Things To Do

50 Awesome Things to do This Weekend in L.A. You Need to Know About [6-3-16 to 6-5-16]

June 2, 2016 by Christina Champlin

Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome. Since time is precious in this fast paced city, we decided to curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles every week end that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).

This weekend (June 3 to June 5) includes the Los Angeles Bread Festival, a He-Man convention, First Fridays, KCRW Summer Nights, a Dog Film Festival, giant bunny sculptures, and LOTS more to choose from.

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So grab some friends or go at it alone, but most importantly have fun and enjoy yourself!

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Grand Central Market in Los Angeles

Grand Central Market in downtown. Credit: Heather Harvey via flickr


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Friday June 3rd, 2016

1. Barnsdall Park’s Friday Night Wine Tasting

All summer long Barnsdall Art Park has a weekly wine tasting fundraiser to benefit the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation programs and projects. Perched on a hill with a gorgeous panoramic view of Hollywood, guests will enjoy fine wine and art in the gardens of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural gem, Hollyhock House. Silver Lake Wine will curate fine selections of boutique, small production, artisanal wines for park-goers as well as local gourmet cheese shop, Say Cheese.

2. Downtown Dark Nights 

Downtown Dark Nights returns this Friday with a free soirée at L.A. LIVE that includes loads of live performances, street performers, graffiti artists, craft vendors, art installations and happy hour like specials at all participating restaurants.

3. All Space Considered

The Griffith Observatory hosts a monthly forum where some of the most amazing phenomena in the known universe are explained and discussed. It’s called All Space Considered and it takes place on the first Friday of every month. Oh, and it’s free!

4. Natural History Museum First First Fridays

Party at The Natural History Museum after-hours, go on guided tours, enjoy scientist led discussions, mingle at the DJ Lounge and rock out to your favorite bands at NHM’s First Fridays.

5. Free Shark Lagoon Nights At The Aquarium of the Pacific 

Get up close with the ocean’s ultimate predators for FREE during Shark Lagoon Nights.

6. The Alchemist a Victorian Escape Room

Imagine this… you are part of the Scotland Yard task force assigned to investigate an alchemists lab where you’ll have to uncover his secret plans and unlock his treasure chest. Sounds like your kind of event?  Visit Oddville Art Space and bring your A game this escape room won the Best Interactive Award at the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia. Get more information and discount tickets all weekend via Goldstar.

7. Los Angeles Dodgers Friday Night Fireworks

Nothing beats catching a game beneath the stars especially with our beloved Dodgers . After the final out is called, the lights will go down and guests can actually go on to the field for a spectacular fireworks show. This weekend the Dodgers are up against the Saint Louis Cardinals, and our friends at Goldstar have discount tickets while supplies last.

8. The Virus: An Immersive Escape Room Experience

A deadly virus has swept the earth and a team of scientists (played by you and other folks!) are in an underground laboratory trying to find a cure.  Sounds like your kind of mission?. Head down this Escape Room experience in Burbank with a couple of your smartest friends to see if you have what it takes! Get more information and discount tickets for this weekend via Goldstar.

9. Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Glass 3D, Plus Pre-Show at El Capitan Theatre

Join Alice, the Mad Hatter and the rest of the colorful characters in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass. The film will be shown in 3D, and you can come early for a pre-screening light show and to view the costumes and props from the movie. Get more information and discount tickets all weekend via Goldstar.

10. The Unauthorized Musical Parody of The Big Lebowski

Watch the Coen Brothers’ classic comedy The Big Lebowski in musical form now through July 22 at The Rockwell Table & Stage. Get more information and discount tickets via Goldstar.

11. Feel The Piece Sample Sale

Score edgy-cool basics, knits, dresses for $10-$15 and sweaters and cashmere for just $25 during Feel The Piece two-day sample sale. Entrance is on Margo Street through the black gate.

Location: 318 W Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90015

12. Friday Night Jazz at LACMA

LACMA’s award winning Department of Music Program provides hundreds of free concerts and musical events every year for Angelenos to enjoy. This Friday their jazz series continues at the BP Grand Entrance.

13. Free Museums This Friday

The Long Beach Museum of Art is free every Friday.

The Norton Simon Museum is free from 5 p.m. – 8p.m. this Friday.

Pasadena Museum of California Art is free this Friday from noon to 5p.m.

14. FIGat7th Hosts a Free Screening of Ghostbusters

Catch a classic film down at FIGat7th this Friday at a special free outdoor screening of Ghostbusters. Bonus: There’s a Saturday screening of the 90’s hit Independence Day too! Both events will have free popcorn for all guests.

