Best Things To Do This Weekend In Los Angeles And SoCal: July 8 - 10

Dance to hip hop tunes under the stars. Listen to tunes from La Marisoul y Son California. Swim at sunset. Bring the fam to CicLAvia - South LA.

Friday, July 8; 6 - 9 p.m.

Sunset Swim
Annenberg Community Beach House
415 Pacific Coast Hwy., Santa Monica
Enjoy an adults only (18+) swim in the 1920s heated pool at the former oceanfront estate of actress Marion Davies, built for her by media giant William Randolph Hearst. Bring a picnic, just leave the glass and alcohol at home. The Beach House will provide the pool floaties and the s’mores. Other Sunset Swim dates: July 22, August 12 and August 26
COST: $5 - $10 admission; MORE INFO

Take in the L.A. Zoo after hours on Friday night.

(

Jamie Pham

)

Friday, July 8; 6 p.m.

Zoo Friday Nights
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Dr., Griffith Park   
Explore the zoo at dusk at this all-ages event with music, a family dance party and games, carousel rides and food trucks. Take advantage of the various full bars on the premises available to all guests 21 years and up. Additional Zoo Friday nights take place on July 15, 22 and 29.
COST: $15 - $25; MORE INFO

Fridays and Saturdays through July 23; 8:30 p.m.

The Circus of Values
ZJU Theater Group
4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood  
Zombie Joe's Underground Theater Group’s 30th season continues with the world premiere of Jorge Lozano’s horror-comedy "big top" spectacular. The premise of the play delves into a clown society’s quest to discover The Funniest Thing in the World. Directed by Jorge Lozano and produced by Zombie Joe. For ages 18+.
COST: $20 - $25; MORE INFO

Friday, July 8; 9:30 p.m.

Club Euphoria
Boardner's
1652 N. Cherokee Ave., Hollywood
An HBO's Euphoria-themed dance party features live music by Glass Eye and The Gems, plus Club Decades DJs spinning tunes by artists like Orville Peck, DMX, INXS, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish and others. Ages 18+.
COST: $15 - $20; MORE INFO

Dance DTLA returns to the Music Center Plaza for the summer season.

(

Will Tee Yang

)

Friday, June 17: 7 - 11 p.m.

Dance DTLA: Hip Hop 
Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center 
135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A.
The Music Center’s popular all-ages dance series continues this week with a night of hip hop. Bring your friends and your moves, but don't worry if you have two left feet as the night includes free lessons from Brandon Juezan. Music from DJ Monalisa.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 9 - Sunday, July 10; 12 - 9 p.m.

Lotus Festival 
Echo Park Lake
751 Echo Park Ave., Echo Park
The festival celebrates Asian culture, arts, performance, dragon boat races and foods. This year’s festival honors India, which celebrates 75 years of independence. The Los Angeles Parks Foundation also sponsors a beer garden along with the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild for those 21+.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 9 - Sunday, July 10

Long Beach Pride Parade and Festival
450 E. Shoreline Dr., Long Beach
The two-day waterfront festival features musical headliners including Iggy Azalea, Natalia Jiménez and Paulina Rubio. The celebration will also feature a range of community programming, sponsor activations, food and drinks and a Pride parade taking place on Sunday, July 10. Jeopardy winner Amy Schneider serves as this year’s parade Grand Marshal.
COST: $40 - $265; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 9 - Sunday, July 10

Sixth Street Viaduct Grand Opening 
Boyle Avenue and Whittier Blvd., Boyle Heights
The grand opening party for the Sixth Street Viaduct takes place all weekend. Saturday’s event features live music headlined by Ozomatli, with food trucks, market, vintage car display, and ends in fireworks and the official bridge lighting. Tickets are sold out for Saturday, but there will be a stand-by line at 6 p.m. The Sunday event for bikers and walkers is free and open to the public.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 9; 8 p.m.

Devonté Hynes
The Ford
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E, Hollywood Hills 
Musician and composer Devonté Hynes (a.k.a. Blood Orange) joins the LA Phil, conducted by Paolo Bortolameolli, for an eclectic program of classical music. The night features new full orchestra arrangements of his piano concerto, Happenings, and his cello concerto, Origin, plus selections from his film scores. Hynes is joined by writer and contemporary classical pianist Adam Tendler. Tickets are officially sold out via The Ford, but available from alternative markets.
COST: Varies; MORE INFO 

Bob Baker Marionette Theatre presents the new show, ¡Fiesta!

(

Kalli Arte

)

Saturday, July 9 - Sunday, Sept. 18

¡Fiesta!
Bob Baker Marionette Theater (BBMT)
4949 York Blvd., Highland Park
BBMT revisits and reimagines the show that founder Bob Baker created more than 50 years ago as a “love letter to Los Angeles.” Celebrating and reflecting a variety of voices, cultures and traditions, ¡Fiesta! includes dancing cacti, colorful birds, marimba maestros from Xochimilco, a brand new Día de Muertos sequence, and a newly outfitted marionette mariachi band inspired by the groundbreaking LGBTQ+ Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Ángeles.
COST: $20 per ticket, free for children 2 and younger; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 9; 8 p.m.

