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Tug of War, watermelon-style! Photo courtesy of The Watermelon Festival
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6/27/19 - By Toby B

I can see you're a little confused. Strange things are afoot, and then even stranger ones. The night sky is going boom boom boom, and there's pretty colors everywhere. But while we are no doubt a country filled with patriots, this is not the time we celebrate our independence.

Perhaps this is a dry run, a practice session for all the liberty festing to come. Or perhaps it's all a comedy of errors, some kind of he said/ she said, but he was really a she farce.

Regardless, I know this: pirates and mermaids are invading Long Beach, cats are invading Pasadena, and it's watermelon mayhem in Lake View Terrace. The Cayton is opening in its new home at Santa Monica Place. People are taking to the streets, and they are colorful, and they are crafting. This weekend is a gem; it's magical, and we are winning.

Keep reading for our best, if somewhat strange, picks for this weekend.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

2023 Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival

Griffith Park
Lord, what fools these mortals be!  But not so foolish as they would miss the final weekend of  A Midsummer Night's Dream in Griffith Park. READ MORE

CatCon

Pasadena
Imagine Comic-Con...but for cats. Or, more accurately, cat lovers (since your pet felines are not invited). The weekend features celebrity cats, adoptable cats, cat products, cat experts, and anything else with "cat" in the title. READ MORE

Pirate Invasion Festival

Long Beach
Hundreds of costumed pirates (and three pirate ships) descend on Harry Bridges Memorial Park, accompanied by a colony of mermaids, for two days of all things seaworthy at the Biggest Pirate Fest in the West. This year, the team added a pub crawl for guests 21 and over.  READ MORE

57th Annual Watermelon Festival

Lake View Terrace
The Watermelon Festival serves up a ton of fun in its new location at the Hansen Dam Soccer Park Complex in Lake View Terrace. All day fun includes carnival rides and attractions, "The Watermelon Games" competition, entertainment, a Kids Zone, and more.  READ MORE

Annual Fiesta of Gems Show

Culver City
The Fiesta of Gems Show is a free educational event for the community which provides fossils, gems and mineral exhibits, and demonstrations. Children can enjoy games and a Kid's Zone. This year's featured gemstone is turquoise. READ MORE

Riviera Village Summer Festival

Redondo Beach
This three day street festival in Riviera Village features over 300 exhibitors, high end arts and crafts booths, a beer & wine garden, and live entertainment throughout the day. In addition, there is an international food court and carnival rides for the kids. Admission is free! READ MORE

San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple Obon

Pacoima
The San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple Obon is one of the largest Buddhist gatherings in Los Angeles. Participate in Japanese Obon Odori dancing and enjoy other cultural and ethnic experiences, such as taiko drum performances, Japanese calligraphy, doll exhibits, and a variety of tasty ethnic foods. READ MORE

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

El Segundo
James Cagney shows his song-and-dance side in this biography of George M. Cohan, who wrote such classic songs as "Over There," "Give My Regards to Broadway," and "You're a Grand Old Flag." READ MORE

Sawdust Art & Craft Festival

Laguna Beach
The Sawdust Art & Craft Festival, which dates back to the 1960s, offers a chance to enjoy the fine arts and crafts of Laguna Beach artists.  READ MORE

Stranger Things 3 Fun Fair

Santa Monica
Something strange is happening on Santa Monica Pier - the Stranger Things 3 Fun Fair. READ MORE
Beep Beep! It's West LA Yard Open House time. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment
Beep Beep! It's West LA Yard Open House time. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment

SATURDAY JUNE 29

Kidical Mass Rainbow Ride

Santa Monica
Kidical Mass hosts a Rainbow Ride as part of Pride Month.  The ride is rainbow themed, with free rainbow sunglasses, free breakfast, decorating activities and Rainbow Pizza after the ride. Riders are encouraged to dress up in rainbow gear! READ MORE

Independence Day Celebration at The International Printing Museum

Carson
The International Printing Museum kicks off Independence Day celebrations with a day of activities. READ MORE

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert

Hollywood
The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra accompanies Harry Potter as he searches for the secret behind his terrible nightmares.  The score to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is performed live-to-picture. READ MORE

LA Sanitation & Environment 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.  READ MORE

Game On! Event

Multiple Locations
Game-loving young readers are invited to a fun free event at Barnes and Noble. Kids can elevate their gaming skills with info-packed guides and activities at this interactive event.* READ MORE

FIFA Women's World Cup Screenings

Beverly Hills
World Cup fans can watch the FIFA Women’s World Cup final rounds at The Paley Center. Goal! Games are shown on a movie sized screen with comfortable seating. READ MORE

A Very Special Story Time for The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Santa Monica
The Fairview Library celebrates the 50th anniversary of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Kids can listen to a reading of the book and other Eric Carle favorites, followed by a special craft. READ MORE

Norton Simon Garden Party

Pasadena
The Norton Simon Museum’s annual garden party celebrates the start of summer. Guests can spend an evening exploring the sights and sounds of the Sculpture Garden, inspired by Monet garden at Giverny.  READ MORE

Launch Party & Book Signing with Karol Ruth Silverstein

West LA
Karol Ruth Silverstein visits Children's Book World to celebrate Cursed, her debut novel. READ MORE

My PlayClub Playdate

Griffith Park
Inclusion Matters, by Shane's Inspiration, invites children of all abilities to a free, inclusive play date. The June event is sponsored by fine folk from Disney. Guests get to experience the magic of the recently reopened Shane's Inspiration Inclusive Playground.  READ MORE

