The Brief

Many of us go into the holiday season with the best of intentions. We want to see holiday lights, enjoy hot chocolate, maybe taking in a Christmas tree lighting or a Menorah lighting, catch a performance of The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol. Enjoy a holiday sing along. Tie on some ice skates at an outdoor pop-up rink... But somehow, each holiday season slips away and we lament all that we missed.

This year is going to be different! We're compiling a list of our favorite classic L.A. holiday experiences, and we need your help. Did we miss your favorite thing to do with relatives who are in from out of town? (Or, ahem, your favorite thing to do to get away from relatives who are in from out of town?)

Let us know at the bottom of this story, and we may include it. We especially want to know about free things to do this holiday season.

Now, let's make this a holiday to remember.

1. Lightscape at the Arboretum

(

Lightscape L.A.

)

Light. Color. Sound. All around. Lightscape at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden in Arcadia is a wildly popular after-dark installation made for our TiKTok and IG world: Paths and vistas are lined with lights in the most mesmerizing ways, merging nature and art. Food trucks and a full bar nightly. Intrigued? Do not dilly-dally. If you want tickets to this event, especially if you are looking for a particular night or are going with a group, snap them up asap. Our highly placed sources say that Santa will also be in attendance on certain nights, so plan according. Runs through Jan. 2. Tickets start at $29 for adults and $14 for children, depending upon which day you go. There is a discount for members. Kids 2 and under are free.

2. Debbie Allen's Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

(

Courtesy Debbie Allen Dance Academy

)

Actress-singer-dancer-choreographer Debbie Allen's dance academy is legendary for its take on the holidays with her annual Hot Chocolate Nutcracker at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center: The classic is reenvisioned as a modern musical, with three wise-cracking mice from New York City ("The Real Rat Pack") to guide this frolicking new adventure. Runs Dec. 7 through Dec. 10. There are also two special performances for a Fairy Queen Tea, Dec. 9th and 10th, featuring a catered tea, hot cocoa bar and a cast member meet & greet. For pregaming, you can watch the Netflix documentary about Allen's labor of love and devotion, Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker. Tickets run $50 to $135.

3. Union Station Holiday Tree Lighting (Free!)

The annual tree lighting at one of L.A.'s most iconic and recognizable destinations — Union Station — is taking place tonight, Monday Nov. 20, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the south patio. There are reports that special guests from the North Pole will take part in the countdown to the lighting of the 30-foot tree, and there will be hot cocoa and other sweet treats in abundance and live performances by Mariachi Los Servidores and The Beverly Belles. Can't make it tonight? The lights will be up through the holiday season, so make time to stop by and take some selfies. (Next year's holiday card, perhaps?)

4. 'Home Alone' in concert at The Phil

(

Courtesy of Fox Family Entertainment via YouTube

)

The LA Phil’s Deck the Hall holiday concert series presents three nights of the 1990 comedy Home Alone with Macaulay Culkin as an 8-year-old accidentally left home by his family during the holidays. Screening Wednesday, Dec. 20 to Friday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the score is performed live by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conducted by David Newman. Tickets: $74 - $219. Arrive earlier, at 7 p.m., and you can partake in an ugly sweater contest and trivia contest.

5. Holiday Sing-Along at The Phil ... and more

Also at Disney Hall: There's A Chanticleer Christmas, on Dec. 13 at 8 p.m., featuring the Grammy-winning ensemble for an evening of a cappella choral music (tickets available at last check ranged from $49 to $119).

The Walt Disney Concert Hall's famous organ, a choir, a jazz combo and you! Those are the stars of a beloved holiday tradition, the Holiday Sing-Along, where everyone gets the lyrics to holiday songs and carols and are expected to sing at the top of their lungs. Takes place on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 11:30 a.m. and then again at 2:30 p.m. At last check, available tickets ranged from $39 to $109. Arrive early for hot cocoa, holiday crafting and a picture with Santa.

And check out Arturo Sandoval's Swinging Holiday concert on Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. (tickets available at last check ranged from $54 to $134), with the Grammy winning legend putting a "jumping, jiving, jingling" twist on holiday favorites.

