Photo by Sundogg via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr FESTIVAL Stop by the Santa Monica Pier for a Celebration for the Arts pier party today and tomorrow. There will be a lot of stuff to do and see including live silkscreening by Alternative Apparel, Guitar Hero contests, Improv, celebrity appearances, and of course lots of live free music. All proceeds benefit the arts. 11 a.m. // Santa Monica Pier // 350 Santa......

Photo by kpe II via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr LAUGH USC’s improv troupe 2nd Nature hosts their 5th Annual Fracas Improv Festival at USC today. Groups from around the country perform, members of the Upright Citizens Brigade and other professional comedians host workshops all day, and several famous comedians make appearances like Ed Helms of The Office. 1 p.m. // USC // Figueroa and Expedition, Los Angeles // Free ART David......

Photo by Jonathan Alcorn (sundogg) via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr You can find all kinds of stuff on eBay, from trash to treasure, and so long as you are the highest bidder and can cough up the shipping fee, it's yours. How'd you like to be the proud new owner of a piece of local history, in the form of the nine-story ferris wheel from Santa Monica's Pacific Park? And, hey, cool factor:......

LA cyclists are joining LA City Council President Eric Garcetti on a bike ride in support of Obama. Cyclists will gather at the Eco-Village on February 2 at 11:00 am for a leisurely ride through Silver Lake and ending in Elysian Valley with snacks and the opportunity to help with some campaign phone banking. Cyclists in search of Leadership have to search hard to find Presidential hopefuls who support cycling and walking as transportation solutions......

How we love thee RIDE-Arc. You showed us a good time on a Friday night. You got nerdy on us. You got on sweaty with us. You rode long into the night with us. This past Friday, RIDE-Arc, a monthly event on the first Friday that combines night time bicycle riding with architectural themed tours, led a green tour of sustainable buildings, communities and ideas. The near 3-hour tour that began at City Hall......

These races are more than just running and biking. These races are dirty, wet, bouncy, life-changing and fun. LAist has four picks of local(ish) races in the next upcoming year to gear up for: Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run Next Race: October 20, 2007 Location: Camp Pendleton (Oceanside, CA) Website: www.camppendletonraces.com Tips: Sells Out Extremely Fast. Another three races will be held in June of 2008 in which race registration will begin in......

Matt Silverberg rode from San Francisco to Los Angeles on a bike with 2300 other cyclists earlier this month to raise money and awareness for AIDS and he filmed his experience. This year, AIDS/LifeCycle 6 surpassed goals and raised 11 million. What will ALC7 do next June 1st through 8th? We don't know, but we're planning on riding along on the adventure.......