Best Things To Do This Weekend with LA Kids: Whales, Purim, and Zimmerpalooza Mar 7 - 8

3/5/15 - By Toby B

You’re getting too much sleep. Yes, definitely too much sleep. Howsabout we take away some, like an hour? I suggest you do that at 2am, in the wee hours on Sunday, (changing the clocks in the middle of the night has the added bonus of depriving you of even more sleep). It’s also Daylight Savings Time, so changing your clocks slightly increases your chances of showing up on time for Sunday events.   

April showers may bring May flowers, but it is pouring Purim this March weekend. We've got festivals from Santa Monica to Tarzana, from Northridge to Beverly Hills. (Costumes optional).

Passing on Purim? No worries: as usual we are spoiled for choice when it comes to celebrating. Other topics of revelry this weekend include women, dogs, whales, bubbles, LEGO Star Wars, lanterns, kites, kids and…I’m not sure if it’s Zimmers or Paloozas, but Zimmerpalooza is celebrating something, too.

Keep reading for our most celebratory picks for this weekend...

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

Dana Point Festival of Whales - Dana Point
Dana Point pays tribute to our Cetacean friends with a festival over two weekends. This Saturday the parade is a highlight.

Abilities Expo - Downtown
The Abilities Expo opens up a world of possibilities for adults and kids with disabilities. All day fun for kids includes adaptive art activities, hand cycling, face painting, an adaptive climbing wall, and adaptive rowing.

LEGO Star Wars Days - Carlsbad
Legoland Star Wars Days are back, with LEGO Star Wars Building Competition, Jedi Trivia, and a Star Wars costume contest.

The Amazing Bubble Man - Santa Monica
Bubbles, big and small, the Amazing Bubble Man makes ‘em all!

Half Price Beverages - Multiple Locations
Keep the caffeine comin’!  Peet's Coffee & Tea continues its half-priced drink promotion.

SATURDAY MARCH 7

Super Seuss-a-Bration - Santa Monica
Santa Monica Library celebrates Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Local favorites (and Latin Grammy winners) Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band perform.

Home Depot Kids Workshops - Multiple Locations
All that reading is going to inspire some serious book collections. Luckily, Home Depot’s workshop this month is book ends.
 
Lantern Festival - Downtown
Chinese American Museum’s annual Lantern Festival celebrates the closing of the Lunar New Year festivities with community booths, live entertainment, music, food trucks, and a wide range of arts and crafts, including abacus making, Chinese calligraphy, and ram puppet-making.
 
Grunion Run - San Pedro
Make way for grunions! The silvery fish are making their way ashore again at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.
 
What's Up For Kids Expo -Torrance
Parents can learn about summer camps, classes, and family activities, while kids enjoy crafts, hair painting, entertainment, and the Cutest Kid Cover Photo Contest.

Hot Wheels Garage - El Segundo
This month’s Hot Wheels event features life sized Hot Wheels cars, real Hot Wheels race tracks, a balloon artist, and face painting. Girl Scouts are on-hand selling cookies, and the museum hosts a collection drive for Operation Gratitude.
 
Young Explorers Academy: Mars Madness - Downey
How does Mars get its red color? Learn all this and more on a journey to the Red Planet at Columbia Memorial Space Center. (Never mind, we know it’s really blue and black!) Looking for evening fun? Families can also plunge into the world of science through exhibits and special activities at the monthly Family Night.

Marionetas de la Esquina: Sleeping Beauty Dreams - Malibu
Mexican puppet theater Marionetas de la Esquina shares a contemporary spin on Sleeping Beauty.

Creation Station Heart Crazy - Long Beach
This month, the free drop-in program at Rancho Los Cerritos is themed Lovely Lavender. Projects include hand-woven placemats, make-your-own butterflies, and colorful “stained glass” art.

Handmade Charlotte DIY Crafting  - Multiple Locations
Kids can make superhero wrist cuffs or an owl habitat at this free event at Pottery Barn Kids. And if you go to the event at the Grove, you can catch the Peter Rabbit Character Appearance, as the beloved bunny hops in for a friendly meet and greet.