15. Beyond Yoga Sample Sale

Beyond Yoga in Culver City is hosting a sample sale offering up to 85% off a huge assortment of sports bras, leggings and more on June 3 (noon-5 p.m.) and June 4-5 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Location: 10401 Jefferson Blvd. Culver City, CA

16. First Fridays at Venice Beach

On the first Friday of the month head down to Abbott Kinney Blvd. in Venice Beach for tons of food trucks, open galleries and late-night shop hours. Get more information via the official event blog.

17. LA Film Festival

The LA Film Festival lineup includes over 50 features and shorts from nearly 30 different countries from June 1-9 all screened at ArcLight Cinemas.

18. Venice Pride Sign Lighting and Block Party

The Venice sign will light up in a rainbow of colors to celebrate Venice Gay Pride. In advance of the lighting, Venice Pride will host a block party featuring live music, dancing and more.

Saturday June 4th, 2016

19. Second Annual Los Angeles Bread Festival Returns

This FREE, two-day event celebrates SoCal’s artisanal breads. Taking place at Grand Central Market (June 4-5) activities will include a pop up bread market, bread demos, a community bread bake and more.

20. The Long Beach Vegan Food and Music Festival

The Long Beach Vegan Food & Music Festival promises a day-long event full of live tunes, vegan fare, vegan food trucks, live performances, a vegan chili cook-off, and even a rock climbing wall.

21. ShipKicker Country Music Festival at The Queen Mary 

Line dancing, saloons, and country tunes will take over the Queen Mary on June 4 for the 2nd annual ShipKicker Country Music Festival. Get more information and discount tickets via Goldstar.

22. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars Outdoor Screening in Long Beach

Celebrate the iconic rock star David Bowie with a screening of his concert film and a tribute concert at Sunnyside Cemetery in Long Beach this Saturday.

23. Last Remaining Seats Screens Top Gun

Now in its 30th season, The Los Angeles Conservancy’s classic film screening series Last Remaining Seats returns to DTLA this Saturday with a month-long set of events showcasing our most historic movie venues in town. Kicking things off will be a screening of Top Gun at the Los Angeles Theatre ( built in 1931) with special guest producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

24. Dog Film Festival Makes its Los Angeles Debut

The Los Angeles debut of the Dog Film festival will showcase the bond between humans and their best animal friends on the big screen, with a portion of the proceeds going towards two dog rescue organizations. The celebration kicks off Saturday with an afternoon Tea Pooch Party and Sunday with the film programs.

25. Power-Con

PowerCon takes over the Marriot Hotel in Torrance with a two-day convention dedicated to all things He-Man and She- Ra.

26. Street Food Cinema 

Street Food Cinema has three screenings this weekend. Superbad at Westchester Park (discount tickets via Goldstar), Labyrinth at Glendale Central Park and Dirty Dancing at Poinsettia Rec Park  (discount tickets via Goldstar).

27. KCRW Summer Nights

It’s back! KCRW Summer Nights is a free music series popping up every week all over Los Angeles. This week head to One Colorado in Pasadena for a live performance by Sofi Tukker.

28. Grand Opening of the Backbone Trail

On Saturday group of partners and the National Park Service will officially celebrate the grand opening of the Backbone Trail, a 67-mile trail that stretches from the city of Los Angeles to Ventura County!

29. Eat|See|Hear

Eat|See|Hear is back with a screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at the North Hollywood Recreation Center. Be sure to check for discount tickets for this event via Goldstar.

30. Take an Insider’s Tour Through East Hollywood’s Ethnic Neighborhoods

Thai Town, Little Armenia and Korea Town are filled with great food, shops and culture. For those interested in getting to know these neighborhoods this tour is the perfect introduction. Tour includes food, transportation and more. Get more information on discount tickets via Goldstar.

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31. Sumo Sushi Show

Enjoy a dinner and show featuring world champions of Sumo wrestling. Thats right, dine on sushi, sip sake, and even watch as selected audience members get in the ring with real world Sumo Champions.

32. Zero Down Art: Open Studios, Performance Art, A Group Show AND Tacos!

ZERO DOWN is a one-night art event taking place in the studios of the 1019WEST Artists Studio complex in Inglewood. This year 1019WEST artist have teamed up with artists from the Beacon Arts Building bringing together an exciting evening of performance art, music, group exhibition, installations, food and open studios. This event is free and open to the public!

33. The Museum of Broken Relationships Opens

The museum dedicated to failed relationships and broken hearts will open this Saturday featuring over 300 donated artifacts.