6. Las Posadas at Olvera Street (Free!)

This is a quaint L.A. tradition that dates back to 1930: Each evening sees the reenactment of the Biblical journal of Mary and Joseph as they head to Bethlehem to seek shelter. (You don’t have to be Christian or Catholic to enjoy, all are welcome.) Expect traditional Christmas songs in Spanish, music and colorful costumes. The procession begins and ends at Avila Adobe, considered the oldest house in all of Los Angeles. Visitors can also enjoy a cup of hot champurrado and pan dulce. The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. nightly with a pinata party for children aged 3-12, the procession follows at 7:15 p.m. Dec. 16 through Dec. 24.

7. Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens

(

Courtesy of Descanso Gardens via Facebook

)

Descanso Gardens’ Enchanted Forest of Light in La Cañada Flintridge is an interactive, nighttime experience that’s great for families or romantic outings. Take a one-mile walk through lighting experiences in the garden and take in sights such as an entire town of magical “stained glass” creations by contemporary sculptor Tom Fruin and sparkling geometric installations from HYBYCOZO in the Rose Garden. Enchanted Forest of Light is open nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 7. Tickets run $25 to $45, with members getting a discount. Note: Advanced purchase is required as tickets are not sold on site.

8. Menorah lighting ceremonies (Free!)

Palisades Village will host its menorah lighting ceremony on Dec. 7, celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. The festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m. and include family-friendly activities, musical entertainment and traditional treats. The Commons at Calabasas will host its annual Menorah Lighting Celebration on Dec. 12, including live musical entertainment, family-friendly activities, treats and a fireworks show.

9. Fiesta Navidad holiday concert

(

Courtesy of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts

)

The Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Los Camperos headlines the Fiesta Navidad holiday concert at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. The night is a joyful celebration of Mexican holiday traditions through music and dance — perfect for the whole family. Tickets run $32 to $92.

10. L.A. County Holiday Celebration (Free!)

The 64th annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration takes places from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 24 at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and "offers Angelenos of all ages the opportunity to experience and honor the dynamic, rich cultures of the county." And it is free. Yes, we said free. So what's the catch? Seating is first come, first seated, and the line starts forming around 9 a.m. Slated to perform this year: Gabrielito y La Verdad, Divas and Drummers of Compton, performers from the Hiza Yoo Korean Dance Institute, the Mostly Kosher and Jewish Youth Orchestra, the South Side Symphony, the Pasadena Girls' Choir and more. If you can't make it in person, you can watch it on PBS SoCal or stream online.

11. A Christmas Story, The Musical

(

Gary Emord Netzley

)

This is a gift for the whole family. Watch the musical adaptation of the beloved 1983 family comedy as Ralphie Parker schemes his way to getting a BB gun for Christmas. From the team behind the Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen and films La La Land and The Greatest Showman, the stage show also features the hilarious leg lamp, pink bunny pajamas, scary department store Santa and the triple-dog-dare to lick a freezing flagpole scenes. A Christmas Story, The Musical runs from Dec. 5 to 31 at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown L.A. Tickets range from $40-$169.

12. Bob Baker Marionette Theater's The Nutcracker

(

Hayden Evans

)

Celebrating their 60th year of marionette theater, Bob Baker’s Nutcracker returns Nov. 25 through Jan. 7 to mesmerize children and the young at heart with a magical interpretation of the classic holiday performance. The sugar plum fairy, waltzing flowers and more promise a magical experience that always comes with strings attached. In keeping with tradition, there will be ice cream for everyone after the show. Tickets for a sensory-friendly performance are also available. Tickets, $25.

13. Long Beach Floating Christmas Trees (Free!)

This is a holiday tradition that dates back to 1949: Floating Christmas trees, made of a wooden frame and ribbons of holiday lights, are visible throughout Long Beach typically starting right after Thanksgiving, until early January. You can spot them at the Colorado Lagoon, Alamitos Bay, Spinnaker Bay, Rainbow Harbor, Scherer Park, El Dorado Park West, Heartwell Park and even on top of the building at the end of Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, according to the Press-Telegram, which has a delightful video diving further into this slice of iconic Long Beach history. Best of all? It’s free. Pack up some snacks, a Thermos full of hot chocolate, and head down to one of the waterfront spots where you can relax and enjoy the fleeting holiday view. The bridges in Belmont Shore and Naples provide great vantage points. If the budget allows, you can also get a group together and rent a Duffy boat out of Alamitos Bay for a closer look.

