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Here Are the Things You Want To Do this Weekend in LA: Purim, Pokemon, and Irvine Railroad

Ride the rails with throwback anniversary prices. Photo courtesy of Irvine Park Railroad
Ride the rails with throwback anniversary prices. Photo courtesy of Irvine Park Railroad
2/24/21 - By Toby B

For a city still on lockdown, we sure have a heck of a lot of fun things to do. This weekend you can drive through Magic Mountain for a car-tastic experience, you can dive under the sea with your favorite angular sea sponge, and you can climb aboard for Irvine Railroad's annual fest.

It's time once again to pay tribute to LA icon Bob Baker as his puppets take over Union Station and from there the entire city. Tom & Jerry are taking over NYC in their new feature film, which you can see at your house or at a drive-in. There are celebrations for African American History month, camellias and cute kids, and the music of Pokemon (with Post Malone!).  And break out the hamantaschen, because Purim is celebrated with both virtual and in-person events.

There are more fresh and fun ways to engage your kids with Poppins@Home: It's a wonderful world of wizards with Snapology, Brick Art & Design teaches kids how to create museum-worthy masterpieces, and littles can learn their ABC's and the laws of science with Science Through the Alphabet.

Keep reading for even more fun and festive things to do...

While we are trying to promote safer activities that occur outdoors or with social distancing guidelines in place, please keep your family and others safe by always wearing a mask and maintaining an appropriate distance. If you arrive at an event that appears too crowded, try using the “nearby” search feature on our Event Calendar to find something else to do.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Drive-thru an Under the Sea Road Trip Adventure with SpongeBob. Image courtesy of Paramount Plus
Drive-thru an Under the Sea Road Trip Adventure with SpongeBob. Image courtesy of Paramount Plus

Best Things To Do in LA this Week with Kids

An Under the Sea Road Trip Adventure with SpongeBob

February 27-28
Families can go on an under the sea road trip adventure with SpongeBob and friends! Paramount + hosts an in-vehicle drive-thru and drive-in screening experience. The kid-friendly journey goes through multiple experiential environments with digital interactions and photo ops along the way. READ MORE

Irvine Park Railroad Anniversary Celebration

February 27-28
We're gonna party like it's 1996! Irvine Park Railroad celebrates its 28th anniversary by rolling back to 1996 ticket prices. READ MORE

Drive-thru Cruis'n the Park Car Show at Magic Mountain

February 26-March 14
It's the final weekend at this Magic Mountain drive-thru experience. Guests cruise through the park from the comfort and safety of their own cars for a drive-thru auto show featuring more than 100 automotive displays, presented by world-famous West Coast Customs. READ MORE

Lunar New Year (Santa Monica Place)

Through February 27
Santa Monica Place’s Lunar New Year celebration returns with traditional Chinese lion dance performances, crafts for kids, and a Chinese dough artist. READ MORE

Open: LA Zoo

Daily
Get ready you crazy animals: the LA Zoo is now open! READ MORE

Street Food Cinema at Santa Monica Airport

Weekends
Street Food Cinema lands at Santa Monica Airport for a series of drive-in screenings. READ MORE

Drive-thru Fair Foodie Fest at the Rose Bowl

Weekends through March 14
We may not be able to do big fairs just yet, but that doesn't mean we have to go hungry. The drive-thru Fair Foodie Fest ends its stint at the Rose Bowl this weekend.  Fair food classics available for purchase include deep-fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and Krispy Kreme donut cheeseburgers. READ MORE

Open: South Coast Botanic Garden

Ongoing
The South Coast Botanic Garden invites visitors for some Hide and Seek! In this version, it's sculptures (from LACMA and the Garden's collection) that are hiding, waiting to be discovered. READ MORE

Jurassic Quest Drive-thru (Pomona)

February 19-28
Your car is a time machine back to prehistoric times at this over-the-top dinosaur attraction. More than 70 life-sized, animatronic dinos roar to life before your very eyes in life-like scenes sure to wow pint-sized dino lovers. READ MORE

Marina Drive-in Movie Series

February 12-27
The Marina Drive-in series allows moviegoers a chance to enjoy films by the sea and under the stars—all from the safety of their own cars. READ MORE

Electric Mile Drive-thru

Through February 28
Electric Mile is an immersive drive-thru journey through light, sound, and imagination, brought to life by the producer of electronic dance music festival Electric Daisy Carnival. With over 500 art installations and 5 million lights, it's a true feast for the senses. READ MORE

Open: Aquarium of the Pacific

Daily
Update: As of March 16, the Aquarium is fully reopening to 25% capacity. That means you can visit all your favorite areas: Tropical Pacific, Northern Pacific, Baja California, Shark Lagoon, Lorikeet Forest, and Pacific Visions areas. The Aquarium’s retail is open and food service is available, too. READ MORE

Carpool Jam Concert in the Parking Lot (Montclair)

Fridays and Saturdays
The music plays on at The Canyon in Montclair, with twice weekly drive-in concerts in the parking lot featuring a broad range of tribute bands. READ MORE

