51 Awesome Things To Do This Weekend in L.A. [9-28-2018 to 9-30-2018]

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 curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).

This weekend, from Friday, September 28 to Sunday, September 30, features Music Tastes Good, Oktoberfest at Santa Anita Park, San Antonio Winery Harvest Festival, Celebrate LA!, Watts Towers Jazz Festival, Abbot Kinney Festival and MUCH more.

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Remember you can always go to our L.A. events calendar page to get an updated rundown of what’s happening around the city.

Hope you find the rundown useful and, as always, enjoy your week!

Watts Towers in Los Angeles
The Watts Towers. Photo by Amatullah Guyot

Keep in mind that while we retain complete editorial control of our content, for some of the ticketing options provided we utilize affiliate links and receive a commission if you purchase through our links.

Friday September 28th, 2018

1. This Friday, a massive light installation will cover the Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of the LA Philharmonic’s centennial kickoff celebration. The installation projects images from the past and possibly the future of the concert hall, titled ‘WDCH Dreams.‘ Free to view starting at 7:30 p.m., and running from September 28 through October 6.

2. Beyond Fest, Los Angeles’ strangest, scariest, and largest genre film festival returns Sep. 26 to Oct. 9 with another year of bold programming. Sharing a newfound partnership with Hulu and Shudder, 2018’s program boasts an absolutely massive lineup – the festival’s biggest yet – of fan-favorites, nightmares, and oddities, along with bold premieres.

3. Two Bit Circus a new “Micro Amusement Park,” inside a 50,000-square-foot warehouse in the Arts District hosts a wide range of gaming activities including VR experiences, classic arcade games, and Story Rooms.

4. The Pop Art Photo Show happening Sep. 27-30 , at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica., will feature a plethora of rare movie and music posters (including a French Casablanca advertisement, one of the few remaining in the world), pop art prints, photos, and much more. Check for discounted tickets on select days. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

5. Face your fears during Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights. This year, the Stranger Things maze is the main attraction. You’ll also get to experience bone chilling attractions by American Horror Story, The Shining, Halloween, KrampusAsh vs. The Evil Dead and Walking Dead. Check for discounted tickets on select days. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

6. The second annual Van Nuys Arts Festival showcases the artistic talents and skills of local residents. The Van Nuys Civic Center will be transformed into an outdoor virtual forest with art installations, live music, a 3D dance party, live-mixed projection mappings, and more. A variety of food trucks will be on hand and the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild will host a beer garden. FREE

7. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor will transform into a seaport of the damned for the Halloween season with terrifying mazes and monsters at every turn. Happening Thursdays and through Sundays through Nov. 2.

8. Friday Night Block Party returns to L.A. LIVE in DTLA for an evening of live music, shopping, street performers, art and more. FREE

9. The Oinkster in Eagle Rock celebrates 12 years this Friday. Add drink and fries to any sandwich for just 12 cents all day. At 7 p.m. free homemade cake will be served and $12 gift certificates will randomly be handed out all day. On Saturday Oinkster will host their annual Oktoberfiesta welcoming a Common Space Brewing tap takeover.

10. Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosts free jazz performances on Fridays through November. Concerts take place at the main entrance. FREE

11. Alpine Village Oktoberfest celebrates 50 years! The fun kicks off this Friday with traditional Bavarian fun like Oom Pah Pah party bands, German fare, and delicious cold German beers. Oktoberfest runs Fridays and Saturdays September 7 through October 27.

12. 260LA will host a Reformation sample sale from Sep. 25-30 at their Beverly Hills location.

13. Westfield Century City hosts TASTE with a two day epicurean event featuring samplings from the shopping center’s best restaurants plus chef experiences, wine and spirits tastings, live entertainment, and more.

14. Knott’s Scary Farm is back with their signature haunted attractions, mazes and thousands of monsters ready to scare the living day light out of you and your crew.

