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Fun & Free Events for LA Kids this Weekend: Dragons, Physics and Curious George: July 14-15

7/11/12 - By Toby B

Wow. It is quiet here. The comic book store: empty. The midnight screening of the Amazing Spider-man: you could hear a web drop. The Genius Bar at the Apple Store: 30% less smart. In fact, there is nary a fanboy or girl left in the LA Metro area. It's Comic Con weekend, and fans of comics and video games and just about anything sci fi have all made the pilgrimage down to fandom's ultimate gathering. Don't plan on popping down on a whim; the thing has been sold out for months. (Though you could always claim to be Stan Lee's nephew and see where that gets you).

But don't feel bad. There's plenty of fun for the rest of us here in LA. We've got freebies to get the weekend going, wicked cool craft projects, a party on a bridge, and movies and concerts under the stars. (And don't forget our 540 ton rock: got anything like that, Comic Con? Didn't think so).

Really, isn't the greatest sci fi just the science that hasn't been discovered yet? Opening this weekend is the newest expansion (as in mind-expanding) at Kidspace Children's Museum, the Robert & Mary Galvin Physics Forest. A few hours spent tinkering among the bottle rocket, giant lever, and ball bounce may well turn your curious little explorers into tomorrow's Nobel-prize winning astrophysicists.

And speaking of curious, San Diego may be getting a few celebrities this weekend, but we've got Curious George. Game. Set. And Match.

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend...

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents DRAGONS! - Downtown
The Greatest Show on Earth sets up its tent at Staples Center with a new show featuring the winged mythological creatures.

Physics Forest Grand Opening Celebration Weekend - Pasadena
Kidspace Children's Museum latest expansion opens this weekend. Little Isaac Newtons can observe the laws of physics for themselves as they play with a pendulum, ball bounce, giant lever, and more.

Family Amphitheater Performances - West Los Angeles
Skirball Cultural Center continues with its crowd-pleasing family-friendly performances. This weekend: West African dance and music from Dafra (Saturday) and the Scottish bagpipes of John Allan (Sunday).

Orange County Fair - Costa Mesa
The OC Fair opens this week with everything from concerts and carnival rides to Alaskan Racing Pigs. If it's not at the OC Fair - who are we kidding; it just is.

SATURDAY JULY 14

Growing the Park: Great Park Anniversary Celebration - Irvine
Irvine's Great Park celebrates its anniversary with live music, aerial performances, military equipment displays, sports activities, children’s activities, and fireworks to cap off the night.

Three Tales by Hans Christian Andersen - Topanga
Creative Playground presents a mash-up of three Hans Christian Andersen stories: The Swineherd, The Princess and the Pea and The Emperor's New Clothes. 

Target Free Family Saturday: Faces + Places - Downtown
The Japanese American National Museum looks at travel, with kid-friendly Japanese language classes, an Asian-themed candy buffet, and airbrush face painting.

Celebration on the Colorado Street Bridge - Pasadena
Pasadena Heritage hosts a celebration of one of the world's most beautiful bridges with continuous live music, dancing, antique cars, children's activities, and festive foods and beverages on the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena.

Grease Sing-A-Long - Hollywood
Sandy and Danny (and about 17,000 of their friends) break into song at the Hollywood Bowl. Care to sing along?

Cinespia - Hollywood
Moviegoers can enjoy John Water’s Hairspray in an open-air screening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

SUNDAY JULY 15

Western Heritage Family Day: Horses  - Griffith Park
The Autry looks at horses in the American West.

Mark Lewis - Topanga
Storyteller and songwriter Mark Lewis sings songs that are energetic and funny and inspire kids to use their brains.

Target Free Sunday at MOLAA: 2nd Annual Music Festival - Long Beach
MOLAA’s second annual Music Festival celebrates the diverse sounds of contemporary Latin music.

Meet Curious George & The Man in the Big Yellow Hat - Culver City
The curious monkey and his friend show up at Westfield Culver City to meet fans and pose for pictures.

Manhattan Beach Summer Concerts in the Park - Manhattan Beach
Families can enjoy the R& B Motown sounds of Tom Nolan Band in this free open-air concert in the Polliwog Park Amphitheater.

Sunday Movie Nights - Beverly Hills
Hugo won 5 Academy Awards in 2012. Families can catch a free screening under the stars at Beverly Canons Garden.

As always, there are many more activities listed on our daily events calendar. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, we hope you have a spectacular time.