Heritage Square Museum Self Guided Walking Tours

Weekends
Heritage Square Museum is open for outdoor, self-guided walking tours. With a disposable printed guide in hand, guests can view the lovely historic buildings from the outside, stroll through the beautiful museum grounds, and take a look at the garden in progress. READ MORE

The Plant Drive-In

Ongoing
Regency Plant Theatre in Van Nuys hosts drive-in screenings of classics and current releases. Starting March 31 is the new movie, Godzilla vs Kong. READ MORE

Electric Dusk Drive-In 2024

Ongoing
Electric Dusk Drive-In offers two options for movie viewing: in your car or sitting on a lawn chair in the Astroturf section. Movies are shown on a giant inflatable screen.   READ MORE

The Drive-In at Exposition Park

Weekends
The Drive-In at Exposition Park presents curated films with a focus on women, BIPOC & LGBTQ voices. Guests, legendary filmmakers, DJs, and a host of other experiences promise to make each visit a unique event. READ MORE
This year's African-American Festival is virtual. Photo courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific
This year's African-American Festival is virtual. Photo courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific

Top Virtual Events this Week

Virtual African-American Festival

February 27
The Aquarium of the Pacific hosts its 19th annual African-American Festival as a virtual online celebration, streaming live from the aquarium. READ MORE

Bob Baker Day

February 27
LA's iconic Bob Baker Marionette Theater holds its annual Bob Baker Day celebration virtually for 2021. The day honors the late great puppeteering legend Bob Baker, a beloved pioneer in the field of puppetry. READ MORE

Temple Judea Recycled Purim Shpiel

February 25
Tarzana's Temple Judea reuses ... er, make that recycles its greatest hits of Purim Shpiels. Home viewers can relive favorite TJ Purim Shpiel moments live, such as Chamilton and Megillah on the Roof. READ MORE

IKAR Purim 2021: Heroes Wear Masks

February 25
Mid-Wilshire's IKAR hosts "an evening of hilarity and revelry" in celebration of Purim on Zoom. READ MORE

PetSpace Pals - Live Online Puppet Show

February 25
Adorable pup and sassy cat puppets and their PetSpace pals act out a variety of stories for the whole family. This 20-minute program keeps kids entertained as they learn a thing or two about the world of adoptable animals.   READ MORE

Premiere: Tom & Jerry

February 26
Iconic cat and mouse team Tom and Jerry are at it again in a new feature film that blends live action with classic animation. Tom & Jerry debuts on HBO Max and in theaters on February 26. READ MORE

Pokémon Day Virtual Concert

February 26
Pokémon teams up with Post Malone for a Pokémon Day virtual concert. READ MORE

Virtual Camellia Festival

February 27
The Temple City Camellia Festival presents a virtual parade event on Facebook Live honoring the theme "Everyday Heroes."  (We certainly know a lot of those these days!) READ MORE

Virtual Bonsai-A-Thon

February 27
The Golden State Bonsai Federation presents its annual Huntington Bonsai-A-Thon virtually this year. READ MORE

Free Gaming Workshops for Parents

February 24-28
ID Tech offers free workshops to help parents become savvy about the games their kids are playing. READ MORE

Virtual Afro-Latinx Festival

February 16 - 28
The Museum of Latin American Art celebrates the cultural diversity of the Americas and the African influence in Latin America. READ MORE

Virtual Chinese New Year Festival (Bowers)

February 28
The Bowers Museum celebrates Chinese New Year with a virtual festival that is live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. The Year of the Tiger is celebrated with dragon and lion dances and traditional performances from China. READ MORE

Historic Belmar Park Virtual Grand Opening

February 28
A new park is opening in Santa Monica (in real life) and we can all get together to celebrate (virtually). READ MORE
We heard from readers that octopi are lurking in the tide pools right now. Photo by Mommy Poppins
We heard from readers that octopi are lurking in the tide pools right now. Photo by Mommy Poppins

More Things To Do in Los Angeles this February

California Reopening: Everything Families Need To Know

It's the completely comprehensive list you've been waiting for. READ MORE

The Best Tide Pools for Kids To Explore in and around LA and OC

Discover the underwater worlds that lurk under the sea. READ MORE

Snow Play Near Los Angeles: 16 Places LA Families Can Pretend It's Winter

People in other places survive winter; Angelenos visit it. READ MORE

The Best Playgrounds in Los Angeles: They’re Even Worth Crossing the 405

These amazing playgrounds are worth braving traffic! READ MORE

Hollywood's Museum of Illusions: Where Kids Can Defy the Laws of Gravity and Physics

Giant, upside down, or 3D—it's all an illusion. READ MORE

The Best Parks in LA Where Kids Can Run and Play

Looking for some fresh air and social distance? Try these gorgeous green parks. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Santa Monica Airport Interim Open Space
Marina del Rey Parking Lot 2
Glendale Old Sears Parking Lot
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Lawn