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15. Coco will return to the big screen at the El Capitan Theatre for a special limited screening. From Sept 27-30 and Oct 6-7 screenings will include live performances by Grammy Award-winning musicians Mariachi Divas along with Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

16. Get up close and personal with sharks at the Aquarium of the Pacific during Shark Lagoon Nights. Guests will have the opportunity to touch bamboo sharks and view large sharks in an after hours setting.

17. Rooftop Cinema Club returns to the rooftops of LEVEL in DTLA and NeueHouse in Hollywood with multiple screenings this week that include Top Gun, Cocktail and more.

Saturday September 29th, 2018

18. KCRW’s Music Tastes Good event returns to Long Beach’s Marina Green Park on September 29-30, bringing a massive combination of carefully curated food from around the U.S. and an amazing music line up. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

19. Oddities Flea Market, hailing from Brooklyn, specializes in the fabulously unique, and it’s now coming to Los Angeles for the very first time. Taking place at Downtown’s Globe Theatre, shoppers will enjoy three floors of curated vendors offering unconventional items like taxidermy, medical history ephemera, anatomical curiosities, natural history items, osteological specimens and more.

20. Oktoberfest returns to Santa Anita Park for two days of Bavarian beer tastings, stein drinking, live music, dancing, and all that comes with this German themed celebration. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

21. The Watts Tower Day of the Drum Festival celebrates community cultures through music, dance and interactive performances. FREE

22. Celebrate over 100 years of wine-making in Los Angeles at the San Antonio Winery Harvest Festival, with wine and beer samplings, food, live music and more.

23. Spend your day at San Gabriel Valley’s largest music and culinary festival with Tastes & Sounds 2018. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the event will feature food from over twenty South Lake Ave. restaurants, live music, cooking demonstrations, and family friendly activities throughout the area. Admission is free.

24. The California Vegetarian Food Festival comes to Raleigh Studios in Hollywood for an amazing display of veggie eats, insightful speakers, and cruelty free entertainment. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

25. The Tacos and Beer Festival in Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles will feature various tacos, beer, micheladas, live bands, a piñata breaking party, fiesta costume contest and a mechanical bull.

26. Summer Happenings at The Broad is a series of late-night events featuring music, performance and art. Now in its third year, the evening series is inspired by The Broad’s new exhibition, A Journey That Wasn’t  which explores artists’ representations of time, memory and repetition. This month the series will highlight Gang Gang Dance, faUSt, Re-TROS, Kim Gordon + YoshimiO, Terry Riley, EYE, DJ Stretch Armstrong, Matmos, MIIIA, Banjee Ball + Ranika (formerly Kevin) JZ Prodigy, Asian Dope Boys + Aïsha Devi, Michael “5000” Watts, Total Freedom and Arto Lindsay and more.

27. Pop Up Magazine’s fall issue blends video, music, radio, and a variety of other elements to craft an “issue” of a visual magazine, right before your eyes.

28. The 80th Annual Chinatown Moon Festival happening at Mandarin Plaza and Central Plaza will feature a live music stage, craft beer garden, cultural performances, food vendors, workshops, shopping and more.

29. The Haunted Hayride returns September 29-October 31 at The Old Zoo in Griffith Park featuring four different Scare Zones, including trick or treating in a blood-curdling neighborhood and riding on the Scary-Go-Round and taking a ride on the main attraction the Haunted Hayride.

30. Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with screenings of Teen Witch and The Craft for a Pajama Party Night at LA Historic State Park, Practical Magic at Park Center in Griffith Park and The Nightmare Before Christmas at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas . Select screenings are discounted via Goldstar. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

31. Come take a step back in time at Paramount Ranch with a classic car show accompanied with a drive-in movie. The event, which chooses 80’s classic “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” as its grand screening, is a family friendly affair that will include a walking tour of Western Town, a Hot Wheels race, mini-Delorean obstacle course and more. FREE

32. The Reseda Rising Artwalk and Night Market will feature a San Fernando Valley Zine Fest, two music stages, a local-exclusive beer garden, food trucks, car show and much more. FREE

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33. Celebrate the 19th anniversary of Dublab at Zebulon this Saturday. Live sets from Linafornia, Geotic (aka Baths), The Pantones and more, with DJ sets out on the patio and cafe area too. Video art, and special guests will also be in attendance.