14. Holiday festivities at Gilchrist Farm (Free!)

(

Gilchrist Farm

)

It’s a holiday hoedown at Gilchrist Farm in Santa Clarita: Enjoy free weekend activities in December through Dec. 23 including a visit to see Santa (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), a parade (10 a.m.), goat milking demonstrations at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., pig races, wool spinning, live music, food and craft booths and more. Ticketed events including a breakfast with Santa, train rides and photos and require the purchase of individual tickets (prices vary) or full-day wristbands ($55 for one child under twelve accompanied by two adults). Gilchrist Farm is located at 30116 Bouquet Canyon Rd., Santa Clarita.

15. Hooray For Holidays with Wayne Brady

(

Gregory Zabilski

)

Emmy-award winning Broadway star Wayne Brady joins the Gay Men’s Chorus Los Angeles to present Hooray For Holidays, the company’s annual seasonal extravaganza set to feature more than twenty timeless holiday hits from the Golden Age of cinema, contemporary classics and standards from the Great American Songbook. At the Saban Theater, Dec. 16-17. Tickets start at $45.

16. The Los Angeles Ballet's The Nutcracker

(

Reed Hutchinson

)

This year, the annual performance of Los Angeles Ballet’s The Nutcracker will be set in 1912 Los Angeles and feature iconic SoCal elements. Look for a Spanish style home, calla lilies, bougainvillea, archways of Venice Beach and views of the Pacific Ocean. There’s no place like home. Performances scheduled throughout Los Angeles County including Dolby Theater in Hollywood, Royce Hall at UCLA, Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center and the newly added Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Dec. 1 through Dec. 26.

17. The Hollywood Christmas Parade (Free!)

(

Courtesy of the Hollywood Christmas Parade

)

The 91st annual Hollywood extravaganza marches back into town on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. to usher in the holiday season with special guests including celebrities Dean Cain, Erik Estrada, Elizabeth Stanton, Laura McKenzie, Montel Williams as well as Mighty Mouse, Betty Boop and that jolly man in the red suit and beard. Free, but you can also get great seats if you are willing to pay, $120. Parade organizers at the City of Los Angeles have once again partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys For Tots campaign as well as other charitable organizations to help underprivileged people during the season of giving. Note that there will be freeway and street closures, so plan accordingly.

18. Long Beach Holiday Swing!

(

Greenberg Artists

)

The Long Beach Symphony Orchestra presents a night at the Pops with Holiday Swing! A seasonal celebration featuring jazz musician and former lead trumpeter and soloist for the Count Basie Orchestra Byron Stripling, along with vocalist Sydney McSweeney, custom arrangements, virtuosic trumpet playing, and sing-a-longs to the tunes of Joy to the World, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Silent Night and more. Pre-ordered catered meals available, or BYO picnic. At the Long Beach Arena & Convention Center, Dec. 16, 17, 23.

19. Polar Express Train Ride in Perris

(

Courtesy of The Polar Express Train Ride

)

Climb aboard the Polar Express Train Ride in Perris and believe all over again. Accompanied by the music of the motion picture soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the heart warming Christmas story by Chis Van Allsburg as they journey along a one-hour train ride to meet Santa. All aboard for caroling, cookies, singing and dancing, and the first gift of the season a keepsake silver sleigh bell. Through Dec. 30. Tickets start at $50.

20. Newport Beach Boat Parade (Free!)

(

Visit Newport Beach

)

Sailing into the holiday season for their 115th year, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade will feature a nightly flotilla of festivity when the sun goes down starting Dec. 13 through Dec. 17. Once again hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, parade "floats" will include everything from decorated yachts to spirited kayaks and canoes. Waterfront homes are also decked out for the occasion and compete for awards in the categories of lights, theme, animation and more.

21. Winter Fantasy at The Sawdust Festival

(

Courtesy The Sawdust Art Festival

)

For the 33rd year in a row, the Winter Fantasy holiday art festival nestled amongst the eucalyptus trees in Laguna Beach will present a special holiday market amidst wood shavings and an abundance of creative ambiance. Decorated with thousands of lights and showcasing the work of more than 160 local artisans, the event will include live music, carolers, puppeteers, complimentary art workshops, concession stands, daily appearances by Santa and, of course, shopping. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 17, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission, $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 children ages 6-12.

22. Winter Frolic at Kidspace Children’s Museum 

Located on the Kidspace Children's Museum's scenic 3.5 acre campus in Pasadena, the Winter Frolic is for SoCal kids looking to “penguin slide” at the ice-free (and therefore much warmer!) Sock Skating Rink ($5 with admission), explore a Snow Dome, and enjoy a seasonal flurry of hands-on activities, special performances and adorable animal encounters. Climb, play, dance, hike, bike, dance, create and more. Through Jan. 7. Tickets for non-members start at $15.50.

