The streets of Thai Town will once again be filled with celebration, food, activities, and fun on Sunday as the community gathers to celebrate Songkran--Thai New Year. Considered the biggest Thai cultural event outside of Thailand, Los Angeles' Thai Town will welcome locals as well as distinguished guests from all over the world to this annual event, now in its 7th year. more ›

As Sunset Junction Day 2 starts to wind down, everyone gets a relief from the sun with a slight breeze and some cloud cover. Bands like Build an Ark and Arrested Development make the corner of Santa Monica and Sunset Boulavard just a bit more cooler with their east coast brand of funk.
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Springtime can mean a renewal of the earth, and for the Thai people, it means their traditional New Year celebration called Songkran. The festival is about celebrating community, and visiting with friends, relatives, and elders. Luckily, Los Angeles boasts a significant population of residents with Thai heritage, and we can take part in the colorful and spirited celebration, no matter our background, so long as we can get ourselves over to Thai Town on Sunday to catch the fun. (There is a website, but it's all in Thai!) more ›

If the rain doesn't deter you from heading out today, there are some weekend-long festivals that might make it worth your time... Or you can hedge your bets and hang tight today and wait for Sunday--or in some cases Monday--to get in on the fun. more ›

This could be the end (maybe temporary end) of your local street festival, maybe even make your block party a bit more costly. It also could mean changes for major festivals like Sunset Junction. Yesterday, Karen Sisson, the Los Angeles City Administrative Officer (she's in charge of the money), told City Council that due to an increasing amount of financial concerns, they should "freeze all new spending and end the politically popular practice of... more ›

The old folks will blather on about what they think is wrong with Detour, but they're wrong, as always. The real problem is you have fenced off part of downtown LA, which is a weird concept but one we can roll with. But then you fence off part of the fenced off part for people who omg want to drink a beer. Other events do this too, but those events suck. Face it. Real... more ›

Your pets want the house to themselves today. Some of yesterday's festivals like Detour, NoHo Scene and the Eagle Rock Music Festival are over with. Yet Sunday, here in Los Angeles, is still a busy day. Events continuing from yesterday's Weekend Festival Guide: Brewery Art Walk and TarFest Jazz at Drew 10:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.: In it's 17th year, the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science's popular music and charity event... more ›

Last weekend's Sunset Junction Street Fair was so fun that another photo essay was necessary. So join us after the jump for more memories of the Silver Lake fiesta and lots and lots and lots of pictures. But instead of pics of bands like in our other bad ass photo dispatches, this essay is about the people, the food, and the services. If you were there perhaps you will see yourself...... more ›

• The Atwater Village Newbie's wife, Mrs. Newbie, wins the Atwater Village Street Fair cookie contest - AVN • Al Sharpton met with Sheriff Lee Baca today regarding Paris Hilton - Fox 11 • Former Fox 11 TV reporter / LAPD sergeant Rod Bernsen cleared of accusations that he touched two 12-year-old boys in a hot tub - LA Times • Deadly auto accident on the PCH near the Ventura County line claims one... more ›

There were so many funny dogs at the Los Feliz street fair on Sunday, I almost forgot that I was there to take photos of people. I was having a grand time watching the dogs maneuver their way past the Scientologists to sniff the butts of the other dogs and then start barking away. Why is this so amusing to me? I don't know. I take solace in the fact that it takes so... more ›

After returning to Los Angeles after living back east, one of the things I missed most about NYC was the street fairs. Sure they got a bit redundant, the $5 bra and panties booth and the turkey leg cart and the Abercrombie irregular outlet store reject booth, but for a people watching voyeur like myself, street fairs are like having a parade in my honor. I can park my ass on the curb and... more ›

Just because Thanksgiving is over doesn't mean we can't be thankful for some excellent people. Now, this might blow your minds, but LAist doesn't just innately everything, some of our information is handed to us either via email or snail mail or singing telegram. more ›

In order to provide more space for drag queen street races, and due to the Annual West Hollywood Halloween Parade, the following streets will be closed from 1pm to 6am: -- Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and Doheny Drive. -- Robertson Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard. -- San Vicente Boulevard between Cynthia Street and Melrose Avenue. From 6 p.m. through 6 a.m., La Cienega Boulevard will be closed between... more ›

Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. more ›

For us there is no better LA street fair than the Sunset Junction annual event in the Silver Lake stretch of Sunset Blvd. One can enjoy eating chicken on a stick and drinking a beer while peoplewatching the hipsters, the kids, those of alternative lifestyles, and the random tourists who don't really know what they've stumbled into. The volunteer "donation" is now a hard $15 admission, but for all the good music, good food,... more ›

So, you're a Silver Lake hipster* who wants to go to the Sunset Junction street fair this weekend without shelling out that $15 no-longer-suggested-donation entrance fee. It's not that you're not into fiscally supporting harmony and diversity in the community blah blah blah, and some old grampa at the Little Joy the other night said that the Cramps alone were well worth that $15, but frankly, you're a little ticked off that you haven't... more ›

Buzznet President Marc Brown is one of those guys who actually uses the product that puts bread on his table -- or in his case, sake on his kotatsu. The photo-sharing guru snapped some pics of a street fair that took place yesterday at MacArthur Park near Alvarado & Wilshire. Looks like even Mayor Tony was there. Just like LAist, working Saturdays. more pics after the jump and even more on MC Brown's Buzznet... more ›