Best Things To Do This Weekend in Los Angeles And SoCal: July 15 - 17

Dive into the fried foods and festival games at the OC Fair. Listen to tunes spun by the Chulita Vinyl Club. Participate in MLB All-Star activities before the All-Star game at Dodger Stadium.

Friday, July 15 - Sunday, Aug. 14

Orange County Fair
OC Fair & Event Center
88 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa
The fair opens this week, which means that it’s time to eat all the deep-fried foods. Plus, there are carnival rides, a petting zoo, games, action sports (demolition derby, Speedway and Monster Trucks), Concerts (including Counting Crows, Smokey Robinson, X, Trevor Noah, Boy George and Culture Club), exhibitions and farming workshops. The OC Fair is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
COST: $7 - $14; MORE INFO 

Friday, July 15 - Sunday, July 17

Roller Jam
FIGat7th, Plaza Level
735 S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A.
FIGat7th holds a weekend full of roller skating, dancing and a beer garden by Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. under the Southern California skies. Each night features a different theme (‘80s and ‘90s night, disco night and 2000s) curated by the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound. Beer garden opens at 4 p.m.
COST: FREE (no skating) - $12; MORE INFO

Friday, July 15 - Sunday, Aug. 14

Green Day’s American Idiot
Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Cripe Stage
5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim 
Previews begin this weekend for the Tony Award-winning hit musical, based on Green Day’s multiplatinum album. The powerful, energetic musical follows a new generation of young Americans as they struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world.
COST: $25 - $49; MORE INFO

View an exhibition of 'songbook collage' portraits of music legends, including Neil Young, by artist Hayato Takano at Mr Musichead Gallery.

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Courtesy of the artist and gallery.

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Friday, July 15 - Sunday, July 31

Music Verses Art
Mr Musichead Gallery
7420 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood
View an exhibition of “songbook collage” portraits of music legends by artist Hayato Takano. It marks the first U.S. solo exhibition by the award-winning visual artist, who tears up original sheet music into thousands of pieces and places them on canvas to create the collages. Takano’s original artworks and limited edition prints are available for purchase.
COST: FREE admission; MORE INFO

The 2022 All-Star Game features activations from Santa Monica to downtown L.A.

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Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images

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MLB

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Friday, July 15 - Tuesday, July 19

L.A. All-Star Week 
Various locations
MLB presents a number of events and activations leading up to the 92nd MLB All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Beginning this weekend, play games at the Capital One All-Star Oceanfront on the Santa Monica Pier and at the Capital One Play Ball Park at the L.A. Convention Center. In addition, attend a celebrity softball game, the All-Star Futures Game, a concert with Becky G, workout day and the Home Run Derby.
COST: Admission varies; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 16 - Sunday, July 17

B-Boy B-Girl Summit Reborn
Plummer Park - Fiesta Hall (Saturday)
1166 N. Vista St., West Hollywood

Grand Park (Sunday)
135 N Grand Ave., downtown L.A.
Attend a symposium that puts the spotlight on hip hop culture and the dance forms of locking and popping. The days feature dance, music and rap performances along with DJs and graffiti art. Sunday's free concert lineup features DJ Battlecat, Grand Wizard Theodore, Breakestra and Far Side.
COST: FREE - $10; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 16: 7 - 10 p.m.

Levitt L.A.'s 15th Anniversary Season
Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles in MacArthur Park
2230 W. 6th St., Westlake
Boombox presents a night of music and performances by Peanut Butter Wolf, Dj Nu-Mark, Inka One, Ben Diggin, Dj Analog. Can’t make it in person? Concerts will also be live-streamed on Levitt L.A.’s YouTube Channel.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Listen to music at a concert inside the Mt. Wilson Observatory.

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Irina Logra

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Sunday, July 17; 3 and 5 p.m.

Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome
Mt. Wilson Observatory (MWO)
RedBox-Mount Wilson Rd., Mount Wilson
Mt. Wilson Observatory's concert series presents an afternoon of jazz enhanced by the great acoustics of the 100-inch telescope's dome. Listen to an eclectic blend of jazz with accordionist Cory Pesaturo, Leah Zeger on violin and percussionist Jorge Villanueva.
COST: $50; MORE INFO

Sunday, July 17; 10:30 a.m.

Chulita Vinyl Club: LA Soundscapes
The Ford
2580 Cahuenga Blvd E, Hollywood Hills 
Members of the women and nonbinary DJ collective, Chulita Vinyl Club, share tunes with kids and families to celebrate and resist the erasure of culture. They’ll spin classic L.A. music from ’60s girl-groups, riot grrrl and yé-yé pop to Tejano and Chicano oldies and Mexican punk. Recommended for kids ages 3–11. Get up to two kids tickets with every full-priced adult ticket.
COST: $10; MORE INFO

Sunday, July 17; 4:20 p.m.