Summer SoundWaves: La Marisoul y Son California
Jerry Moss Plaza at the Music Center
135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. 
La Marisoul y Son California kicks off the family-friendly concert series on the Music Center Plaza. Listen to diverse styles of Jarocho and other forms of Mexican folk music interpretations by the group Son and Cancion Mexicana. The evening opens with the “soulful rocksteady” sound of vocalist and San Gabriel Valley native Jackie Mendez. Upcoming concerts include Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble featuring Telmary on July 30 and Chiquis on August 20.
COST: $20; MORE INFO

Common is joined by Geoff Gallegos (Double G) and his 50-piece Stardust Symphony for a night of music.

(

Brian Bowen Smith

)

Saturday, July 9; 5 p.m.

Common with Double G’s Stardust Symphony
Starlight Bowl
249 Lockheed View Dr., Burbank
The Grammy Award-winning rapper and songwriter Common is joined by composer, conductor and baritone saxophonist Geoff Gallegos (Double G) and his 50-piece Stardust Symphony for a night of music. Also performing are the soul-funk stylings of Lettuce and an opening performance by Nikka Costa and DJ sets by KCRW DJ Novena Carmel.
COST: $85 - $200; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 9 - Sunday, July 10: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Getty 25 Celebrates Reseda
Reseda Park
18411 Victory Blvd., Reseda
The Getty’s 25th-anniversary celebration tour continues this weekend in the Valley. Working with 11:11 Projects, the event brings together artists, musicians and local arts organizations for a day of live music, performances, hands-on art workshops, an immersive digital experience of Getty collections, giveaways, photo booths and food vendors.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Saturday, July 9; 12 p.m.

Palomino Festival
Brookside at the Rose Bowl
1133 Rosemont Ave., Pasadena 
The new alt-country festival includes sets from headliners Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson & Family, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit along with other luminaries of the genre.
COST: Tickets start at $179; MORE INFO

Sunday, July 10; 11 a.m., 2 p.m.

Family Amphitheater Performances: Bloco Obini 
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Brentwood
The Skirball launches its family-friendly summer series that includes a lineup of artists who use music, dance and storytelling to keep their cultural traditions and family histories alive. The 2022 series begins with Bloco Obini, an all-queen drum ensemble of artists, activists, teachers, and students playing Afro Brazilian Bloco-style beats. The summer schedule also includes Upstream (July 17), Las Colibrí (July 24) and Dancing Storytellers (July 31).
COST: $7 - $12; MORE INFO

CicLAvia returns to South LA with a day of walking, riding and skating down Western.

(

Courtesy of CicLAvia

)

Outdoors Pick

CicLAvia - South L.A.
On Sunday, July 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., bring the family to ride, walk and skate down Western Avenue (between Exposition and Florence) for CicLAvia, a day of exercise and exploration of South L.A., including Vermont Square, Harvard Park, Chesterfield Square, Exposition Park and King Estates. The three-mile route will be closed off to cars, and there are no entry and exit points, so stay for as long as you like.

Viewing Pick

Tuca & Bertie, Season 3
After a single season on Netflix, the adult animated comedy Tuca & Bertie by local cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt was unceremoniously canceled. It was picked by Adult Swim/Cartoon Network and now returns for its third season on Sunday, July 10 at 11:30 p.m. Tiffany Haddish (Tuca) and Ali Wong (Bertie) return as two birds who navigate friendship and relationships in their apartment building. Episodes are also released the next day on HBO Max.

Charcoal Venice is now serving weekend brunch.

(

Courtesy of Charcoal Venice

)

Dine and Drink Deals

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

• Resy and the Amex Gold Card team up to present The Boardwalk — a food experience held on the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, June 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. L.A. chefs and restaurants serve up creative takes on boardwalk-inspired cuisine, including Angler’s lobster roll, Ggiata’s funnel cake, Guelaguetza’s ceviche tostadas, snacks by Gwen, Eszett and Salt’s Cure. Tickets are $50 for Amex Gold Card Members and $75 for the general public.   
• SALT at Marina del Rey Hotel celebrates National Caviar Day (July 18) all month long with a caviar-forward menu created by new executive chef Sean Collins. The menu includes oysters, scallops, Atlantic salmon and prime filet steak tartare, all of which come with a bump of caviar. Varieties include Classic Malossol Caviar, Reserve Malossol Caviar and Golden Osetra Caviar. Reservations via OpenTable.
• Josiah Citrin’s Charcoal Venice (pictured, above) is now offering weekend brunch from 10:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m. with both individual and shareable dishes including a blueberry dutch boy, charcoal benedict (with charcoal-infused Hollandaise), stuffed Yukon potato, and steak and eggs. There are also large versions of cocktails such as the Midnight Margarita, bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Reservations available on Resy
• Barcelona-based cocktail bar Two Schmucks comes to Broken Shaker at Freehand LA for a pop-up visit on July 9-10. The team offers cocktails featuring Fords Gin including the Schmuck 2020 (beer with a mini-Ford’s gin martini); Ice Cream for Astronauts (gin, lime juice, simple syrup, basil, coconut ice cream).
• Eater LA has all the details on chef José Andrés and his ThinkFoodGroup’s several new spots at the new Conrad Hotel in downtown L.A., located across the street from Walt Disney Concert Hall. The all-day eatery San Laurel, Agua Viva on the rooftop and SED cocktail lounge open for reservations on July 8.