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Enjoy the pageantry of the Holiday Boat Parade in Boynton Beach. Photo courtesy of the event
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Kayaking is one of the many outdoor activities available at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park.
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The Venetian Pool in Coral Gables features 820,000 gallons of water fed from an underground aquifer. Photo courtesy of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
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The splash pad at Sugar Land Park is on another level of fun! Photo courtesy of Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District
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Get close to underwater creatures at the Frost Science Museum's massive aquarium. Photo by Jackie Jones
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Zoo Tampa has lush tropical exhibits that will leave visitors in awe. Photo courtesy of the zoo
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The secluded St. Augustine Beach is a perfect respite from daily life. Photo Photo by Mancy Carter
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Anclote Key, made up of four islands off the Gulf Coast's Tarpon Springs, is a popular gathering place for boaters. Photo courtesy Visit St. Pete-Clearwater
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Weekend Fun for LA Kids: OC Fair, AstroFest, and World Cup Finals

AstroFest. Photo courtesy of City of Astronomy
AstroFest. Photo courtesy of City of Astronomy
7/12/18 - By Toby B

World Cup fans have it easy this weekend. Just two choices (that's France or Croatia for those of you keeping score). Pick a side; you root for one team or you root for the other. There is the question of where you watch the game—more than two choices there—but other than that? Easy peasy.

Everyone else, though, by gosh there are a lot of decisions to make. Do you go to the Orange County Fair?  Is your adventure defined by riding the rails or blasting off into space? How do you choose between a 24th anniversary or a brand new opening? I wouldn't call it an emergency exactly (unless you are fans of the 1970s hit tv show Emergency! in which case you definitely want to go to the latter).

Side with the Greeks. Side with the Trojans. Side with ice cream. (We all scream for ice cream.) You can walk the dinosaur, or walk like an Egyptian, or maybe just go for a walk on the beach. (With books) There are a whole lotta choices, and not one of them is wrong.

The following are some of our best picks for the weekend, the choice is yours....

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Summer night at the fair! Photo courtesy of OC Fair & Event Center
Summer night at the fair! Photo courtesy of OC Fair & Event Center

ALL WEEKEND

Orange County Fair

Costa Mesa
The Orange County Fair is back, and this year's theme is "Always a Good Time!" Highlights of the fair include animals, tons of food, carnival rides, art exhibits, and more. Carnival ride tickets are $1 each, and unlimited-ride wristbands are available for $44 for Wednesdays or Thursdays at the fair.  READ MORE

42nd Lotus Festival

Echo Park
Every year the Lotus Festival highlights a different Asian or Pacific Island country to promote and educate the community about the country and its culture. This year, the event celebrates the people of The Philippines. Families enjoy the dragonboat races, children's area, food court, lantern launches, handcrafted artwork, and more.  READ MORE

South Bay Greek Festival

Redondo Beach
Opa! The South Bay Greek Festival offers a weekend of Greek music, dancing, and food. READ MORE

2024 Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival

Griffith Park
All the world's a stage, including Griffith Park. Free Shakespeare returns to Griffith Park for a full summer of theater under the stars. This year the festival puts on one show: As You Like It.   READ MORE

CCPT Children's Theatre in the Park: Gideon and the Blundersnorp

Culver City
Culver City Public Theatre's annual children's production in the park is performed on Saturdays and Sundays from July 13 to August 4. This year's production is Gideon and the Blundersnorp, a unique and inventive family musical which was a hit at the Hollywood Fringe Festival several years ago. READ MORE

Skirball Family Amphitheater Performances

West LA
A summer favorite at the Skirball returns, offering family-friendly entertainment in the amphitheater. This year’s series features artists who use the power of performance to enliven our city and the people who call LA home.  READ MORE

Pageant of the Masters

Laguna Beach
Actors, designers, and a full orchestra recreate great works of art as living pictures in a hillside amphitheater under the stars in the Pageant of the Masters, Laguna's signature nightly summertime event. READ MORE

LevittLA Summer Concert Series in MacArthur Park

Downtown
They're back! LevittLA once again brings a series of free summer concerts to MacArthur Park. All of this summer's concerts are on Saturday nights. Performers come from a range of genres including cumbia, rock, ska, alternative and indie rock, soul and funk, and reggae. READ MORE
Summer Train Fest at Union Station. Photo by Alex Gillman
Summer Train Fest at Union Station. Photo by Alex Gillman