23. Griffith Park Train Ride

The popular Griffith Park Train Ride transforms into a magical winter wonderland at this time of year. But be aware: This is another event that frequently sells out on the weekends, so plan accordingly, and guarantee seats by purchasing tickets in advance online. The ride is about 10 minutes long, travels a one-mile track and is decorated with thousands upon thousands of Christmas lights and festive scenes. “Suitable for humans of all ages,” according to the website. Runs Nov. 24 through Jan. 5. Rides run 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until 9 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. $7 per person, children aged 18-months-old and younger ride for free. Watch their Facebook page for weather updates: High winds and heavy rains may cancel rides. Note that this place can be tricky to get to if you’ve never been here before, and traffic can be a bear: So, pack up some thermos of hot chocolate for some parking lot tailgating, arrive early and enjoy the open air photo booths (next year’s holiday card perhaps?) and gift kiosks.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

The contract Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium was built on is void, a judge ruled, upending a 10-year-old deal at the center of a larger fight between the city and the stadium developer.

Companies tied to Stan Kroenke and his Hollywood Park stadium property say Inglewood owes them about $400 million under the agreement that had the companies pay for the development’s infrastructure up front in exchange for future reimbursement.

But Inglewood said it shouldn’t have to pay, and claimed the agreement was not enforceable, prompting several businesses that operate SoFi, YouTube Theater and other real estate developments on the site to sue in December 2025.

The city claimed that the process used to greenlight the stadium construction in 2015 was no longer legitimate after a court ruled a similar development agreement in the Inland Empire was void a couple of years later.

Now, Superior Court Judge David Reinert has not only agreed with the city, but said in a Sept. 1 ruling the process leading to the contract had been problematic from the start. Developments similarly based on signature-gathering campaigns that skirt voter feedback had been overturned in the 1990s, according to his ruling.

The order calls into question the future of the financial arrangement the city and the stadium developer have maintained for more than a decade, one that promised Kroenke’s companies reimbursement for the infrastructure and services they paid for and that has generated millions in tax revenue for the city.

It’s also the latest public signal that the once-friendly relationship between Kroenke and Mayor James Butts, which paved the way for the NFL’s return to LA, has grown increasingly tumultuous.

A spokesperson for Hollywood Park said they could appeal the order but haven’t yet done so.

“We respectfully disagree with the Court’s ruling,” they said by email. “Hollywood Park has fulfilled every one of its commitments under an agreement that the City unanimously adopted, described as ‘the best [stadium deal] ever’, and benefited from for more than a decade. We remain hopeful that the City and its leadership will reverse course from their unilateral decision to abandon their commitments under the agreement and will honor their part of the deal.”

An attorney representing Inglewood described it as an important win for the city.

“This decision has huge repercussions for the 300-acre SoFi Stadium/Hollywood Park development,” Skip Miller, lead counsel for the city of Inglewood, said in a press release. “It means that without a valid development agreement, Hollywood Park/SoFi Stadium no longer has vested rights and that the City has no further obligations under the 2015 Development Agreement.”

Butts told The LA Local he wants to negotiate a path forward with the stadium developer but didn’t say if those talks have been scheduled.

“I look forward to talking with them and seeing what we can do to move forward as partners,” he said.

The backstory 

The arrangement that cemented the development agreement in 2015 was: Kroenke’s companies would pay up front for the infrastructure needed to build Hollywood Park, and Inglewood would reimburse them later.

The deal landed Kroenke a new home for the Rams and the opportunity for more real estate development on the site in the future. And it helped the city move forward with reworking the site of the former Hollywood Park Racetrack into one of the nation’s premier stadium complexes.

The reimbursements were designed to be delayed until the city could afford them: When the city earned $25 million in tax revenue from the development in a given year, it would pay down the debt.

Kroenke’s companies say Inglewood owes them about $400 million for those improvements and other investments they made. They claim that the city began surpassing the $25 million revenue threshold in 2022 and each year since.

Butts first told Hollywood Park that he believed the development agreement was void in letters he wrote to Kroenke and his employees last year. He was frustrated that the stadium businesses were fighting the city’s plan to work with an LA advertising agency to install dozens of digital billboards near the stadiums.

The city’s lawyers had found that a similar development agreement had been voided in 2018 and asked that the city be paid back the $20 million in reimbursement payments it made, Butts wrote Kroenke.