34. Come celebrate the second birthday of Frogtown Brewery with live music, art, BBQ, a beer garden, as well as a slew of exclusive beer releases in bottles, cans, and tap.

35. Celebrate and enjoy Japanese culture at the second annual Yatai Fest featuring a plethora of Japanese food, as well as live entertainment, and more within the realm of Japanese/American culture. FREE

36. The Valley Urban Market an open-air, family-friendly, food experience is now open at the Sportsman’s Lodge parking lot in Studio City every Saturday.

37. The 2018 DEAFashion show is geared towards celebrating unity, diversity and inclusion for all, the event will also feature a “Deaf Got Talent” show, games and activities for all ages, employment opportunities, health screenings, vendors, food trucks free haircuts and manicures.

38. Savor and sip at Summer Street Market Nights happening at The Mixing Room at the JW Marriott in DTLA. Each event will feature an assortment of interactive food stations offering international cuisine paired with themed entertainment. Update: This event has been cancelled. 

39. Oktoberfest takes over Golden Road Brewing at both Atwater Village Pub and Grand Central Market locations offering soft pretzels and limited edition Oktoberfest 16oz mugs. The Atwater Village location will also host live music from 3-6 p.m. Happening Saturday and Sunday.

40. The 3rd annual Dino Fest returns to NHMLA this September 29-30 for a weekend of celebrating the prehistoric giants that one ruled the earth.

41. The Silverlake Flea-Night Market taking place every Saturday from 5-10 p.m. all summer long features a plethora of local, independent sellers that offer vintage clothing, art, rare vinyl, crafts, and much more.

Sunday September 30th, 2018

42. Enjoy the Los Angeles streets with no cars during Celebrate LA, an eight-mile street party featuring live music, games, and a free Hollywood Bowl concert.

43. Come celebrate culture, jazz and community during the 42nd annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival. Presented by DCA and Friends of Watts Towers Arts Center, the event will feature jazz performances, tours of the famed Watts Towers,  art gallery tours, and more. FREE

44. Celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot at Skirball Cultural Center with this year’s Harvest Festival. Guests will get the chance to enjoy live music and dancing, a  socially conscious market, art activities, craft beer and a wide assortment of other offerings. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar).

45. L.A. favorite Abbot Kinney Festival returns in 2018 for another day-long celebration featuring live music, food, rides, and over 300 vendors.

46. Sweets fans will want to spend a day indulging in a plethora of chocolate samples during the Los Angeles Chocolate Salon.  Check for discounted tickets on select days. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

47. Come hang out the last Sunday of every month at a no-pressure, automotive and design enthusiast meetup called Cars & Coffee. A slew of beautiful cars have come through in the time this has been running, and each week the opportunity to see some rare and classic automobiles is very open.

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48. L.A. Dragon Studios is a new spot in the valley that features an all-access arcade all for a flat fee of $10 per day, plus an escape room and Hydra Squad VR for around $30 per person per experience. Open seven days a week.

49. E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood continues their stylish cinema series Melrose Rooftop Theatre with a screening of Legally Blonde.

50. Sunday is Jazz Night at Grand Central Market in DTLA. The Vignes Rooftop Revival will be providing the sounds over on the Hill Street Platform. FREE

51. The Spider Pavilion at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County  is a special seasonal exhibit that runs now through November 25.

Food Pick for the Week

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnrKpkkhBfy/?taken-by=thefieldsla

This week’s pick by Christina Champlin, Co-Founder of We Like L.A.

Newly open food hall The Fields LA hosts their first Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday September 29. Guests will enjoy $5 beers and a $5 German inspired menu from The Fields LA Executive Chef Michael Teich along with live German music, DJ tunes and contests. Breweries include Hofbräu, Bitburger, Boomtown, Weihenstephan, Veltins, and Modern Times. The party starts at 3 p.m. and all ages are welcome.


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