ALL WEEKEND

LA Urban Nature Fest at the Natural History Museum - Exposition Park
The Natural History Museum celebrates the wild things in your backyard (and no, I don’t mean your kids…).

Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival 2015 - Griffith Park
Wherefore art thou Griffith Park? The Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival opens for the season with Romeo & Juliet.

BET Experience Free Fan Fest - Downtown
The Fan Fest portion of the BET Experience is free and filled with all-ages entertainment, including the BET and Centric pavilions, a Celebrity Basketball Game, comedy, and seminars.

Laurel & Hardy Festival - El Segundo
Old Town Music Hall screens a collection of silent and sound short films by the comic greats Laurel & Hardy.

Kiddee Matinees - Hollywood
On a similar (classic comedy) note, New Beverly Cinema introduces kids to Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy.

Inside Out (PG) with Light Show - Hollywood
Disney-Pixar’s latest brings all the feels to El Capitan (light show included!). Check out our parent review before you go.

Pirate Invasion & Mermaid/Fairy Festival - Long Beach
Pirates descend on Belmont Pier - and this year they have mermaids to contend with!
  
Family Amphitheater Performances - West LA
The Skirball’s popular summer series is back, this year with a musical road trip theme. Up first, The Ooks of Hazard (Sat.) playing ukulele-fied hits of the 70s, and Everly Snodgrass (Sun.), one of LA’s most popular jug bands.

Shakespeare(ish) - Hollywood
Rogue Artists Ensemble recreates a collection of Shakespeare’s most famous scenes through clowning, masked movement, puppets, and original music.

SATURDAY JUNE 27
 
Kidical Mass - Santa Monica
It’s a red, white, and blue ride for families, starting at Reed Park.
 
Lowes Build and Grow - Multiple Locations
Avengers assemble… Captain America’s motorcycle (at Lowe's biweekly project).
 
Sesame Street Live: Let's Dance - Anaheim
Elmo and his Sesame Street friends Abby, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and the Count sing and dance in Sesame Street Live:Let's Dance.

LA Sanitation West LA Yard Open House - West LA
Last chance to get your trash on: it’s the last of the hugely popular Sanitation Yard open houses, this week at the West LA District Yard.

Kids in the Kitchen - The Grove
Parents can learn healthy recipe options while kids enjoy crafting and food-making stations.

Shape This! Special Needs Summer Carnival - North Hollywood
Summer gets underway at this carnival featuring face painting, a bounce house, a Kona ice truck, and carnival-themed indoor and outdoor activities. Parents can learn about resources for special needs.

Junior Chef Classes - Multiple Locations
This week’s Williams-Sonoma chefs class isn’t free, but it is American Girl themed.

AMC Theatres Sensory Friendly Films - Participating Locations
Families affected by autism can see a screening of Inside Out in a safe and accepting environment, with the lights up, the sound down, and permission to get up and move.

Super Hero – Princess Academy Party - Santa Monica
Kids can learn to be a superhero or a princess in this special, one-day-only show/party.

Saturday Science: Catch a Wave of Color - Downey
This month, the Columbia Memorial Space Center helps kids learn about light and color.

Celebrate America - Music and Fireworks - Santa Monica
There are lots of places to watch fireworks on the 4th, but Santa Monica College isn’t one of them. If you want to watch fireworks there, you have to go this weekend (the weekend BEFORE the 4th).

Chinatown Summer Nights - Chinatown
Chinatown welcomes families for an evening of performances, food trucks, a craft beer garden, artisans, a family art workshop, a culinary stage, as well as a roaming magician, and a capuchin monkey.

Movie on the Lawn - Irvine
Private! Kowalski! The plan is to infiltrate Orange County Great Park for a free outdoor screening of Penguins of Madagascar.

Movie Night at the Big A - Anaheim
Finding Nemo screens after the Angels/Mariners game.

 Street Food Cinema - Glendale
Indiana Jones. Always knew someday you'd come walkin' back to …Glendale? Raiders of the Lost Ark screens under the stars at Verdugo Park.
  
Malibu has been invaded by dinosaurs and aliens! Jurassic Park screens at Malibu Bluffs Park (Cinemalibu); Malibu Country Mart has E.T. The Extraterrestrial (Free Summer Movie Series).
 
 SUNDAY JUNE 28
Los Angeles River Ride and Family Ride - routes starting in Griffith Park & Long Beach
Families can participate in bike rides ranging from 2 to 100 miles, as well as a family bike expo and a Kids Safety Ride. Wear your helmet!

Hammer Kids: Close Encounters: Work It! Building Art from the Ground Up - Westwood
Art has layers, like an onion (or is that ogres?). Kids create their own multi-layered art at the Hammer Museum.
 
Velveteen Rabbit - Topanga
What is really real, really? Creative Playground explores the question in its production based on the classic tale, at Theatricum Botanicum. Really!
 
Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks - Leimert Park
The Festival of Masks is based on an important annual rite that takes place in villages in Nigeria and beyond. Make a mask and join in the procession.
 
Family Sunday/ Kids Run the Bases: Angels - Anaheim
It’s a family day at Angel Stadium as the Angels play the Mariners and kids run the bases.
 
Victorian Day in the Park - Encino
It’s an old-fashioned day in Los Encinos State Historic Park: wear your finest 1870-80s inspired clothes and pack a Victorian style picnic for a day of old-time fun.

Happy Birthday Pasadena: Forward Motion - Pasadena
Pasadena Museum of History celebrates the town’s 129th year with entertainment, crafts, displays, balloons, and cake.

Playa Vista Concert in the Park - Playa Vista
It’s all about the bass: N’DEMAND performs covers of pop hits by Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, and Meghan Trainor.

Summer Soulstice - Santa Monica
Main Street comes alive with music as bands perform in multiple hubs along the popular shopping district. This year a kids’ activity area is planned.
 
Stories in the Afternoon - Pasadena
The Norton Simon inspires aspiring artists with works by the greats in its collections.
 
Zimmer Sunday Family Programs - Mid-Wilshire
The Zimmer celebrates Superman’s birthday with crafts and appearance by the man of steel himself. Kids who come dressed as a superhero get $1 off admission.

Sierra Madre Concerts in the Park - Sierra Madre
There’s gonna be a Heartache Tonight at Memorial Park Bandshell. (But it’s good news: it’s an Eagles tribute band.) 
 
LevittLA Summer Concert Series - Children's Concerts in MacArthur Park - Downtown
Feel the beat: Rhythm Child plays the Levitt Pavilion at MacArthur Park.

Sunday Movie Nights - Beverly Hills
The pitch is back.  Pitch Perfect screens at Beverly Canons Garden.
 

As always, there are many more activities listed on our Event 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!