Awesome Online And IRL Events This Week: June 15 - 18

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Coronavirus is wreaking havoc on schools, stores, businesses and events. With in-person concerts, talks, comedy shows, food festivals and other gatherings cancelled, we have turned our events column into primarily a "nonevents" column. It will remain this way as long as social distancing and stay-at-home orders are recommended.

During this difficult time, please consider contributing to your local arts organizations or to individual artists and performers.

For a little entertainment, edification and revelry this week, poets celebrate Juneteenth with readings and a performance. The AFI DOCS and United in Pride film festivals present online screenings and talks. Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle launch a new online show tapping into current events. And the Hammer Museum honors James Joyce's Ulysses.

Monday, June 15 and Tuesday, June 16

Live Talks LA Virtual Events
On Monday at 6 p.m. (PDT), author Michael Lewis (The Big Short, Liar's Poker, Moneyball) discusses his latest book, The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy, with producer, writer and TV host Larry Wilmore. On Tuesday at 6 p.m., political poster artists Robbie Conal and Shepard Fairey discuss the book Robbie Conal: Streetwise, 35 Years of Politically Charged Guerrilla Art with author Jim Daichendt. The events premiere on the Live Talks Los Angeles Facebook page and YouTube channel.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Tuesday, June 16; 7 p.m.

Bloomsday 2020 Online
The Hammer Museum presents its annual tribute to James Joyce's Ulysses. The event commemorates the characters and happenings that take place in the course of a single, ordinary day (June 16, 1904) in Dublin. Pour your favorite Irish drink and watch dramatic readings from the book interspersed with live music and songs on the Hammer's website. The cast includes Sile Bermingham, Sonya Macari, Johnny O'Callaghan, James Lancaster and John Rafter Lee. The finale features Molly Bloom's passionate soliloquy, which is for mature audiences only.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Tuesday, June 17 - ongoing

The Huntington Gardens Reopens (for Members)
If you're a member of The Huntington, then the gardens (only) are open to visit beginning Tuesday with ticket reservations. For the general public, the reopening date is scheduled for July 1. Non-members must purchase tickets online in advance; public reservations open on June 28 at 9 a.m.
COST: $13 - $29, free for children 4 and younger, free for museum members; MORE INFO

Tuesday, June 16; 7 p.m. PDT

Real to Reel Live (Virtual Edition 2020)
The Hollywood Museum presents musician Michael Feinstein with this year's Inspiration Award. Adapted from the museum's annual Real to Reel: Portrayals and Perceptions of LGBTQ in Hollywood exhibition, the ceremony includes special guest Kristin Chenoweth. Watch on L.A. Cityview Channel 35 and the museum's social media platforms.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle (Comedy Central's The New Negroes) launch a new show, Call and Response, this week. (Ramona Rosales)

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Tuesday, June 16 - ongoing, Monday through Friday; 12 p.m. PDT

Call and Response
Funny or Die teams up again with Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle (The New Negroes) and Blavity Inc. to launch a web series focused on current events, activism and changemaking. The duo invite their favorite Black creators, musicians, actors and visual artists to chat and riff on current events: the good, bad and the ugly. The show will be livestreamed on Funny or Die's channels (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Twitch) and Blavity's channels (YouTube, Twitter and Facebook).
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Tuesday, June 16; 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. PDT

Blood Drive at LA Care Health Plan
1055 W. 7th St., downtown L.A.
Because of COVID-19 quarantines, U.S. blood reserves are critically low. The Red Cross teams with L.A. Care to collect the red stuff. As a bonus, Amazon is thanking donors throughout the month of June with a $5 Amazon.com gift card by email. Donations are by appointment only, so book in advance online.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Wednesday, June 17 - Sunday, June 21

AFI DOCS
The American Film Institute's five-day documentary film festival moves online this year with 59 films from 11 countries. Apple and A24's Boys State opens the festival, while Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President closes it. There will be panels responding to current events, filmmaker discussions and networking opportunities.
COST: $8 - $50; MORE INFO

Wednesday, June 18 - Sunday, June 21

2020 Pasadena Chalk Festival
The festival is being held virtually this year. While there's no gathering at Paseo Colorado, people can participate and create their own murals at home. Use the tag #PasadenaChalkFestival to be featured on the event's website. No entry forms are needed.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Thursday, June 18; 6:30 p.m. PDT

Wonder from Home Camera Tricks
Atlas Obscura presents an interactive, online evening with magician Ben Seidman. He'll perform a 45-minute show, created specifically for the event. Watch carefully throughout the evening as one of his illusions will employ a camera trick, and the audience will guess which one is the fake sleight-of-hand trick.
COST: $25 per device; MORE INFO

Thursday, June 18; 8:30 p.m. PDT

ArcLight at the Drive-in
Vineland Drive-in
443 Vineland Ave., City of Industry
Attend a one-night pop-up featuring the exclusive advance screening of IFC Films' The Rental, followed by a conversation with first-time feature director Dave Franco. Each ticket includes entry for one vehicle as well as one free caramel corn and one regular popcorn. Vineland's concession stand will be closed for this event, so bring your own snacks. Please follow social distancing guidelines. Gates open at 6:45 p.m. Advance ticketing only. Tickets are nonrefundable.
COST: $55 per vehicle (no passenger limit); MORE INFO

Thursday, June 18; 6 - 7 p.m. PDT

The Arrival: A Juneteenth Reading
This early celebration of Juneteenth -- commemorating June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached former slaves in Texas -- features readings and performances from a number of poets. The livestream -- featuring bridgette bianca, F. Douglas Brown, Camari Carter-Hawkins, Natashia Deón and Ashaki M. Jackson -- will be available via Zoom, Facebook Live or YouTube. All proceeds from pay-what-you-will Eventbrite tickets will be dispersed to Black Lives Matter LA.
COST: Pay-what-you-wish; MORE INFO

It's Pride Month and Outfest's United in Pride film fest continues this week. (JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images)

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Through Sunday, June 28

United in Pride
Outfest launched this inaugural digital film festival last week in partnership with Film Independent's Project Involve. Serving as a precursor for Outfest Los Angeles, scheduled for Aug. 20-30, the online platform amplifies the voices of LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and creators. To access the entire festival, sign up for a 60-day free trial to OutfestNow.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Ongoing

Japan House Los Angeles - Virtual Programming
The cultural center continues its online programming, featuring series on manga art, food, film and flower arranging. Learn a recipe for sakura carrot spring rice (takikomi gohan) from Japanese food ambassador Tomoko Imade Dyen. Take a drawing class on creating Emotions with a Simple Smiley Face!" or "Animals 101." Or rent the movie Tampopo and pair it with ramen (thanks to tips from Japan House) for a "movies and bites" experience.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Dine & Drink Deals

Who doesn't miss going out to eat or stopping by a bar for a drink? Here are a few options from restaurants and bars as we work our way back toward normal.

• Boomtown Brewery has reopened its taproom and released its latest beer, Cool Kids. Sold in a hot pink can, it's a Hazy IPA brewed with Galaxy, Motueka, 007 & Citra Hops ($18 per 4-pack). It's available for contactless pickup if you don't feel comfortable eating or drinking inside.
• Father's Day is Sunday (June 21) and El Pollo Loco is giving dads a chance to win a custom outdoor grill from the company that has made the restaurant's grills for 40 years. The winning dad will also receive a virtual grilling lesson from El Pollo Loco's top grill master. Fans can nominate a deserving dad through June 21 by posting what makes him the ultimate grill master on @elpolloloco's IG. Giveaways will take place throughout the week.