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Thanksgiving 2014: Free weekend? Here's how to spend your free time
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Thursday is Thanksgiving, and this year we're thankful for some time off. If you're sticking around Los Angeles for the holidays, we've got you covered with cheap events through the weekend. Think bourbon cocktails followed by a day of giving back.
Here's everything you need to know:
WEDNESDAY
1. Wild Turkey at Seven Grand
(Photo of Seven Grand by Kenn Wilson/Flickr)
Sponsored message
Whiskey bar Seven Grand in downtown Los Angeles is teaming up with the bourbon brand Wild Turkey to host a party Wednesday night. The drink on tap sounds delicious and dangerous: Wild Turkey Spiced Cranberry Punch. With each $6 serving, you'll get a raffle ticket and $1 will be donated to L.A. Midnight Mission.
When: Wednesday night
Where: Seven Grand | MAP
Price: Free entry
2. The Lighthouse Cafe
Sponsored message
(Photo: melgupta/Flickr)
The Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach will host a night of live music for the whole family. Come by the little beachfront jazz bistro to hear sweet jams from the Will Brahm Quartet. Pro tip: Happy hour is also from 6 to 9 p.m.
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday | Calendar here
Where: Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach | MAP
Price: Free
3. Music at The Observatory in OC
Sponsored message
Belgian drum and bass producer Netsky will be performing at the Observatory in Orange County. Get a taste of his liquid funk in the video above and check out these photos to see what the venue is all about.
When: Doors open at 8
Where: The Observatory, Orange County | MAP
Price: $25 | Purchase tickets here
THURSDAY
4. Yoga and vegan food
Sponsored message
(Photo: The Springs)
Head over to the vegan oasis The Springs in downtown Los Angeles for a special holiday menu including truffle mash and pecan stuffing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday. Or if the food is too pricey for you ($60 organic pumpkin pies, people!), then you can just stop by for one of two donation-based yoga classes. All proceeds from the classes will go to the Farm Sanctuary.
When: Yoga classes at 10 a.m. and noon | RSVP here | Restaurant open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: The Springs | MAP
Price: Yoga classes are donation-based; eat at your own will; raw vegan pies are $60
5. Gobble Gobble Give potluck
Video: More on Gobble Gobble Give
Gobble Gobble Give assembles meals, clothing and care kits for the homeless. The organization has been crowdsourcing money leading up to Thanksgiving, but it's not too late to lend a hand. You can help out in person on Thanksgiving Day at one of its three potlucks around Los Angeles: Echo Park, Santa Monica and Santa Ana.
When: 10 a.m. Thursday
Where: Santa Ana, Echo Park and Santa Monica
Price: Free | RSVP here
6. Have a drink
(Photo: Sam Cox/Flickr Creative Commons)
Need a drink after a long day with family? There's good news: A handful of bars are open on Thanksgiving. L.A. Weekly compiled a list of 10 bars that will be serving up drinks instead of turkey, including Thirsty Crow in Silver Lake, Beelman's Pub in downtown L.A., the Drawing Room in Los Feliz, the Frolic Room in Hollywood and the Gold Room in Echo Park.
When: Thursday Funday
Where: Throughout L.A.
Price: Ranges from bar to bar
FRIDAY
7. Festival of Lights in Riverside
(Photo: Bob Torrez)
Fireworks will light up downtown Riverside on Friday during the "switch-on" ceremony for the 22nd annual Festival of Lights. It starts at sundown. Four million lights and more than 400 animated characters will illuminate the historic Mission Inn Hotel and Spa. The property looks like a castle and takes up an entire city block. You can also expect ice skating at the Main Street pedestrian mall, rides in horse-drawn carriages and visits with Santa.
When: "Switch-on" ceremony 4:30 p.m. Friday; You can view the light display for free through January 6
Where: The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa | MAP
Price: Free
— Ashley Bailey/KPCC
SATURDAY
8. L.A. Zoo Lights
Video: L.A. Zoo Lights sneak peek
Have you ever wondered what zoo animals do during the late hours of the night? They sleep. But you can catch animated versions with a stroll through a "dazzling winter wonderland" at the L.A. Zoo this weekend. Expect glowing animals, lasers, 3D projections and interactive displays. The self-guided tour is through select areas of the zoo and takes 60 to 90 minutes.
When: November 28 to January 4 (except December 24 and 25)
Where: L.A. Zoo | MAP
Price: Adults: $13, Children (ages 2 to 12): $11, children under 2: free. You can buy tickets here.
SUNDAY
9. The Hollywood Christmas Parade
Video: Hollywood Christmas Parade promo video
OK, we know Thanksgiving just ended, but this Sunday is the 82nd Hollywood Christmas Parade with grand marshal Stevie Wonder. What better way to get into the holiday spirit? The spectacle will begin on Hollywood Boulevard at Orange and travel east to Vine, south on Vine to Sunset Boulevard, and west on Sunset, back to Orange. Celebrities participating include Oscar de la Hoya, the cast of "Days of Our Lives," Richie Sambora, Estelle, Nigel Lythgoe and, of course, Santa Claus.
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Parade begins at Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Street | MAP
Price: Free curbside viewing along majority of parade route. | Purchase tix ranging from $25 to $85. | Metro customers save $2 with the online promo code “Rudolph.”
10. A Serious Talk About Serial
Can't get enough of "Serial"? Us either. (If you're not familiar, "Serial" is a podcast that unfolds one nonfiction story, week by week, over the course of a season. More here.) Join hosts Marcy Jarreau and Drew Spears, alongside a panel of celebrity guests as they break down the latest episode, poise theories, interview "witnesses" and play Twitter hashtag games.
When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: UCB Franklin | MAP
Price: $5 | Purchase tix here
What'd we miss? Let me know on Twitter @kristenlepore.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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