The stadium companies sued soon after.

The judge’s ruling

Public projects on the scale of SoFi Stadium typically require a series of hearings, reviews and voter approval — which can take years to achieve. Instead, the stadium developer and city truncated that process by collecting more than 22,000 signatures supporting it.

The City Council voted unanimously in favor of the stadium development in February 2015, and the project broke ground not long after. Butts was a booster of the plan, the LA Times reported at the time. “Now we can celebrate,” Butts said after the winning vote to a cheering crowd in Rams jerseys.

Hollywood Park’s lawyers said in interviews and court filings that the city never questioned the validity of the subsequent contract until last year.

“Its announcement that the Development Agreement is void comes only after the Project was painstakingly built in reliance upon the [agreement], and after the City has reaped enormous benefits from the economic boon created by the project,” Hollywood Park’s lawyers wrote.

State law requires legitimate development agreements to meet various standards. They need to be negotiated between the involved parties, for example, and subject to voter referendum. But the initiative process the city and the developer pursued did not meet those standards. California courts had already found similar agreements “wholly void” dating back to the 1990s, Reinert wrote in the Sept. 1 ruling.

“Therefore, here too, the Development Agreement must be set aside,” he wrote.

Butts said the city was not aware of the legal issues the development agreement could face back in 2015, but he declined to talk more about it because the case could be appealed.

“This is the ruling right now, and we agree with it,” Butts said on Friday.

What happens next

Lawyers for both Hollywood Park and the city released statements saying they remained committed to the success of the stadium development. But how they will arrive at or proceed with a new framework remains unclear.

Hollywood Park said it is exploring its legal options and could appeal the decision. If the ruling stands, the city and Hollywood Park will have to determine what, if anything, replaces the agreement that governed their financial relationship for more than a decade.

The timing adds urgency. SoFi Stadium is set to host the 2027 Super Bowl and the Opening Ceremony of the 2028 Olympics.

Meanwhile, the disagreement over the city’s and stadiums’ digital billboard programs continues. The competing billboard networks have sparked an advertising turf war that has jumped from the courts into the Nov. 3 election.

Ballmer Group is a funder of The LA Local, but their support doesn’t influence our coverage. To learn more about our funders and commitment to editorial independence, click here.  

Los Angeles County has exotic wild animals roaming about, such as wild parrots and peacocks. But what about camels?

No, we’re not talking about that ancient camel found in the La Brea Tar Pits — these animals were brought over for a U.S. Army experiment.

How camels got into our military

We’re going back to the mid-1800s, before gas-powered automobiles changed the way we travel. The U.S. was on the brink of civil war and in the middle of westward expansion.

Typically, the army relied on mules and horses as beasts of burden, but in the new states and territories, they had a hard time hauling supplies over long distances. That was especially true for the Southwest’s dry deserts and mountains.

Meanwhile, camel brigades (also known as Camel Corps) were already in use in armies around the world. These were made up of camel drivers who ferried supplies, transported troops and conducted military cavalry operations.

Great Britain and India used the animals in the 19th century, according to London’s National Army Museum. The Imperial Camel Corps was also established during World War I, with British, Australian and New Zealand forces in the Middle East.

The Camel Corps caught on in America around the 1850s, according to the Army Historical Foundation. The idea bubbled up to Maj. Henry C. Wayne — a camel fan himself — who recommended their use to a skeptical War Department and Congress.

After some years of political finagling, they gave the experiment $30,000 in funding in 1855 (about $1 million today). The money was used to buy 74 camels from the Mediterranean and put them into military service.

The Los Angeles arrival

They were brought over on the Navy store ship USS Supply and went to Texas first, to Camp Verde. As the camels got used to their new home, the time came for one of their first test missions. The federal government planned to build a wagon road to connect the eastern U.S. to the California/Arizona border.

The Secretary of War at the time required the land surveyor to take 25 of the camels on the expedition in 1857, according to the foundation. These “ships of the desert” ended up thriving where horses and mules couldn’t.

The camels could carry a 700-pound load with ease, traveling up to 40 miles a day. They ate off the land and could go over a week without water. After the camels completed the job, the army sent them to L.A. in 1860.

This was for another test to see if camels could be used for mail delivery. They were essentially racing against mules to see who could get from Camp Fitzgerald (a short-lived Civil War camp in L.A. County) to the Colorado River fastest. What the army didn’t realize was that speed wasn’t the camels’ strong suit — several died from exhaustion.

