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Weekend Fun for LA Kids: Free Comic Books, Cinco de Mayo, YALLWEST, and Obama Boulevard!

Rancho Days Fiesta is a long-standing tradition at Heritage Hill Historical Park. Photo courtesy of OC Parks
Rancho Days Fiesta is a long-standing tradition at Heritage Hill Historical Park. Photo courtesy of OC Parks
5/1/19 - By Toby B

We've got all the words this weekend. Santa Monica becomes the center of the YA universe with YALLWEST, a free festival populated by YA authors and the fans who read them.

If you like, we've got the pictures too! Saturday is Free Comic Book Day, which means there are funny books and superhero epics with your name on 'em. They say a picture is worth a 1000 words, in which case reading a comic book counts as like, 100,000 books or something.

And if you're into numbers, ain't none better than cinco. Cinco de Mayo, that is. No one does Cinco like Los Angeles, with celebrations of Not Mexican Independence Day happening at the Citadel, in Venice, in San Clemente and Monterey Park, and of course Downtown, with the one on Olvera Street being a big draw. May the 5th be with you!

Keep reading for... just keep reading. Doesn't matter what you read! Word!...

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

PBS SoCal Kids Weekend at the LA Zoo

Griffith Park
What's Daniel Tiger doing at the LA Zoo?  Curious, George? READ MORE

Photoville LA

Century City
Photoville continues in Century City through this weekend. READ MORE

Amazon's Treasure Truck "Pup Fest"

Downtown
Amazon's Treasure Truck is having a Pup Fest, and its first stop is Grand Park in DTLA. The Pup Fest offers a range of bark-a-licious activities designed to delight canines (and their human friends). READ MORE

Broad Museum Family Weekend Workshops

Downtown
The Broad Museum’s Family Weekend Workshops take place four times a year and offer activities and workshops to engage children with the art and architecture of The Broad .  READ MORE

Laurel & Hardy Rare Early Silent Shorts

El Segundo
The Old Town Music Hall presents a collection of silent short films by comic greats Laurel & Hardy. All of the silent shorts are accompanied with live music from the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ. READ MORE

Circus Vargas: The Greatest of Ease (Woodland Hills)

Woodland Hills
The Circus is in town! Circus Vargas is raising its tent in Woodland Hills.  Circus Vargas’ 50th anniversary extravaganza is an homage to the golden era of circus in America. READ MORE

Kiddee Matinees

Hollywood
On Saturdays and Sundays, families can catch a matinee screening of a kid-friendly movie at the New Beverly Cinema.   READ MORE

Anaheim 5 de Mayo Fiesta

Anaheim
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated every year at La Palma Park in the City of Anaheim. The fest is filled with live music, dance performances, carnival rides, games, and lots of delicious food. Food and games are cash only. ATMs are available.  READ MORE

Cinco de Mayo at the Citadel

Commerce
The Citadel celebrates Cinco de Mayo weekend with traditional folklorico performances in Center Court. The 15-minute performances are presented on the hour from 12noon to 3pm.  READ MORE
Broad Museum Family Weekend Workshop. Photo courtesy of the museum
Broad Museum Family Weekend Workshop. Photo courtesy of the museum

SATURDAY MAY 4

Free Comic Book Day 2024

Multiple Locations
Pow! Crash! Boom!  Getting comic books for free is...super! Free Comic Book Day returns on its usual first Saturday in May date. READ MORE

YALLWEST

Santa Monica
Y'all come west now, to hear a bunch of great YA authors and more. YALLWEST celebrates books, film, TV, and art related to young adult literature. READ MORE

Obama Blvd Naming Ceremony & Street Festival

Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw
Barack Obama is getting his own street! The City of Los Angeles officially unveils Obama Boulevard in honor of our 44th President. READ MORE

Bird LA Day

Multiple Venues
Nature lovers can join Bird LA, Audubon California, Audubon chapters, and a huge collection of other cool groups for a super fun, de-centralized, all-day celebration of birds all over LA County. READ MORE

LA Sanitation East Valley Yard Open House

Sun Valley
The East Valley Yard in Sun Valley offers the first chance of the season to see LA's garbage trucks up close.  Trash fans can honk the horns, take a tour of the can warehouse, and see the maintenance facilities. Food and drink are served.   READ MORE

Historical Venice Cinco de Mayo Parade/Festival 2024

Venice
Venice's Historic Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival celebrates Mexican American Heritage and the city’s cultural diversity. The event is free and family-friendly. READ MORE

Cinco de Mayo Parade & Celebration (Gardena)

Gardena
Gardena celebrates Cinco de Mayo with an annual parade and all-day celebration. The Grand Marshal is meteorologist Belen de Leon of NBC4 Today in LA. The Community Grand Marshal is Victor Escobar, a Gardena Valley Lions member. READ MORE

March for Science: Exposition

Pasadena
From the folks who brought us The March for Science comes March for Science: Exposition, a science exposition in Victory Park. READ MORE