Saturday Morning Concerts - Santa Monica
My Musical Tree entertains at Books and Cookies. Kids can sing, dance, pop bubbles, play instruments, and have fun with puppets, scarves, and parachute.

Saturday Morning Stories and More - West LA
Storyteller Ina Buckner-Barnette shares interactive animal stories from around the world.

Junior Chef Classes - Multiple Locations
Kids can get some Lunch Box Lessons at Williams-Sonoma: this week they learn about sandwiches and wraps (and maybe making their own school lunches…?).

SUNDAY MARCH 8

Zimmerpalooza - Mid-Wilshire
The children's museum's biggest family day of the year promises cool music, crafts galore, and an all-around "Outta this World" good time.

Woofstock 90210 - Beverly Hills
Hey, dawg! All the cool canines are at La Cienega Park's Wiggly Field East for Woofstock, including a Pet Parade, face and body painting, and pet entertainment & demonstrations.

Target Sundays at CAAM: Women's History Month - Exposition Park
The California African American Museum celebrates the enduring achievements of African American women to our collective history and culture.

41st Annual Festival of the Kite - Redondo Beach
It’s kite flying time on the Redondo Pier!

Family Flicks: The Music Box & Way Out WestWestwood
Laurel & Hardy deliver lots of laughs (and one piano) in two classic films.

Autism Families Night - Long Beach
The Aquarium of the Pacific hosts a special evening exclusively for families with adults or children with autism.

Silk Road Story Time  & Free Day at PAM - Pasadena
Pacific Asia Museum celebrates spring, with crafts, spotlight tours, and flower arranging in the courtyard. Storytime is about springtime.
 
A Faery Hunt - Crestwood Hills Park - Brentwood
You can hunt for faeries in Crestwood Hills Park (but only if you remember to set your clock one hour ahead).

Rise & Shine - Downtown
Downtown LA families can enjoy free Yoga for Kids (and Mimosas for Moms!).

Free Day at OCMANewport Beach
Orange County Museum of Art's community partner, the Orange County Educational Arts Academy, participates in this month's free day.

Family Art Workshop - Hollywood
Barnsdall Park’s free craft project is Irish-inspired clover stained glass.

Author Event: Henry Herz - Pasadena
Author Henry Herz presents and signs his newest book, Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes at Vroman’s.
 
Summer Days Camp Fair - Bel Air
What are your kids doing this summer? Meet with more than 50 camp directors at this free fair, and make some plans!

CraftLab Workshops - Mid-Wilshire
There’s no place like home, and there’s no place like the Craft and Folk Art Museum to make a home collage.
 
Stories in the Afternoon - Pasadena
Every journey begins with a single …crayon?

Street Fair and Purim Carnival - Santa Monica
What do you expect in a Purim Carnival? Games, check. Music, check, bounce houses, check. Jousting, what’s that you say? A zip line, seriously? A rock wall, no way! A fortune teller, where can I find this?  Santa Monica Synagogue, check it out!

San Fernando Valley's Biggest Purim Carnival - Tarzana
Temple Judea’s Purim Carnival offers huge carnival rides for all ages, midway carnival games, and KidZone for little ones. And thanks to last week’s rain, it’s this Sunday.

What’s that you say?  More Purim Carnivals?  Coming right up:

Purim Carnival  Beth Shir Shalom, Santa Monica

Leo Baeck Temple Shpiel & Purim Carnival Leo Baeck Temple, Brentwood
 
Purim Family Fun Festival for Young Families Shomrei Torah Synagogue, West Hills

Old Country Purim Carnival
Temple Ahavat Shalom, Northridge

Purim Carnival Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village
 
Wilshire Boulvard Purim Carnival Wilshire Boulevard Temple, West LA
 
Purim Carnival Temple Emanuel, Beverly Hills
 
Purim Carnival Temple Beth Am Pico-Robertson


As always, there are many more activities listed on our daily events calendar, and if you didn't receive this info as a newsletter, you should sign up for our weekly events updates. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, we hope you have a terrific time!