A historic marker on the L.A. Times' old building in downtown Los Angeles on September 30, 1967. The plaque mentions that the area was used as a "corral for camels from Fort Tejon", which is one of the places the animals were sent to in California.

(

Mildred L. Harris

/

Los Angeles Public Library/L. Mildred Harris Slide Collection/Los Angeles Photographers Collection

)

As the Civil War continued, the camels’ future became uncertain. The army was tired of the experiment and the money it cost. The camels were never officially designated as the U.S.’s “Camel Corps” and thus given no real purpose. In California, they essentially floated around L.A.-area outposts, such as the Los Angeles Quartermaster Depot in downtown, Culver City’s Camp Latham and the Drum Barracks in Wilmington.

The U.S. Army eventually sold the camels in California for about $50 each ($1,000 today) in 1864, according to the foundation. These noble animals, roped into what many called a failed military experiment, ended up as circus attractions and on ranches as pack animals. Some were even let loose.

The last of California’s “Camel Corps” is believed to be Topsy. After the experiment shut down, she was used in the Ringling Brothers Circus and movies.

Topsy was eventually sold off to what’s now the Old Zoo in Griffith Park, according to the Natural History Museum, which found her bones. She died there in 1934 at approximately 80 years old.

A new space celebrating the art of autistic and neurodiverse youths has opened on Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice, amid the trendy coffee shops and boutiques.

Called “Limitless,” the space is a project of Help Group, a nonprofit that has served people in Los Angeles with autism and mental health challenges for 85 years.

“What art does is it allows people to have a voice who can’t communicate typically. It gives you an insight into who they are as a being,” Susan Berman, CEO of Help Group, told LAist.

Berman said the prime Abbott Kinney real estate was a gift from a board member. Help Group is using the square footage for a community space and gallery to feature neurodivergent artists.

Among the artists included is Noah Remis, 15, whose piece “I <3 NY” incorporates watercolor over the titles of famous musicals like Hamilton and Sweeney Todd.

“Those are different musicals that I know and love,” Remis said.

“Some I saw on Broadway. Just so you know, I also put Cats on there just to anger my dad,” he joked. He said his dream is to act on Broadway.

Noah’s dad, Rich Remis, might not be a fan of Cats, but he is a fan of seeing his son’s love of theater expressed in his painting.

“To hang it up in a gallery with everyone else’s work, it just really adds a special weight to it that I think is certainly not lost on Noah,” he said.

Noah, in response, added: “Don’t get emotional.”

Noah said he hopes other kids will be inspired by his work and maybe even take it home.

Berman, who’s been with Help Group for more than four decades, said she has big plans for the space, which opened last week.

“Our plan is for the community to see the gifts that our neurodiverse artists have, not only in their art but as human beings,” Berman said.

Tanaka Day, an epic meet-and-greet of people with the Japanese surname, is happening the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20 at — wait for it — Tanaka Farms in Irvine.

"I'm the idea guy around here," said proprietor Glenn Tanaka — aka Farmer Tanaka — who dreamed up the inaugural event. "Some of them [were] pretty good, some turned out OK."

For this one, 400 people from across the country RSVP’d, bonded by a Japanese surname that is one of the most common in the U.S. — and one that speaks to the history of Japanese immigration that first brought laborers here starting in the late 1800s.

Glenn Tanaka runs the family Tanaka Farms in Irvine.

(

Courtesy Tanaka Farms

)

One of them was Glenn's grandfather, Takeo Tanaka, who put down farming roots in California that span four generations and counting — Glenn's father George Tanaka, Glenn himself, and Glenn's son Kenny, whose three children are a regular presence at the farm.

"Tanaka literally means middle of the rice field," he said — farmers, essentially. And because many early immigrants were from farming villages, he added, "a lot of Tanakas came over."

The 69-year-old figured, why not bring as many of them together as possible — to hang out, tell family stories and help fill in the tapestry of the Japanese American immigration experience united by the surname.

One example is how the incarceration of Japanese Americans in camps during World War II had touched those who worked and owned farms — and ended up having to sell their holdings on the cheap.

Already, stories are flooding in. Tanaka said different siblings from one Tanaka family had sent in their experiences.

One brother read them and wound up learning new things about the family.

"What's really good to know is I've helped create families that talk," Tanaka said. "Because now they're asking, 'What did, you know, great-grandmother do?'"