Home Depot Kids Workshops

Multiple Locations
Home Depot offers a free monthly workshop for kids ages 5 - 12. The workshops teach basic DIY skills and tool safety. Kids go home with their craft and a free Kids Workshop apron, commemorative pin, and certificate of achievement.    Kits are available first come first serve.  READ MORE

Rancho Days Fiesta

Lake Forest
The rich history of Orange County’s rancho era is explored through hands-on activities, crafts, music, and dance. READ MORE

Family Matinees at the Vista Theatre

Los Feliz
I have the map! I have the map! And the day after tomorrow... The world! A young boy joins up with a group of Time Bandits who have a map that allows them to travel to different points in time, meeting up with Robin Hood, Napoleon, and ultimately a dark Time Lord in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits. READ MORE

Carson Cinco de Mayo Celebration

Carson
Carson's Cinco de Mayo Celebration features live music by Banda Vallarta Show, Vilma Diaz y La Sonora, Mariachi Santa Monica, and more. Throughout the event guests can enjoy live entertainment, a kids area, food and vendor booths, a car show and adult beverage garden. READ MORE

2nd Annual SMC STEM Festival

Santa Monica
SMC celebrates Earth Week with a family-friendly STEM Festival. This fun & free public event for all ages features interactive demos, activities, and experiments, as well as a lecture in the Planetarium. READ MORE

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

San Clemente
Orange County's Spanish Village by the Sea puts on its annual festival celebrating el Cinco de Mayo with plenty of traditional music, food, face painting, and other family entertainment READ MORE

Author Appearance: Tiffani Thiessen, Brady Smith

Fairfax
Actress, chef, and author Tiffani Thiessen and her husband, actor, illustrator, and fine artist Brady Smith visit Barnes & Noble at the Grove in celebration of their children's book You're Missing It!  READ MORE

Teddy Bear Concert - Meet the String Family

Eagle Rock
At these concerts, kids are welcome... and so are favorite teddy bears! July's concert introduces the String Family. READ MORE

Eat See Hear

North Hollywood
Eat See Hear screens favorite films on the "largest outdoor movie screen West of the Mississippi," featuring the only 52-foot wide image on an outdoor screen in LA, with full digital, high-definition projection and audio every week. This year's film selections include Jurassic Park and Ratatouille. READ MORE

Agoura Hills Movies in the Park

Agoura Hills
Families are invited to watch movies under the stars in Reyes Adobe Park.  All movies are free and start at dusk.  The first film of the season is Top Gun: Maverick. READ MORE
Fiesta Matsuri participants enjoying a skull candy decorating workshop. Photo by Scott Oshima
Fiesta Matsuri participants enjoying a skull candy decorating workshop. Photo by Scott Oshima

SUNDAY MAY 5

Hollywood Bowl Single Event Tickets On Sale

Online and in Hollywood
What do you want to see at the Bowl this summer?   READ MORE

SoCalMoms Community Play Day - May 2019

Pasadena
SoCalMoms visits Southern California Children's Museum for its monthly Community Play Day. READ MORE

VegFest

Van Nuys
VegFest Los Angeles is an annual vegan food and music outdoor festival that features plenty of fun for kids. READ MORE

Fiesta Matsuri

Little Tokyo
Fiesta Matsuri combines the Children's Day celebration of two communities - the Japanese Kodomo no Hi and Dia de los Ninos from Mexico. Both holidays celebrate the growth, happiness, and success of children.  READ MORE

Family Flicks at the Hammer

Westwood
UCLA's Hammer Museum presents a free family screening each month.  October's film Microcosmos takes a closeup look at the hidden world of insects and other tiny creatures.  READ MORE

Sundays in the Park with Camp Alonim and AJU

Brandeis
Sundays in the Park returns to the Brandeis-Bardin Campus, a 2,700-acre playground in Simi Valley. The fun-filled day includes a wide range of activities including riding horses, feeding the goats, climbing the Alpine Tower, exploring STEAM (Science, Teva, Earth, Animals, Mensches), arts and crafts, and playing on the swings. READ MORE

Cinco de Mayo Family Day

Downtown
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes celebrates Cinco de Mayo with a fun and free family day featuring theatrical performances, music, hands-on workshops, and more. Guest performers include DJ Ani & DJ Sol. READ MORE

Cinco de Doggo

Long Beach
This Cinco de Mayo fest is for the dogs:  they're invited, as long as they get along well with others*. READ MORE

Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration (Monterey Park)

Monterey Park
The City of Monterey Park’s Cinco de Mayo celebration highlights the sights, sounds, and magic of Mexico. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Santa Monica High School
Intersection of Rodeo Rd. & King Blvd.
Multiple Locations throughout LA
Oakwood Recreation and Park
Heritage Hill Historical Park
Rotating Locations: Santa Monica High School
Southern California Children's Museum
Japanese American Cultural & Community Center