ALONG COMES MARY

I am so excited for another great Summer here in LA! Being an LA native, I love to find things to do (& when they’re free, extra perk). Below, I have compiled a list of 20 awesome events ranging from music to eating, to movies & theatre. Check it out & please let me know if you hit up any of them! xo

Street Food Cinema, Now-October 31st

What can be more fun than watching one of your favorite old movies on a big screen, outdoors, with live music & food trucks abound? Thats just what you get at Street Food Cinema. Most nights also have someone from the movie of the night. Awesome, cheap night out. Perfect for a group of friends or date night. (You can BYOB, too!)

LA Street Food Fest,  July 11th
This is a pretty epic LA tradition. For a flat fee, you get to enter The Rose Bowl & try ample sized portions, some complete dishes, of over 50 restaurants throughout LA County. Does it get mobbed? Yes. Is it worth it? YES! Just wear your stretchy pants 😉

626 Night Market,  July 3rd-September 6th
For free parking & $3, The Santa Anita Race Track is taken over by hundreds of food trucks & artists. Imagine a very huge Farmers Market with an Asian flare, & that’s what you get with 626 Night Market. From famous entrees like a Ramen Burger to one of a kind art & DJ’s, this is a great spot to be. Fun for families, too!

The Hollywood Fringe Festival, June 11th-28th
This nearly month-long celebration of live theatre finds Santa Monica Blvd & the surrounding theatres jam-packed with new theatre works; there’s plays, improv, musicals, anything that could even possibly classify as ‘theatre’? You will find it during Fringe. And, the party doesn’t stop there as they boast The Fringe Central at The Dragonfly, a watering hole for all the theatre peeps to gather post-show, sip on a libation, mingle & discuss the shows they’re watching.

Hollywood Bowl
Though a bit cliché (yet is for a good reason), I personally think one of the best gems in LA during the Summer  is The Hollywood Bowl. There, you can introduce your kids to music, have a great girls night out, date night, even go on your own. Just go! Theres an event for everyone & with some as low as $18 for admission, you cannot beat your surroundings & the variety of shows to see.

Eat/See/Hear,  Now-September 12th
Can’t find a movie you’re dying to see elsewhere? Check out Eat/See/Hear, another great option to catch a classic flick, local band or choose from a wide selection of grub
(Psst, not only can you can bring your own snacks & drinks, but they also have Best Friends Animal Sanctuary at their events in hopes that you find a new buddy to adopt.)

Sundays Live at LACMA
Another great, affordable outing, LACMA is always awesome & on Sundays, offers the best aspiring musicians performing out front. During the Summer season, they also add in Jazz & Latin nights, too.

Independent Shakespeare Company,  June 25-August 25
Playing every Summer at the beautiful Griffith Park, not only do you get to picnic, hang out & enjoy the natural beauty that is Griffith Park, you get a top-notch Shakespeare production, too. (Donations welcome!)

Shakespeare by the Sea,  June 18-August 22nd
After you catch some Shakespeare at the park, head out to see his prose performed at the beach! Various locations take over, especially in Orange County & The South Bay, beaches & dry land surroundings for a beautiful play.

Make Music Pasadena,  June 6th
This is seriously one of the most brilliant, live music & FREE events in LA. Make Music Pasadena brings 5 stages to Old Town with over 100 bands of all kinds of genres. Past headliners include Best Coast & Grouplove. Only advice? Plan your day, get there early & know where to park. It’s worth it!:)

Barnes and Noble, The Grove
This is a great hub year round, but, throw in the light evenings & warm weather, & it’s really a no-brainer to hang out at Barnes & Noble, with The Grove & Farmers Market also at your fingertips. A great event coming up at B&N is their To Kill A Mockingbird Page & Screen discussion.

Disneyland
I bet some of you will jump for joy & scream “OH YEAH! while the other half will be like, “Huh? Why?!” but, Disneyland, with its ever-growing crowds & hiking admission prices knows how to run an amazing theme park. Whether you’re seeking attractions like famous rides (Matterhorn, Space Mountain, The Tea Cups), Entertainment (World of Color Celebrate, Fantasmic, fireworks) or shop til your heart is content while scarfing

Pershing  Square Summer Concert Series, July/August
This amazing space in Downtown LA, whistling distance from Union Square, puts on yearly free concerts with such notable names as The Gin Blossoms, X & Sophie B. Hawkins

The El Capitan Theatre
If you’re going to head out to Hollywood & Highland, do yourself a favor & go straight to Disney’s El Capitan Theatre. With fun “Throwback Thursday” screenings with classics like The Aristocats, & Pixar’s Inside Out coming soon, this is such a great venue to head to. Make an afternoon of it & go to Ghirardeli’s Ice Cream Parlor next door 😉

Belmont Shore Stroll & Savor, May 20th-September 17th
With all the countless, delicious eateries on Long Beach’s 2nd Street, it can be overwhelming to know just which restaurant is right for you. Make a night of it & sample a dish from nearly every restaurant on this famous block at the annual Stroll & Savor. I actually get a bit reminiscent at this event as I went countless times when I lived in Long Beach. After you purchase your book of tickets (Similar to the old Disneyland system of E tickets & what not), you set out to each store front & different dishes range in how many tickets you use for that dish.

East LA Meets Napa, July 17th
I’m dying to make a trip up to Napa Valley. But, alas, with this Summer already jam-packed, it might not be this year. But, not to worry as this awesome AltaMed fundraiser will have me covered. The event takes place outdoors in a unique aesthetic venue, the Union Station & Metropolitan Water District courtyards, the perfect setting for the 1,500 guests who enjoy trekking their way past their favorite food and wine stations. Latino owners, chefs, and representatives from 30 restaurants and 30 wineries showcase their wonderful food and wines. This event includes a VIP pre-event reception, a brief program, live entertainment, dancing, all the food you can eat, all the wine you can drink, and a surprise or two!

East LA Meets Napa is AltaMed’s highest attended annual fundraising event. Invitees will include the AltaMed Senior Management Team, Host Committee co-chairs and committee members, elected officials, sponsors, and friends of AltaMed.

K9 Fest, September 13-14th
K9 Festival happening also in Long Beach celebrates our four-legged friends with dog activities on the beach, dog coursing, stand up paddle with your dog, Frisbee disc demonstrations, a dog beauty contest, a dog diving show, and a lot more. Theres also a large dog vendor area as well as arts and crafts, a kid’s zone, DJ music and an extensive food and beverage court!

Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Enjoy some time among the dead with concerts like Modest Mouse & awesome cult favorite films like Harold & Maude. Everything here sells out, so check the schedule & buy NOW!

The Smashing Pumpkins & Marilyn Manson, July 9th
This concert is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but, if it is, you are in luck this year to catch 2 of the best co*k-rock legends from the 90s. Touring over the summer, Brian Warner (Manson) & William-Don’t-Call-Me-Billy Corgan, will make a stop at the gorgeous Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in July & lawn seats are just $18 bucks (About $30 with fees). Go rock out to Cherub Rock & Bullet with Butterfly Wings for me; I will be away at a preview for the event below instead 😉

Claremont Restaurant Week, July 14th-20th
I am super excited to head out to this Restaurant Week happening in The Inland Empire. Claremont is such a quaint, fun city with so many hidden gems & this week undoubtedly gives it a time to shine. From Viva Madrid to The Hilton’s Orchard Restaurant, everyone will find something to enjoy at this yearly event.

Have fun!