Best Things To Do This Weekend In Los Angeles And SoCal: Sept. 23 - 25

Take a haunted hayride. Bring the fam to Bob Baker's Hallowe’en Spooktacular. Celebrate the Watts Towers. Explore artistry at the Frogtown Artwalk.

Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 23 - Oct. 15; 7 and 10 p.m.

DRAG: The Musical 
The Bourbon Room
6356 Hollywood Blvd., 2nd floor, Hollywood
Alaska Thunderf*ck brings an all-star roster of drag icons to Hollywood including Jujubee, Jackie Cox, Jan Sport, Lagoona Bloo, and Aria B. Cassadine, along with pop music star Joey McIntrye, and Broadway vets Nick Adams and Alysha Deslorieux. Together, they tell the tale of two rival drag clubs that must overcome their differences in order to survive.
COST: $59.99 - $99.99; MORE INFO

Friday, Sept. 23 - Monday, Oct. 31 (select dates)

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
Old Zoo at Griffith Park
4730 Crystal Springs Dr., Griffith Park
The park’s grounds are once again transformed into Midnight Falls, an eerie village where it's always Halloween. The haunt features fan-favorite mazes including the Hayride, Trick or Treat, Midnight Mortuary and the newly revamped (S)Laughterhouse. Monte Revolta, the undead irreverent lounge singer, leads his Band of The Living Dead playing consecutive 30 min. shows during the festivities. The experience may be too intense for those 12 and younger.
COST: Tickets start at $39.99; MORE INFO

Friday, Sept. 23; 8 p.m. - midnight

Skybar’s Night Market
Mondrian Los Angeles
8440 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 
Prep for fall at Skybar’s monthly pop-up event. Shop poolside for apparel, accessories, candles, art and more. Enjoy cocktail specials and DJ sets by Lisbona Sisters. Must be 21+ to attend.
COST: FREE admission; MORE INFO

The L.A. International Ukulele Festival returns with a weekend of music and family fun in Torrance.

(Shane O'Donnell)

Friday, Sept. 23 - Sunday, Sept. 25

L.A. International Ukulele Festival
Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance 
The Grand Annex, 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro 
The family-friendly festival dedicated to the small, four-stringed instrument, offers classes, workshops and presentations for all levels of playing ability, in addition to performances. The weekend kicks off with a Friday night concert, followed by an all-day festival on Saturday and a family fun day on Sunday, which includes a concert and play-along for the whole family.
COST: $20 - $47; MORE INFO

Fulcrum Arts: freq_wave (Pacific; Los Angeles) is an audio-visual installation that takes place this weekend at Mt. Wilson Observatory.

(Irina Logra)

Friday, Sept. 23 - Sunday, Sept. 25; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Fulcrum Arts: freq_wave (Pacific; Los Angeles)
Mt. Wilson Observatory
Red Box-Mount Wilson Rd., Mt Wilson
The immersive installation freq_wave (Pacific; Los Angeles), created by new media and conceptual artist Carl Michael von Hausswolff, transforms the interior of the 100-inch Telescope at Mt. Wilson. Watch and listen to 12 individual sound works by 12 artists, “each operating within a unique frequency range based on field recordings from the Pacific Ocean and amplified to act as a single, generative sonic zone.” The work is an urgent call to action and a response to the planetary climate crisis brought during the Anthropocene—the “human era.” The installation is part of the Fulcrum Arts Festival which runs through Sunday.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Through Saturday, Sept. 24

Basementfest
The Elysian
1944 Riverside Dr., Echo Park 
Comedian Niles Abston curated Basementfest for the first time in Brooklyn earlier this year and now brings the live comedy, music and film festival happening to L.A. with six shows over three nights. Shows include Niles Abston's Big A$$ House Party, Y’all Had To Be Here Live Podcast, This Week Sucks Tonight and Niles Abston's 3rd Special Taping Live from LA...Again. 
COST: $17 - $100; MORE INFO

Saturday, Sept. 24 - Monday, Jan. 16, 2023

Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails
Discovery Cube Los Angeles
11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar
The interactive exhibit from the Minnesota Children's Museum is inspired by the popular Nick Jr. children’s TV series. Families with kids ages 2 to 7 can engage in playful learning activities that puts the focus on STEM literacy.
COST: $13.95 - $15.95; MORE INFO

Bob Baker's Hallowe’en Spooktacular returns with scares for the whole family.