Library of the Year Celebration

Manhattan Beach
In celebration of being named 2019 Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal, LA County Library hosts a fun night with activities for the whole family, live music, and refreshments. READ MORE

Angels Post-Game Fireworks

Anaheim
The Angels' game ends with a bang on select Saturday nights—a fireworks kind of bang.   Some games may include additional promotions. READ MORE

NoHo Summer Nights: Concerts

North Hollywood
Free concerts are held in North Hollywood Park every other Saturday this summer.  READ MORE

Movies in the Park (Simi Valley)

Simi Valley
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 evenings at  Rancho Madera Community Park. The movies are paired with themed pre-show activities, such as youth friendly archery for Puss in Boots and visits with community heroes for DC League of Super-Pets. READ MORE

1776 (Frida)

Santa Ana
Before there was Hamilton,  there was 1776.  To get everyone in a revolutionary mood, the Frida Cinema screens the musical 1776. READ MORE

Torrance Movies in the Park 2023

Torrance
Movies begin at dusk (around 8pm) for these free movie screenings at parks in Torrance. Bring warm clothes, lawn chairs, and picnics.  READ MORE

Movies on the Lawn

Irvine
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

Shakespeare by the Sea 2023 - Point Fermin Park

San Pedro
To be or not to be... Shakespeare by the Sea. (To be, the answer is to be.) Shakespeare by the Sea returns to Point Fermin Park this summer. The two plays presented are Twelfth Night and Hamlet. READ MORE

Street Food Cinema 2024

Manhattan Beach; Glendale
It's good Kenough:  Street Food Cinema opens its 2024 with a screening of Barbie under the stars at the Autry Museum. READ MORE

Eat See Hear

Elysian Park
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

Huntington Beach Free Movie Series

Huntington Beach
Never name a street dog. They’ll follow you forever. Like to the free screening of Coco at Murdy Park. READ MORE
Family art workshop at Barnsdall Art Sundays. Photo courtesy of Barnsdall Art Park Foundation
Family art workshop at Barnsdall Art Sundays. Photo courtesy of Barnsdall Art Park Foundation

SUNDAY JUNE 30

The Cayton Children's Museum Opening

Santa Monica
Get ready to play: the Cayton Children's Museum opens in its new home at Santa Monica Place Mall, offering hands-on play exhibits and cultural programs for children and families. READ MORE

CicLAvia - Mid City Meets Pico Union

CicLAvia connects Mid City and Pico Union with a four-mile route of open streets for people to experience our public streets in a transformative, car-free way.  CicLAvia is free to attend; participants are encouraged to jog, ride, bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, or spectate along the route. READ MORE

Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks

Leimert Park
The annual Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks is a daylong event of mask making, life-sized puppets, art, food, music, and the discovery of the African history and culture of the surrounding communities of Leimert Park. READ MORE

Family Sunday/ Kids Run the Bases: Angels

Anaheim
Kids (ages 5 - 12) can run the bases at Angel Stadium following select Angels Sunday home games. For more fun at Angel Stadium, ticket holders can visit the Family Sunday area located beneath the Right Field Pavilion for interactive games, arts and crafts areas as well as visits from local mascots. READ MORE

Fowler Families: Yoga for Little Travelers

Westwood
Little yogis and their families are invited to pack their bags and go on a whimsical journey to Guatemala during this year’s final yoga session.  READ MORE

Outdoor Art Moves

Westwood
Families can connect with art and nature at the UCLA Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden. Participants discover relationships between nature, art, and the creative process as choreographer/ movement director Zoe Rappaport guides families through movement activities. READ MORE

Stories in the Afternoon

Pasadena
Stories in the Afternoon uses stories to explore the world and subject matter of great paintings. Participants then create masterpieces of their own. Not ready for winter?  Neither is The Little Yellow Leaf, who doesn't want to fall from the tree in November's story. READ MORE

Native American Day Celebration

Burbank
Families can discover the history, culture and traditions of Native Americans, through crafts and activities for kids and adults, Native American food and Native dance.   READ MORE

Huntington Beach Concert Band Summer Concerts in the Park

Huntington Beach
Update: The closing concert on August 20 with the Wise Guys Big Band is canceled.  The Huntington Beach Concert Band Summer Concert series returns next summer! READ MORE

Concerts on the Green 2024

Woodland Hills
The summer concert series at Warner Center Park returns for the 2024 season.  READ MORE

Sierra Madre Concerts in the Park

Sierra Madre
The Sierra Madre Concerts in the Park series is held at the Memorial Park Bandshell on  Sunday evenings. Food is available on most concert dates.   READ MORE

South Pasadena Summer Concerts

South Pasadena
The City of South Pasadena hosts open-air concerts on select Sundays in Garfield Park.  Update: The concert scheduled for August 20 is being rescheduled due to the forecasted storm. Further info TBA. READ MORE

La Cañada Flintridge Music in the Park 2023

La Cañada Flintridge
La Cañada Flintridge's Music in the Park Summer Concert Series is held at Memorial Park during the summer on Sunday evenings. Featured bands play a variety of music including rock and roll, blues, reggae, and country. The series opens on Memorial Day Monday with Captain Cardiac & The Coronaries and continues through Labor Day weekend. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Griffith Park - site of the Old Zoo
Riviera Village
San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Cente
Multiple Barnes & Noble Locations, including Barnes & Noble at The Grove
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Various Parks, including Wilson Park
Rotating locations, including the Autry Museum
Rotating Locations: Santa Monica High School
Mid City to Pico Union - Multiple Hubs, including :
Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden