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Weekend Fun for LA Kids: Lummis Day, Nick Gabaldon, and The Great Big Day of Play

Photo courtesy of Nick Gabaldon Day
Photo courtesy of Nick Gabaldon Day
5/29/19 - By Toby B

If we had had confidence that there was nothing to do this weekend, we would have said so. But we did not. Because there isn't not. By which we mean to say there is. Lots to do this weekend. As full a calendar you're likely to see, to be surpassed only by next week's, and the one after that.

You may have heard tell that there was no illusion, no construction of golf greens, but the facts will show that there was and there are. We've laid it all out for you. We are not afraid to make waves. Or to surf them. If you want to know the facts of this coming weekend, check out the preponderance of events that can be found on our daily events calendar (conveniently sorted chronologically). The truth is out there if you're just willing to read. 

Of course, it's not our job to tell you what to do with your kids. You are the parents. You make those choices. And if your (correct) choice is to take them to a free outdoor concert at Pasadena City Hall that celebrates music that made the leap from Broadway to Hollywood, well all we can say then is bravo, encore, well done. Are you teaching your kids to put the steam in punk? You've turned this parenting thing into an art! Can we expect to see you at The Great Big Day of Play (of which Mommy Poppins is a humble media partner)? Well, then, cross out whatever picture is in the dictionary next to awesome parent, because your fresh-faced visage is what belongs there.

 Keep reading for our unredacted account of this weekend's worthiest picks...

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

Iron Horse - Family Steampunk Carnivale

Perris
At the intersection of sci fi, technology, and the Victorian era lies Steampunk. (You can get there by rail.) READ MORE

Dino Days

Lake Forest
This ain't no walk in the park. It's a walk in the park ...with dinosaurs! READ MORE

Lummis Day 2022

Multiple venues: Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Mount Washington
Lummis Day is a multi-site festival with music, dance, and poetry representing a wide range of cultures. The festival celebrates the arts, history, and ethnic diversity of Northeast Los Angeles. READ MORE

Disney's Aladdin (Live Action) (PG)

Hollywood
Jump on your magic carpet and head to the El Capitan:  after this weekend, the new live action Aladdin will disappear... like magic! READ MORE

Circus Vargas: The Greatest of Ease (Laguna Hills)

Laguna Hills
The Circus is in town! Circus Vargas is raising its tent in Laguna Hills.  Circus Vargas’ 50th anniversary extravaganza is an homage to the golden era of circus in America. READ MORE
Screenprinting. Photo courtesy of 18th Street Arts Center / Pico Block Party
Screenprinting. Photo courtesy of 18th Street Arts Center / Pico Block Party

SATURDAY JUNE 1

Nick Gabaldon Day

Santa Monica
Nick Gabaldon Day commemorates the life of the first documented surfer of African American and Mexican descent. The day includes beach activities and free surf lessons at the city's historic African American beach. Later in the day Santa Monica Pier Aquarium offers free admission and special activities. READ MORE

LA Sanitation & Environment North Central Yard Open House

Lincoln Heights
The Bureau of Sanitation Open House might not seem like everyone's idea of a fun Saturday, but to kids who are intrigued by garbage trucks it's a real hoot. And you might even go home with a fruit or shade tree. READ MORE

Wake Up with the Waves

Santa Monica
The final Wake Up with the Waves of the season is held on Saturday.   READ MORE

Home Depot Kids Workshops

Multiple Locations
Home Depot's free kids workshops truly deliver ...in this case, a Home Depot delivery truck! READ MORE

Pirate Day Festival

Ventura
Pirate Day at Ventura Arrrgggbor offers authentic Pirate experiences throughout Ventura Harbor Village. READ MORE

Hot Wheels Garage

El Segundo
Small car, big fun. The Automobile Driving Museum hosts another Hot Wheels Garage event. READ MORE

Sherman Oaks Galleria Kids Club

Sherman Oaks
All summer there are free shows for kids and their parents at the Sherman Oaks Galleria Kids Club, with a different entertainer each week. Favorites like Twinkle Time and The BeatBuds return. READ MORE

Planes of Fame Hangar Talk and Flying Demo

Chino
The featured plane in January is the Curtiss P-40N Warhawk. READ MORE

Pico Block Party

Santa Monica
18th Street Arts Center opens its campus to its community neighbors.  The event includes art-making workshops with professional artists, performances, open studios with resident artists, exhibitions, food trucks, artisanal local goods, and other creative activities. READ MORE

SummerFest on the Green

Cypress
Cypress kicks off summer with a free festival and screening of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, all on the Civic Center Green. READ MORE

Summer Reading Children's Kick-Off (Altadena Libraries)

Altadena
Altadena Library kicks off its 2023 Summer Reading program with a carnival-style launch party and a performance by the Bob Baker Marionettes. 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

Wild Wonder Family Slumber

Griffith Park
A sleepover at the LA Zoo? Talk about a wild night! READ MORE

Oak Park Community Game Night and Drive-In Movie

Oak Park
The fun starts with giant outdoor games, board games, and table tennis. Next up is a drive-in screening of Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. READ MORE

KIDZ BOP World Tour 2020

Hollywood
The KIDZ BOP kids are back with a new interactive show. Their performances feature some of today's most popular hit songs, sung by kids for kids. The 2020 Tour is canceled.   READ MORE

Movie in the Park (Agoura Hills)

Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills gets Independence Day weekend started with a free screening of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker in Chumash Park Guests can dress up as their favorite Star Wars characters for a chance to win a prize. READ MORE

Music Under the Stars

Pasadena
The Pasadena Symphony and POPS present a free concert under the stars at Pasadena City Hall. Resident POPS Conductor Larry Blank leads the orchestra in a celebration of the best of Broadway, featuring the music of Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cy Coleman, Stephen Schwartz and more.   READ MORE

Cinespia at Hollywood Forever

Hollywood
Hollywood Forever Cemetery offers a unique location to see outdoor movies, as Cinespia presents classic films on select days throughout the summer. The films are projected onto the walls of a mausoleum, which houses the earthly remains of departed Hollywood luminaries. READ MORE
Photo courtesy of Santa Monica Youth Orchestra
Photo courtesy of Santa Monica Youth Orchestra

SUNDAY JUNE 2

Great Big Family Play Day 2024

Griffith Park
Great Big Family Play Day returns bringing more great big family fun! Kids of all ages can enjoy two stages filled with live entertainment, character meet + greets, a Dino Exhibit covering 20,000 square feet of space, plus arts & crafts, create & build, sports & games, a bike course, local programs & camps, food, fun, swag and more  READ MORE

Annual RockSTAR Music Education Battle of the Bands

Hollywood
STAR Education hosts its Annual RockSTAR Music Education Battle of the Bands, as hard rockin' 6-12 year olds battle it out to earn the title of "Ultimate RockSTAR." Over 130 rock bands perform to celebrate the importance of music education in our schools.  READ MORE

Free Family Festival at the Bowers

Santa Ana
Welcome Spring! The Bowers celebrates Japanese culture and the coming season with free mochi, art projects, origami, and taiko. READ MORE

Bugs & Butterflies

Coto de Caza
It's all about the bugs... and the butterflies at the free educational event in the butterfly garden of Riley Wilderness Park. READ MORE

Mista Cookie Jar

Santa Monica
Mista Cookie Jar performs at McCabe's biweekly Sunday kids' concert series. Mom and Dad can sip free coffee while little ones get their groove on.   READ MORE

39th Annual Tustin Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off

Tustin
The annual Tustin Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off in Old Town includes the world's largest one-day Chili Cook-Off, salsa competitions, craft booths, non-profit food vendors, entertainment, a kids' area, wine & beer, and carnival attractions. READ MORE

Songs of the City with the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra

Westwood
Los Angeles is home to wide array of vibrant music traditions introduced by immigrants and travelers from all corners of the world. The Santa Monica Youth Orchestra (SMYO) World Ensemble, comprised of youth from across the city, explores the music of its global neighborhood.  READ MORE

Sunday Studio

Downtown
As part of MOCA Community Day, guests can write a letter to a particular person, a future generation, or to the public at large about a social or political change they want to see in the world, using classic typewriters and calligraphy. READ MORE

28th Annual Balboa Island Parade

Balboa Island
The annual Balboa Island Parade files down Marine Ave. on Sunday with star-spangled floats, festooned tricycles, marching bands, antique cars carrying local dignitaries, fire trucks, Keystone Cops, and gussied-up dogs in the island's biggest event of the summer. READ MORE

Andell Family Sunday: Palm Trees, Lamp Posts, & a Boulder

Mid-Wilshire
Did you know that the palm trees on the LACMA campus are a work of art? Visitors can learn about Primal Palm Garden and other large outdoor artworks, such as Urban Light and Levitated Mass, on a family-friendly tour.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Orange Empire Railway Museum
Multiple Locations, including Sycamore Grove Park
Planes of Fame Air Museum
City of Cypress Civic Center
Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park