Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: April 14 - 17

Happy spring break! There’s a ton to keep kids of all ages busy this week as school’s out and the holidays are in. If you’re looking for an activity to keep little ones occupied, maybe check out the week-long camp at Annenberg PetSpace, or enjoy butterfly season at Kidspace in Pasadena.

And in between Passover seders and Easter celebrations, there are plenty of other ways to welcome spring in L.A., from art openings to bands coming here between Coachella gigs, to a rooftop trivia night.

For more to explore, visit LAist.com where you can virtually taste Providence’s $100 margarita (and learn why it’s worth it to splurge on the real thing), read up on the L.A. Phil’s Coachella debut and find out where the clothing donations after the January wildfires went once local aid groups were overwhelmed.

Events

Through Saturday, May 24 
Nancy Baker Cahill: Seismic 
Charlie James Gallery 
969 Chung King Road
Chinatown
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

We’ve been lucky to see snippets of artist Nancy Baker Cahill’s work around town with some regularity — her AR installation at the Hammer Museum, a piece at Felix Art Fair in support of Grief x Hope after the fires, and a solo show at Honor Fraser. But this new exhibit at Charlie James Gallery gives us a peek into both her digital and physical works, with a commentary on urgent issues like climate change and reproductive rights as well as more metaphysical work like the sprawling digital installation Slipstream.

Thursday, April 17, 8 p.m. 
Kneecap
The Glass House 
200 W. 2nd St. 
Pomona 
COST: $51.04; MORE INFO 

DJ Provai from Irish Hip Hop trio Kneecap performs onstage during the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at Empire Polo Club on April 11, 2025.

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Valerie Macon

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AFP via Getty Images

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First, watch Kneecap on Netflix – it’s a really unique, gritty and realistic look at Northern Ireland and a group of young rappers preserving the Irish language through music. The group in the film, Kneecap, has seen worldwide success since the film’s release and is playing Coachella, but you can catch the trio in between weekends at The Glass House in Pomona. The show is sold out but there’s a waitlist; British punk rockers Soft Play are opening. You can also catch Soft Play at Licorice Pizza in Studio City on Friday, April 18.

Monday, April 14, 7:10 p.m.
Hello Kitty Night
Dodgers vs. Rockies 
Dodger Stadium
1000 Vin Scully Ave.
Elysian Park 
COST: FROM $96; MORE INFO

Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the L.A. Dodgers with Hello Kitty prior to the game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium on April 16, 2024.

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea

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Getty Images

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Watch the Dodgers take on the Rockies while you take home a Hello Kitty squishy! Our second-favorite Japanese import (after Ohtani, of course) will be visiting Dodger Stadium, but get there early if you want a photo opp and a collectible; last year’s Hello Kitty night was hugely popular.

Wednesday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. 
Space! The Game Show 
Lyric Hyperion 
2106 Hyperion Ave.
Silver Lake
COST: $15 ADVANCE, $20 DOOR; MORE INFO 

A panel of stars — get it? — take the stage to test their knowledge of all things outer space at this trivia and comedy night at the Lyric Hyperion. Your guides to the universe include The Bechdel Cast podcast host Jamie Loftus, standup and author Alex Falcone and comedian Sheng Wang. Created by Joshua Tree Astronomy Adventures, the event is followed by a chance to peer at the night sky through digital telescopes that can get through the city light pollution to see galaxies right from Silver Lake.

Through Sunday, August 3  
Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory
The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture
3581 Mission Inn Ave. 
Riverside 
COST: $15.95; MORE INFO 

A family pauses to discuss a piece in the Amalia Mesa-Bains retrospective.

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Carlos Puma

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A new retrospective for pioneering Chicana artist Amalia Mesa-Bains features dozens of multimedia pieces, including large-scale installations that teem with small, beautiful details. (One piece, the artist told LAist, has 400 objects in it.) Mirrors are also featured throughout the space. For Mesa-Bains, you, too, are worthy of contemplation. Read Julia Barajas’s full review of the show here.

Wednesdays, starting April 16
Tomat Rooftop + Pub Quiz
6261 W. 87th St.
Westchester 
COST: VARIES; MORE INFO

Who says you have to be at a pub to do pub trivia? Newcomer upscale bistro Tomat is hosting trivia every Wednesday on their rooftop starting April 16, with bites and wines to match.

Wednesday, April 16th, 7:30 p.m.
The Music of Shondaland 
Grammy Museum
Clive Davis Theater
800 W. Olympic Blvd.
Downtown L.A.
COST: $38.24; MORE INFO 

From Bridgerton’s iconic instrumental covers of pop songs to the musical episode of Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes knows how to make a pivotal moment in a show come to life through song. For Shondaland’s 10th anniversary, the Grammy Museum is hosting a conversation and performance with Betsy Beers, Alex Patsavas, Kris Bowers and Mark Mothersbaugh.

Viewing Pick

Ongoing 
One to One: John and Yoko (IMAX)
Multiple theaters 
COST: VARIES; MORE INFO

John Lennon and Yoko Ono in New York during the 70s.

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Ben Ross & Leonora Golberg

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Courtesy Magnolia Pictures

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Travel back to 1971 Greenwich Village, when John Lennon and Yoko Ono first moved to New York City — in full-scale IMAX. The film, covering the couple’s first 18 months in NYC, draws from home videos and recordings, concert footage and interviews. The music was produced by their son, Sean Ono Lennon. Check out the (very moving!) trailer here.

Dine & Drink Deals

Wednesday, April 17, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
Sip, Savor and Shop: a Garden Wine Experience
Redbird
114 E. 2nd St. 
Downtown L.A. 
COST: $31.25, MORE INFO 

Head to the garden at downtown’s Redbird and, for just over $30, taste a flight of five wines from Margerum Wines (Santa Barbara), presented by Redbird Wine Director Jaime Arzate and winemaker Doug Margerum. Plus, get wood-fired pizzas to snack on for $20 each.

Tuesday, April 15, 2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. 
Tax Day Specials 
STK Steakhouse
Westwood 
COST: $10.40; MORE INFO 

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STK Steakhouse

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Take the sting out of Tax Day with $10.40 signature cocktails from 2:30 to 11 p.m. at STK in the W Hotel in Westwood.

Thursday, April 17, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 
Pizza & Vino Pop-Up
Enoteca del Re 
900 N. Broadway, #1070
Chinatown 
COST: $33.85 to $75; MORE INFO

Enoteca del Re, a new women-owned Italian wine bar located in Chinatown, will host renowned pizzaiolo Chef Michele Galifi with a one-night-only menu of wood-fired pizzas paired with Italian wines.