SATURDAY, July 14

Saturday Morning Stories and More

West LA - Antoinette Portis
Erin go bookstore! Luke Robertson visits Children's Book World for a St. Patrick's Day storytime. Every Saturday morning Children's Book World offers free children's entertainment March 2020 schedule:      March 7: Andrew & Polly Mini-Concert (all ages) March 14: St. Patrick’s Day Storytime with Luke Robertson (ages 4 – 7) March 21: Kevin Noble Maillard Storytime & Signing (ages 3 – 7) March 28: Roda Ahmed Launch Party & Signing (ages 4 –... READ MORE

SMPL at the Beach

Santa Monica
Talk about fun in the sun! SMPL offers a seaside storytime, nautical crafts, a curated collection of beach reads, and games like bocce and ladder toss. READ MORE

Norton Simon Family Day: Summer at the Seaside

Pasadena
Hot enough for you?  Norton Simon visitors can beat the summer heat while viewing artworks that capture majestic views of the beach and sea. Participants then create artworks of their own in the lower-level courtyard, with inspiration from seaside paintings by artists like Louis-Eugène Boudin, Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet. READ MORE

Summer Music Series (Del Amo)

Torrance
Every second Saturday this summer, Del Amo Fashion Center offers an afternoon of live music, food and drink samples, outdoor games, and more in its Outdoor Village. READ MORE

A Faery Hunt in Sherwood Forest - Simi Valley

Simi Valley
Faery Trail Theater's interactive children's show leads audiences through trails and groves in Sherwood Forest (where the classic movie Robin Hood was filmed) on a fun and gentle quest in Fairyland.  READ MORE

AMC Theatres Sensory Friendly Films

Multiple Locations - Ant-Man And The Wasp
Select AMC Theatres show current releases in a special monthly screening for families affected by autism. The program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment. READ MORE

Campfire Programs at Malibu Creek State Park

Calabasas
Malibu Creek State Park offers free informative one-hour programs in the campground amphitheater on Saturday evenings this season.  In July,  you'd have to be a cold-hearted snake not to love a visit with the Reptile Family! READ MORE

Old Pasadena Summer Cinema

Pasadena
The free summer movie series closes out with screenings of Zootopia and Nacho Libre. READ MORE

Simi Valley Movies in the Park

Simi Valley - The Nut Job 2
Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District  shows films under the stars in two locations this summer: the opening night at Oak Canyon Community Park and the remaining two evenings at Rancho Madera Community Park. The movies are paired with themed pre-show activities. READ MORE

Movies on the Lawn

Irvine - The Greatest Showman
Families can enjoy an outdoor movie experience under the stars at the Orange County Great Park. Bring your own low-back beach chair, blanket, and snacks. Food and light refreshments are available for purchase. READ MORE

City of Inglewood‎ Movies in the Park

Inglewood - The Incredibles
The City of Inglewood hosts free family-friendly movies in a variety of outdoor locations. The evenings include pre-show activities including a magic show, a karate demonstration and other games and activities. Guests should bring blankets and lawn chairs. Food trucks offer food for purchase. READ MORE

Marina Del Rey Free Movie Nights

Marina Del Rey - La La Land
Free outdoor movie nights return to Marina Del Rey's Burton Chace Park. The waterfront park makes a lovely setting for a picnic to watch films under the stars. Fire up the DeLorian for the opening night film, Back to the Future 2. READ MORE

Downtown Stage Saturday Concert Series

Downtown - The Bangles
Parents should know: this year's concert series in ​Pershing Square is restricted to 21 and older. READ MORE

Meet Me at Reed on Eco-Friendly Day

Santa Monica - String Theory
Families are invited to play, meet neighbors, and enjoy eco-friendly games and activities led by Santa Monica Community Recreation. Kid-friendly entertainment includes a pop up cardboard playground, reptile displays, and community garden workshops. Food trucks are also on hand. READ MORE

Saturdays Off the 405

West LA - FEELS
The Getty Center offers outdoor music and evening views of the city at its signature Saturdays Off the 405. The summer evening concerts feature performances by emerging bands and DJs. READ MORE