34. 5th Annual LitFest Pasadena

The fifth annual LitFest Pasadena, is a day of free books and celebrations of authors. The festival takes place in Pasadena’s Playhouse District. FYI there is a discussion with Jonathan Gold involved!

35. Las Transformistas of Havana Eric Politzer Exhibition 

Art Angels Gallery will host the opening reception of Eric Politzer’s photo exhibit of Havana’s previously underground world of gay cabarets, transgenders and female impersonators. Each images celebrates their confidence and pride in being members of the gay and transgender community. Politzer’s first Los Angeles gallery exhibit opens with a public reception on June 4 (7-10p.m.) and closes June 8.

Location: Art Angels Gallery 9020 Beverly blvd. West Hollywood

36. 16th Annual Uptown Whittier Car Show

This free classic car show hosts hundreds of cool rides on the streets of Uptown Whittier this Saturday.

37. LA’s MarinaFest 2016

Celebrate Marina del Rey and all it has to offer during MarinaFest! A two day festival featuring a boat parade, beer & wine garden, a Tall Ship tour, live entertainment, 40+ vendors, a car show, kid friendley activities and much more. Admission is free but some special activities are ticketed. Get more information and discount tickets via Goldstar.

38. New Photography Exhibition at The Autry

The Autry is opening a new photography show this Saturday called Revolutionary vision: Group f’64 and Richard Misrach, Photographs from the Bank of America Collection featuring watershed moments in twentieth-century photography of the f/64 group, including Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Brett Weston, Imogen Cunningham and the introduction of color as seen in the work of Richard Misrach.

39. International Tiki Market Place

Come down to Sunset Beach this Saturday from 10:00am-3:00pm and score some tiki goods. Admission is $10 and comes with a voucher for food & drink. Happening down at Don The Beachcomber.

40. California Dreaming at the PMCA: Kat Hutter and Roger Lee In Dialogue

LA-based duo Kat Hutter and Roger Lee will give a artist talk at the Pasadena Museum of California Art on their project Another California Day from its photographic journey to its multimedia installation. An “ask-the-artists” Q&A will follow the discussion. Starts at 3 p.m. no rsvp is needed.

Sunday June 5th, 2016

41. Los Angeles Taste of the Nation

Over 50 restaurants and beverage providers (including Union, Bellwether, Plan Check, and Terrine, among others) will come together for a foodie bonanza at the Los Angeles Taste of the Nation taking place on Sunday, June 5 from 1- 4 p.m. at Media Park in Culver City.

42. Urban Air Market

Urban Air Market will come to life in the Historic Core of Downtown on June 5 with over 75 unique vendors offering everything from home goods to body products, all produced by an array of independent artists, artisans and designers committed to sustainability. 

43. Giant Bunny Sculptures in DTLA 

Intrude is an acclaimed public installation created by Australian artist Amanda Parer featuring “monumental sculptural rabbits, each sewn in white nylon, inflated and internally lit.” The installations will be coming to Los Angeles June 5-11 as part of a four-city U.S. tour that kicked off in New York this April.

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44. La Bohème

Puccini’s La Bohème comes to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for a limited engagement. Get more information and discount tickets via Goldstar.

45. Dinosaurs: Unextinct at the L.A. Zoo

The L.A. Zoo will play host to some prehistoric residents. Come get up close and personal with 17 life-size animatronic dinosaurs some reaching almost 22 feet high and weighing close to 7,000 pounds. Additions to the new exhibit are a Fossil Dig, controllable Stegosaurus, climbable Pachyrhinosaurus, and a free 3-D augmented reality app. Tickets cost $5 the exhibit will run till October 31st.

46. Coast Open Streets Event by Metro Santa Monica

Coast, presented by Metro, is the City of Santa Monica’s first open streets event inviting the public to enjoy a two mile stretch of car-free streets around the Downtown Santa Monica Expo station this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. while discovering local food, music, shops, culture, dance, and games along the route.

47. 4th Annual San Pedro Shred Festival of Skate

A free skateboarding event featuring local food and local music will take over the Gaffey street look out point in San Pedro this Sunday.

48. Free Museums This Sunday

Craft and Folk Art Museum is pay what you can every Sunday.

The Museum of Latin American Art is free every Sunday.

49. Sandra Lauterbach Material Matters Opening Reception

Sandra Lauterbach has a talent for using the sewing machine instead of the paint brush to create contemporary abstract art. Her solo show opening at LA Artcore this Sunday will feature several large scale works.

50. Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show

See thousands of classic cars at the Fairplex and shop for auto related goods too this Sunday. Admission cost $10.


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