(BBMT Archives)

Saturday, Sept. 24 - Sunday, Nov. 6

Bob Baker's Hallowe’en Spooktacular 
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
4949 York Blvd., Highland Park
More than 100 spirited marionettes (and their human friends) perform an hour-long, family-friendly “boo-sical revue.” Watch Frankenstein’s monster’s toe-tapping creation to a cabaret of glow-in-the-dark skeletons and other not-so-spooky surprises.
COST: $20; MORE INFO

Italian-born American sculptor and designer Simon Rodia (1879 - 1965) stands outside the gate by the sidewalk at Watts Towers a monument of steel, concrete, and found materials which he constructed by hand over a period of 33 years in the Watts nieghborhood of Los Angeles, California, 1951. The towers celebrate 100 years through music and community this weekend.

(Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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Hulton Archive)

Saturday, Sept. 24 - Sunday, Sept. 25

Watts Towers Celebrations 
Simon Rodia State Historic Park
1727 E. 107th St., Watts
L.A.’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) celebrates a number of milestones this weekend, revolving around the 100 Years of Nuestro Pueblo – The Watts Towers of Simon Rodia. DCA and the Friends of Watts Towers Arts Center host weekend events, including multicultural dance and music performances celebrating the 40th anniversary. Featuring the Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival on Saturday followed by the 45th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival on Sunday. Performers include Xochipilli, Taikoproject and Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Saturday, Sept. 24 - Saturday, Oct. 8

Remix: The Art of Music
Gabba Gallery
3126 Beverly Blvd., Westlake
The popular music-themed art show returns to the gallery for its fifth installment, with a portion of art sales benefitting the nonprofit Adopt the Arts. View works created by more than 50 artists (including Shepard Fairey, Alex Achaval and Heather Perry) who have imagined album covers, created portraits of rock idols and paintings inspired by songs. The opening reception takes place on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 6 to 10 p.m.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Saturday, Sept. 24; 9 p.m.

Nosferatu Centennial Celebration
Frida Cinema
305 E. 4th St #100, Santa Ana 
F.W. Murnau’s vampire classic film celebrates its centennial this year. The Invincible Czars bring their creep-tastic soundtrack during the screening.
COST: $16.50; MORE INFO

Saturday, Sept. 24; 3 - 10 p.m.

13th Biennial Frogtown Artwalk 
Various locations in Elysian Valley
Elysian Valley Art Collective present an evening of a free self-guided tour of artists’ studios, workshops, and pop-up galleries in Frogtown. Attendees can participate in art installations, musical performances, kids workshops, and food and drink pop-ups along the L.A. River.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Sunday, Sept. 25; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ireichō Monument Launch
Japanese American National Museum
100 North Central Ave., downtown L.A.
The public is invited to view and sign the Ireichō, a sacred book that records (for the first time ever) the names of more than 125,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly imprisoned in US Army, Department of Justice, and War Relocation Authority camps during World War II. Guests can use a special Japanese hanko (a stamp or seal) to leave a mark for each person in the book to honor those incarcerated during World War II.
COST: FREE with museum admission ($9 - $16); MORE INFO

Sunday, Sept. 25; 7 p.m.

Grace Jones / Chvrches
Hollywood Bowl
2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood
Legendary Grace Jones—model, actor and glam-pop star—returns to the Bowl with Chvurches and Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul also on the bill.
COST: Tickets from $31; MORE INFO

Runners prepare to cross the finish line at the Homeboy Industries 5K in 2014. The race takes place again this weekend in downtown L.A.