NoHo Summer Nights: Concerts

North Hollywood - Raymond Michael-Elvis Tribute
Free concerts are held in North Hollywood Park every other Saturday this summer.  READ MORE

Redondo Beach Summer Music Festival 2024

Redondo Beach - Dark Desert Highway
The free concerts on Redondo Beach Pier come with an added bonus: the chance to see the sun set over the ocean. Thursday night concerts feature tribute bands. READ MORE

Monrovia Summer Concerts in the Park: Saturday Concerts

Monrovia - Bumptown
On Saturdays, Monrovia's Summer Concerts are at Station Square Park. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. READ MORE

Concerts by the Sea on the LA Waterfront

Wilmington
The Grammy-winning Mariachi Divas return to the LA Waterfront for a one-night performance at Wilmington Waterfront Park. READ MORE
Photo courtesy of Music for Autism
Photo courtesy of Music for Autism

SUNDAY, July 15

From Dinosaurs to People

Santa Ana
Heritage Museum of Orange County invites families to relive Orange County's past, all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs! The day is filled with roaming dinosaur characters, Jurassic Park Jeeps, fossils, paleontologists, archaeology, crafts, Blacksmith shop demos, immersive education stalls, food/dessert trucks and booths, gold panning, tortoise racing and themed photo ops. READ MORE

Pop-Up Studio: Dreams for Your Neighborhood

Westwood
Hammer visitors can visualize dreams for their neighborhoods with Made in L.A. 2018 artist Lauren Halsey. READ MORE

Zimmer Sunday Family Programs

Mid-Wilshire - National Ice Cream Day
There's a monster at the end of this museum!  (Not to scare you, but I think it may be you.) READ MORE

Kids Run the Bases - Dodgers Home Game

Echo Park - Dodgers vs. Angels
Kids ages 5-14 get to run the bases after most daytime Dodger home games on Sundays.    READ MORE

Huntington Beach Concert Band Summer Concerts in the Park

Huntington Beach - Ginger & The Hoosier Daddys
The Summer Series is held at the Thomas Ridley Concert Bandstand behind Huntington Beach Central Library.   Free dance lessons are offered before select shows. Picnic dinners and beach chairs are welcome. READ MORE

Sizzlin' Summer Concert Series

Irvine - The Reflexx (New Wave)
The summer sizzles at Irvine's free family-friendly concert series in Mike Ward Community Park. Admission is free and no tickets nor pre-registration is required for first-come, first-served seating READ MORE

Laguna Beach's 2024 Music in the Park

Laguna Beach
Bluebird Park in Laguna Beach offers free family-friendly concerts on Sundays throughout the summer.   READ MORE

Concerts on the Green 2024

Woodland Hills - DSB Tribute to Journey
The summer concert series at Warner Center Park returns for the 2024 season.  Swifties can unite at the penultimate concert, featuring Taylor Swift tribute Blank Space. READ MORE

Manhattan Beach Summer Concerts in the Park 2024

Manhattan Beach - Jamisen Jarvis/ The PettyBreakers
Manhattan Beach's concerts in Polliwog Park come to a close with the Blue Breeze Band, playing Motown, R&B, Jazz, funk and more. READ MORE

South Pasadena Summer Concerts

South Pasadena - Phat Cat Swinger
The City of South Pasadena hosts open-air concerts on select Sundays in Garfield Park.  READ MORE

Sun Sets Concert Series at Calabasas Lake 2024

Calabasas - Cold Duck
Families set up and picnic before concerts on the Calabasas Lake Greenbelt adjacent to the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center. READ MORE

Silents Under the Stars

Agoura Hills
The tradition of classic silent films screening under the stars with live musical accompaniment continues in the Santa Monica Mountains.  Harold Lloyd is in Hot Water in August's film when his mother-in-law accompanies Lloyd and his wife on a drive in their new automobile.  Note: Paramount Ranch currently has limited access due to construction, so the 37th edition of “Silents Under the Stars” takes place at the nearby King Gillette Ranch READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Orange County Fair & Event Center
Griffith Park - site of the Old Zoo
AMC Theatres - Participating Locations
Old Pasadena - Multiple Locations, including One Colorado
Various locations in Inglewood, including North Park
Reed Park, just north of Miles Memorial Playhouse
Wilmington Waterfront Park
Heritage Museum of Orange County
Mike Ward Community Park - Woodbridge
The Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center