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The Nutcracker Ballet and Other Holiday Shows for Kids in Los Angeles
Submitted by Roberta B on
Seeing a Nutcracker Ballet is a Christmas tradition for so many families. In a city like Los Angeles, there are over twenty Nutcracker shows for your pick of performance from Hollywood to Long Beach and so many places in between.
To answer two of the most common questions posed by parents in search of a Nutcracker ballet in Los Angeles: Yes, there is a condensed version specifically for kids offered by the Festival Ballet Theatre down in Costa Mesa. And yes, there are local performances with full orchestra—the Long Beach Terrace Theater is one of the best. There's even a fantastic and very LA production by Bob Baker's Marionettes, which is light on the dancing and heavy on the post-show ice cream, for little kids looking for a fun introduction to the classic Nutcracker Ballet.
When you've had your fill of the Mouse King, let us direct you to some nifty Polar Express and Christmas train rides, neighborhood Christmas lights displays, and more in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families.
Where To Find Free Turkeys in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving 2024
Submitted by Matt Matasci on
Looking for free turkeys in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving dinner? We found local organizations that are here to help.
While some are fortunate enough to fill their table with an indulgent dinner spread, many families in the Los Angeles area are struggling to make ends meet. With the ever-increasing cost of living in Los Angeles, families living paycheck-to-paycheck may not be able to afford the costs of an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of organizations in Los Angeles that are easing the burden for families during the holidays by giving away FREE turkeys and Thanksgiving meals.
If you're fortunate enough to have a full pantry and pocketbook, consider donating to one of these exceptional organizations to help others across the city. Find more tips for your Thanksgiving celebrations in our Thanksgiving Guide and fun throughout the holiday season in our Family Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events in Los Angeles.
16 Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in Los Angeles for Kids
Submitted by Toby B on
'Tis the season for Christmas events and holiday activities in Los Angeles! From the hundreds of Christmas events and holiday activities taking place this year, we've managed to trim our list to the top family favorites.
This year, Santa's bag is overflowing with festive fun for families in Los Angeles. This holiday season's stockings are full of theme parks dressed up in their holiday finest, traditional holiday parades, only-in-LA holiday shows, and other beloved holly jolly traditions. We can barely keep up with all the fun Christmas events and holiday activities in Los Angeles this year.
For more holiday activities, don't miss our Holiday Events and Christmas Activities Guide for Los Angeles, packed with every possible Santa breakfast, holiday and Christmas light shows, Nutcracker shows, Polar Express holiday trains, outdoor ice skating rinks, and so much more.
Veterans Day Weekend 2024 in Los Angeles: 13 Best Things To Do With Kids
Submitted by Toby B on
Looking for the best things to do in Los Angeles this Veterans Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this long weekend!
We owe so much to our veterans—those who have put themselves in harm's way to defend the liberties we hold dear. This weekend also marks the start of several limited experiences and holiday-favorite events, such as Lite-Brite Worlds of Wonder in Santa Monica, Kidspace Winter Frolic, and the new Friends-themed Warner Brother Studio Tour.
Art and science collide with a three-day weekend at the PST ART + Science Family Festival at La Brea Tar Pits. Guests can make a California pollinator puppet, build with Adobe (the mud, not the software), make a colorful stop-motion animation, craft LED flowers & eco-friendly bracelets, look at the sun through solar telescopes, and so much more. Kid's favorite music makers performing include Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band, Jazzy Ash and the Leaping Lizards, and Rhythm Child Network. Sounds good to us!
With a three-day Veterans Day holiday ahead, more upcoming holidays are top of mind, like restaurants open on Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, and holiday and Christmas events in Los Angeles to book now. Plan for more holiday fun in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families.
Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving in Los Angeles
Submitted by Audrey M on
Thanksgiving in Los Angeles has plenty of kid-friendly restaurants open on the holiday for families to enjoy without needing to cook or clean. Let's face it: sometimes, an ideal Thanksgiving does not involve hours of shopping, prepping, cooking, and cleaning while the TV is blaring football. So, have your feast and eat it, too, while enjoying conversation with family and friends. You might even have time for some Thanksgiving family activities since someone else will be doing the dishes.
Before or after Thanksgiving dinner, see what's open on Thanksgiving in Los Angeles. For more Turkey Day family fun, like funny Thanksgiving jokes for kids to tell at the table, check out our Guide to Thanksgiving Fun for Families.
10 Holiday and Christmas Events in Los Angeles to Book Now!
Submitted by Kylie Williams on
The time to book the best holiday and Christmas events in Los Angeles is now! These popular holiday events go on sale early and sell out quickly.
The holiday season is magical, but for parents whose to-do list is longer than Santa's, it can be hard to track when to buy tickets to all the big holiday and Christmas events in LA. Set your alarms, mark your calendars (and view our Los Angeles events calendar while at it), and prepare those ugly Christmas sweaters for all the festive family outings.
From incredible light walk-throughs to holiday train rides and the dates they go on sale, keep reading for all the LA holiday events intel.
Keep the holiday traditions going, or start a new one by bookmarking the must-do Christmas events in Los Angeles, seeing an LA Nutcracker ballet, and making more holiday memories with our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families.
Best Neighborhoods to Trick-or-Treat on Halloween in Los Angeles
Submitted by Kylie Williams on
The best places to trick-or-treat in Los Angeles happen to be the best places to trick-or-treat in the whole country! Granted, we might be a little biased, but here are the facts: the Halloween decorations on local homes are second to none, and many blocks across the city close off streets to traffic to have trick-or-treat parties. And LA movie magic often finds its way onto neighborhood streets in the form of elaborately decorated houses and incredible special effects.
But in a city this big, some neighborhoods go all out on Halloween, and some remain pretty quiet. Where should you go? We’ve compiled a list of the most legendary trick-or-treat neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Here’s where to go to find lots of treats—not to mention some prime photo ops.
To keep busy until it's time to trick-or-treat, discover the best Halloween events for kids in Los Angeles, enjoy not-so-scary Halloween events for preschoolers, save your Halloween budget for candy and costumes with the top free Halloween events in LA, and find more Halloween fun in our Halloween Fun and Activities Guide for Los Angeles Kids.
14 Best Things To Do in Los Angeles November 2024 with Kids
Submitted by Toby B on
November brings plenty of things to do in Los Angeles as we gear up for holidays from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and full steam ahead to Christmas. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in Los Angeles this month.
It's a good thing that November starts with an extra hour of sleep. With our LA calendar jam-packed with fun things to do, that extra hour will be much very much needed. Step into a favorite childhood toy at the immersive Lite-Brite Worlds of Wonder in Santa Monica. The Natural History Museum's new wing opens with a day-long celebration. You'll find NHM Commons at the intersection of science, nature, and culture, with new outside and inside spaces, free experiences, and a green-boned dinosaur named Gnatalie. And the countdown to the holidays begins with tree lightings, holiday trains, and twinkling lights!
For more fun things to do in Los Angeles this November, see what's open in LA on Thanksgiving, start planning those holiday outings with the best holiday activities and Christmas events for kids, and prepare for more than just a turkey with our Thanksgiving Activities Guide for Families.
