Best things to do Labor Day weekend in Los Angeles and Southern California: August 30 - September 2

A better question to ask here might be: Who isn’t playing Fool in Love? Featuring everyone from headliners Lionel Richie and Diana Ross to Santana, George Clinton and P-Funk, Smokey Robinson, Mayer Hawthorne, Chaka Khan and Dionne Warwick all making the bill – and so many more – there’s no shortage of great performances in store at Hollywood Park all day on Saturday. With four stages plus food and VIP lounges, the inaugural year of this crowd-pleaser is sure to be a big deal.

Have mercy! The Beach Boys and special guest host John Stamos bring summer pop classics to the Greek for a night of surfin’ safaris and California girls. While Brian Wilson is not performing on this tour, the current band’s lineup features founding member Mike Love alongside Bruce Johnson, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, Jon Bolton, Keith Hubacher, Randy Leago, John Wedemeyer, and their musical director Brian Eichenberger.

Make your obsession with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift pay off and head to the Japanese Car Cruise-In to meet fellow Toyota, Honda, and other car enthusiasts under the backdrop of Miracle Mile’s Petersen Automotive Museum. There will be coffee and bagels, plus you can meet Nadine Sachiko Hsu, author of Sachiko & The Bully, for a special book signing next to her drift car. You can show up as a spectator or even bring your own Japanese-made car to participate in the show.

Join hundreds of fellow runners as you gather to make your way across the 5.3-mile course over the Vincent Thomas Bridge between San Pedro and Long Beach this Labor Day. The 15th annual run/walk will give out trophies and flags for the male and female champs.

There’s even more music for you to boogie to this weekend. If the price tag for the Fool in Love Festival is a little steep, never fear. The incredible lineup at the free annual Leimert Park Jazz Festival is just what the end of summer ordered. Hear from jazz favorites like the Billy Childs Trio, the Justo Almario Afro-Colombian Ensemble, and the Gilbert Castellanos Quartet and see the art competition winner.

Support the work of trans and queer artists at this celebration of art, poetry, and community in Boyle Heights. Work by trans artists Alexa Vasquez, Salvador De La Torre and Amina Cruz will be on display, and there will be a performance by poet Bay Davis, beats from DJ Mizkoden, and community resources including HIV testing, free food and a raffle.

For 60 years, Cinecon has brought classic films to Beverly Hills over the long weekend, and this year features crowd pleasers like 1938’s Shirley Temple film Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse. Daytime films are shown in their original film format; evening presentations are digital.

Get a brand new pair of rollerskates (or just rent them!), put on your disco gear and enjoy a roller rink by the beach. Come winter, the 5th St. space is an ice skating rink in downtown Santa Monica, but for now, it's still a summer and fall spot to roller skate during the warmer months.

Cool off this Labor Day in the dark of the Fine Arts Theatre while watching all six of the original Star Trek movies. Original TV series cast members William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei and Walter Koenig all star in these now-classics; many special guests are slated for Q&As at the screenings. Live long and prosper.

Carnival rides, a skate contest, and of course the big chili contest are all going down throughout Labor Day weekend in Malibu. There will be music, tastings from all kinds of food vendors, and fun for the whole family. Proceeds support the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu.

Tiki bars are all the rage lately and with August 30 being National Mai Tai Day (sure, why not?), Islands Restaurants, BOA Steakhouse, and Sushi Roku are all celebrating with new happy hour specials featuring the potent elixir of light and dark rums, pineapple juice, and orgeat syrup.

Nothing is more classic than a slice of pie from West L.A. icon The Apple Pan. New school meets old school as ice cream newcomer Kith Treats and review site The Infatuation take on a version celebrating The Apple Pan’s banana cream pie flavor as part of their Heritage Program. The special will be available at all three L.A. locations of Kith Treats from August 29 through September 8.

Luxe Sunset is celebrating the upcoming Labor Day holiday with poolside parties all weekend long. Guests will enjoy live DJs and indulge in food and drink specials as they dip their toes in one of L.A.’s best hotel pools.