Doug Loves Movies
Dynasty Typewriter
2511 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake
Join Doug Benson in a live recording of his podcast, in which he and guests talk about movies and play movie-related games. This week, he’s joined by Jon Hamm, Paget Brewster, Guy Branum and others.
COST: $15 - $20; MORE INFO

Sunday, July 17; 8 p.m.

Silents Under the Stars
Paramount Ranch
2903 Cornell Rd., Agoura Hills
The Hollywood Heritage Museum hosts a screening of the silent comedy Speedy (1928) starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Ted Wilde. Composer Michael Mortilla performs in-film accompaniment. A surprise short film precedes the movie, and tours of the ranch grounds begin at 6:30 p.m.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Sunday, July 17; 7:30 p.m.

Short Cuts
Aero Theatre
1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica
Watch a 70mm print of the Robert Altman film, who worked from short stories for Raymond Carver, tracking the intersecting lives of Southern Californians. Part of American Cinematheque’s Ultra Cinematheque 70 Fest, the film hasn’t been screened theatrically in 20 years. Stay for a Q&A with actors Andie MacDowell, Madeleine Stowe and Anne Archer, moderated by Larry Karaszewski.
COST: $10 - $15; MORE INFO

Sunday, July 17; 8 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Platinum Alchemy Party feat. Big Freedia
Catch One 
4067 W. Pico Blvd., Arlington Heights
The Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival’s big party takes place at the historic Catch One nightclub for a night of dancing and performance by Queen of Bounce Big Freedia. The party also features performances by Moor Mother's 700 Bliss, the queer supergroup Commando and more DJs.
COST: $20 - $25; MORE INFO

Watch kiteboarding at the new Sea Change Festival.

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Courtesy Lexi Pline

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Outdoor Pick

Sea Change Festival
The new Sea Change Festival takes place on Saturday, July 16, from noon - 4 p.m. in Long Beach (79 Claremont Place). The festival — with music, live art installations, sandcastle building competition, food and beverage stands, sustainable brands — and beach cleanup coincides with the West Marine US Open Sailing Series’ Long Beach race weekend (July 15-17).

Viewing Pick

What We Do in the Shadows, Season 4
The vampire comedy series (based on the feature film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi) returned to FX this week for its fourth season, following the nightly escapades of our favorite roommate vampires. In the first episode, they return to Staten Island from traveling the world and find that their mansion is dilapidated and ready to collapse. They have to do renovation and repairs to save their home — while dealing with a freaky new creature. The show also streams on Hulu.

A Strawberry Shortcake Taco from Sad Girl Creamery

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Courtesy Sad Girl Creamery

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Dine and Drink Deals

Check out the 411 on restaurant, bar, and food happenings in SoCal this week:

• Sunday (July 17) is National Ice Cream Day and marks the return of Ice Cream Alley at Smorgasburg. Every Sunday through Labor Day Weekend, find about 10 different ice cream/sweet treat vendors. New to Smorgasburg are Sad Girl Creamery, Kinrose Creamery and Creamy Boys Ice Cream.   
• The LA Phil’s Sunday Market Tastings series returns to the Hollywood Bowl July 16, featuring beers from Stone Brewing from 6 to 8 p.m., before the LA Phil concert Dudamel – Wagner, The Valkyries.
• Dear Bella Creamery goes BIG with its National Ice Cream Day celebration on Sunday, offering The Super Scoop Sundae ($45). The decadent vegan treat features all 16 flavors, including seasonal specials like s'mores and blueberry cheesecake, and the more than 10 toppings off the menu. 
• Norms Restaurants celebrate National Ice Cream Day all weekend long, from July 15 to 17. Get a free scoop of Thrifty ice cream with any $15 dine-in purchase.
• Every Sunday throughout the summer from 12 to 4 pm, The Waterfront on Venice Beach, offers a cookout menu from executive chef Jared Dowling in their beer garden. Nosh on shrimp, hot dogs, crab and lobster rolls and Beyond burgers with views of the Pacific Ocean. 
• Miguel’s Jr locations now offer a $1 off their happy hour menu, available daily from 2–5 p.m. Sip their strawberry lemonade, the new hibiscus lemonade and strawberry horchata. For a limited time, Miguel’s Jr. is also offering a new Burrito Box combo featuring the Original Burrito for only $8.99 with a side of chips, guacamole and a 22 oz. fountain beverage.