(Rich Polk

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Getty Images North America)

Outdoor Pick

13th Annual Homeboy 5K Run/Walk
Get those lungs and heart pumping for a good cause and join thousands of runners, joggers and walkers for a 5k on Saturday, Sept. 24 that celebrates hope and community. Proceeds from the race through historic Chinatown benefit Homeboy Industries, the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. Participants get t-shirts, medals and a chance to visit with community vendors post-race. The race starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. in front of Homeboy Industries in downtown L.A. Registration required and fees apply.

Viewing Pick

Avatar
James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi film Avatar returns to theaters this weekend for a two-week limited engagement, this time remastered in 4K HDR. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) a paraplegic Marine, as he travels to the distant planet Pandora as his consciousness is implanted into a member of the native Na'vi population. Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and Michelle Rodriguez round out the all-star cast. This re-release prepares audiences for the upcoming three-hour sequel Avatar: The Way of Water forthcoming on Dec. 16.

Lawry's the Prime Rib celebrates Rosh Hashanah with a special prix fixe dinner from Sept. 25 to 27.

(Courtesy of Lawry's the Prime Rib)

Dine and Drink Deals

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

• Celebrate Rosh Hashanah—which begins Sunday and runs through Sept. 27—at Lawry’s The Prime Rib with a special pre-fixe dinner. The menu includes challah and sliced apples with honey, matzo ball soup, Lawry’s Famous Original Spinning Bowl Salad, a choice of California cut roasted prime ribs of beef with mashed potatoes and creamed corn OR pan-seared rainbow trout with a potato latke plus almond-crusted puff pastry. Make sure to leave room for the raspberry roulade for dessert. The menu costs $75 for adults and $40 for children under 12.   
• The 14th Annual Los Angeles Chocolate Salon returns to the Pasadena Convention Center on Sunday, Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. - 3:30 pm. Participants include Amano Artisan Chocolate, Codinha Chocolate, Letterpress Chocolate, among others. Admission is $12.50 - $25. 
• The Tam O' Shanter in Atwater Village continues its 100th-anniversary celebration with a throwback Derby Dolls Car Hop on Friday, Sept. 23 beginning at 5 p.m. Reserve your parking space for $25 (which goes to food and beverage credit) and the Dolls will deliver food to your car while entertaining you with their moves. The night also has bar service, giveaways and full bar service. 
• The 626 Night Market Mini returns to downtown Santa Monica for weekends through October bringing approximately three dozen merch, craft and food vendors. Some of the participants from the market's flagship events include Cafe 949, Why So Shellfish, Chick N’ Skin, Ghostix and Cheese Wheel Pasta. An alcohol garden will also be available for attendees 21+. The market is for all ages and free to attend with advanced ticket reservations. This weekend, the market runs from 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 
• Boomtown Brewery holds Boomfest on Sunday, Sept. 25 from 3 to 10 p.m. with local bands, food pop-ups and 20+ craft brews on tap. Music lineup includes Raised on TV, Paradise Vultures, Ughh, The Show with Adam & Sean, Countless Thousands and Bonsai Trees. No tickets or RSVPs required. Free admission. 
• Pitfire Pizza’s flagship location in North Hollywood turns its huge outdoor patio into a full Oktoberfest Beer Garden on Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 11 a.m. from Sept. 24 – Oct. 9. Nosh on a limited-edition bratwurst pizza, house-made jumbo pretzels with beer cheese, a rotation of special Oktoberfest beers and live Oktoberfest bands.  
• The sunglasses brand goodr collaborates with Randy’s Donuts to create a custom pair of Randy’s sunglasses and a goodr-inspired Piña colada donut. While the limited-edition sunglasses pair will be available to buy on Friday on the goodr website, but if you head to the Inglewood location of Randy’s Donuts early enough on Friday, Sept. 23, you may be one of the lucky 100 recipients to get a free pair of Randy’s sunglasses with the purchase of a goodr donut.