape swap, an interactive TV wall, Home Video Night, an Analog Petting Zoo, and more to be announced. Free to attend. More info here.
Echo Park Rising – FA TP > The 2026 edition of Echo Park Rising kicks off on Friday with a special opening party folded into the Echo Park Farmers Market. Then Saturday and Sunday the main programing starts with performances and community activations (all free to attend) at over a dozen venues on and adjacent to Sunset Blvd. Expect everything from yoga to comedy sets, plus LOTS of live music The full schedule is out now. More info here.
Fiesta La Ballona – FA > This Friday to Sunday, Veterans Memorial Park hosts the 75th Annual Fiesta La Ballona, Culver City’s “Party at the Park.” The milestone celebration features carnival rides and games, food vendors, a beer and wine garden, an artisan market, non-profit booths, and two entertainment stages with live music and dance performances. Entry is free, with ride wristbands available for purchase. More info here.TAPE LA at Barnsdall Art Park – FA > All throughout August, TAPE LA takes over Barnsdall for Friday Art Nights. The free activations on Pine Grove and at the LAMAG gallery go full video with a tape swap, an interactive TV wall, Home Video Night, an Analog Petting Zoo, and more to be announced. Free to attend. More info here.
Grand Performances Season Finale – M FA > This Saturday, Grand Performances celebrates the finale of its 40th summer season at California Plaza with high-energy live music and dance. Cumbia group Son Rompe Pera headlines the night following an opening set by Extra-Ancestral Presents Bloco Obini, an all-femme drumming ensemble, joined by guest performer QVLN. The evening also features live DJ sets throughout the night. Admission is free. Runs 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.
7th Annual Leimert Park Jazz Festival – FA M TP > This Saturday, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza hosts the 7th Annual Leimert Park Jazz Festival on its outdoor rooftop parking deck. The event features performances by José James, Bobby West, Melena, Kenneth Brown II, the Fernando Pullum Center Youth Jazz Band, and a tribute to Ryan Porter by West Coast Get Down. General admission is free with registration or pay-what-you-wish options, while limited VIP tickets are available for purchase. Programming runs 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. More info here.
Spinning Sunset – FA > Sunset Plaza hosts Spinning Sunset on Saturday, a free outdoor vinyl fair presented by The Sunset Strip BID. Expect a market featuring over 80 vendors selling vinyl records, music memorabilia, and vintage clothing alongside live DJ sets, food trucks, a beer garden, and giveaways. Admission is free with RSVP. Runs 1 to 7 p.m. More info here.
Tongva Twilight: Sounds & Cinema Series – M FA > Tongva Twilight: Sounds & Cinema brings free outdoor programming to Tongva Park in Santa Monica every Saturday from August 8 through September 12. For this Saturday, catch a set by Grammy-nominated DJ Mayer Hawthorne, plus free community photo portraits by Community Collage. Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic for the family-friendly oceanside evening. Admission is free. Starts at 7 p.m. More info here.
The Twilight Zone Six-Hour Marathon -> On Saturday, The Eastwood hosts a six-hour marathon of The Twilight Zone, showcasing handpicked episodes from Rod Serling’s classic series across three curated two-hour blocks with intermissions. Screened on the theater’s largest display, the surprise lineup features stories of time travel, paranoia, and poetic justice. Tickets are $20. Starts at 2 p.m. More info here.
Marina Movie Night – FA > The Department of Beaches and Harbors hosts Marina Movie Nights at Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey on select Saturdays in August and September. This Saturday, catch a screening of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Free to attend, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. Movie starts at 8 p.m. Make sure you bring a blanket for that coastal breeze! More info here.
LA Chinatown Hungry Ghost Festival– M FA > The third annual LA Hungry Ghost Festival returns to Chinatown’s Alpine Recreation Center this Saturday, honoring ancestors and welcoming wandering souls through traditional arts reimagined for today. The lineup includes a lion dance by The East Wind Lion Dance Troupe, offerings at ancestral altars, performances across two stages, and a closing costume parade. Kids can enjoy crafts, face painting, a bounce house, and shadow puppetry. Dress in your most spirited costume and become part of the spectacle. Free and open to all.More info here.
Exhibition Walk Through at USC Pacific Asia Museum -> Join artist and curator Dave Young Kim this Sunday at USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena for a special walkthrough of Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry. The immersive exhibition brings together nearly 100 objects spanning more than 5,000 years of art across East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, the Pacific Islands, and their diasporas, alongside new and interactive media from 24 contemporary artists. The result is a rich, interdisciplinary experience that engages with the past through the lens of pan-Asian mythology. Hosted by nonprofit GYOPO from 2 to 3 p.m. RSVP is free to donation-based. More info here.
Sip of Japan -> Torrance Cultural Arts Center hosts Sip of Japan on Sunday, an all-ages festival celebrating Japanese culture, food, and spirits. Highlights include a live bluefin tuna cutting show, traditional dance, taiko drumming, a Katsushika Hokusai art exhibition, a mikoshi parade, and hands-on craft workshops in sumi-e fan painting, Kyoto glass art, and mini tatami weaving. A la carte general admission starts at $10, with tasting passes ranging from $65 to $95. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Key Lime Pie Cinnamon Roll at Cinnies (Through September 4) -> LA’s beloved cinnamon roll specialist Cinnies’ teams up with New York pie mini experts Fillings of New York on a limited-time Key Lime Pie Cinnamon Roll, available at Grand Central Market and select farmers markets through September 4. Cinnies’ signature ooey, gooey cinnamon roll gets layered with tangy key lime custard, white chocolate, toasted coconut, and graham cracker crust, finished with silky white chocolate ganache and fresh lime zest. Key lime pie and a cinnamon roll in one very decadent bite.
Woon Pasadena Final Brunch ( August 29-30) -> Woon Pasadena is closing out its brunch service this weekend with a send-off worth showing up for. Largwa joins for the occasion, bringing their legendary pastries including Strawberry Bolo Bao and Five Spice Madeleines, available for pre-order or walk-in. Come enjoy an Asian-American take on brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Starting in September, Woon Pasadena continues with lunch and dinner, with brunch promised to make an appearance down the line. More info here.
Smorgasburg BBQ Block Party (August 30) -> Smorgasburg closes out the summer with a full day of smoked meats, music, micheladas, dancing, and giveaways this Sunday at ROW DTLA. The BBQ lineup is stacked: Black Almond BBQ brings new school Texas BBQ inspired by California and Virginia, Sam Woo BBQ and Zindrew Wonton Shop team up for a one-day Dan Dan Noodles topped with Sam Woo’s Roast Duck, and Saulitos and Mochilla City collaborate on a brisket hot dog and French fry situation that sounds exactly as good as it sounds. More info here.
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