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

Get your last-minute holiday shopping done at this convention featuring collectible toys, plush, designer apparel and pop art from more than 600 vendors and 350+ artists. One of the highlights of this year’s show is the Hollywood 100 Show. Collaborating with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and renowned designer ONCH, the event features 100 artists designing and displaying one-of-a-kind models of the Hollywood sign.

The museum partners with the Smithsonian Institution for its newest exhibition, The Negro Motorist Green Book, which offers an immersive look at how the guide served as “the bible of Black travel during Jim Crow” and what Black American travelers had to endure in mid-century America. The installation opens in the Armand Hammer Foundation Gallery.

The street art and graffiti gallery and store holds a holiday market this weekend with art, books, prints, zines, apparel, limited-edition merch and treasures from the archive. Shop while indulging in free holiday treats, coffee by The Mad Barista, stickers, totes, and gift wrapping while supplies last.

Attend an evening all about folklore, holiday traditions and the famed Alpine monster with author and Krampus expert Al Ridenour (The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas) and friends. Through an illustrated presentation, Ridenour discusses how Krampus is connected to centuries-old witchcraft beliefs and an older, darker understanding of the Christmas season. Get there early for a pre-show cocktail hour, German holiday songs, costumed Krampuses and a video highlight reel screening. Costumes encouraged.

In Hooray for Holidays, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles performs more than 20 holiday tunes from the golden age of cinema, including songs from Meet Me in St. Louis, White Christmas, and Mame, to newer classics from The Polar Express, The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Love Actually. They’ll also cover pop songs from Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, and Wham! Wayne Brady is this year’s special guest.

The orchestra brings the holiday flair to the stage, showcasing holiday classics with a Latin/Salsa style. Get there early for short salsa lessons and dancing, holiday treats and giveaways.

The hip-hop group emerged in the early ‘90s from Cleveland, and the Bones play the DTLA venue in advance of their latest album Hypnotic Rhythms, which comes out on all platforms on Dec. 22.

The alt-comedy and musical variety show, created and hosted by Beth Lapides, has fostered an inclusive stage and space for more than three decades. The show features The Sklar Brothers, Aparna Nancherla, Cameron Esposito, Jamie Bridgers, and Mitch Kaplan + The Band.

This is the first official event since Insomniac’s and Emo Nite’s recently announced creative partnership, which melds EDM with emo, pop-punk and rock for a night of dancing. We The Kings and State Champs play live, joined by Emo Nite and electronic dance music producers Said The Sky and Nurko. Ages 18+.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents the first exhibition to explore Islamic art within the context of cultural eating and drinking traditions in the great Islamic courts. Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting includes 250 works from 30 public and private collections — from the U.S., Europe and the Middle East — and was curated by Linda Komaroff, department head and curator for art of the Middle East.

This is a Christmas-themed race with live carolers, snow, water and Christmas cookies at the finish! Run either the 5K or 10K and choose a Santa beanie, Full Santa suit or custom race shirt. The finisher medals are gift boxes with Santa that transform into ornaments. At the end of the race, there’s food and beverages for sale including specialty coffees, hot chocolate, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, tacos and tamales. The running event uses its proceeds to gift those who otherwise would not experience a Christmas and need staple goods.

Street Food Cinema dresses up as Yuletide Cinemaland for the holidays, with 10 days of outdoor festivities and film screenings at Heritage Square Museum. The museum grounds transform into an immersive winter wonderland with a twinkling light tunnel, snow flurries, live piano sing-alongs, a stocking stuffer marketplace and Santa Claus himself. The homes are decorated and dressed for the holidays reminiscent of their Victorian era heyday. Food trucks, sweet treats, traditional movie concessions and a full bar are also available. The screenings begin this weekend with two screenings of Elf (Friday), Home Alone and Home Alone 2 (Saturday) and The Muppet Christmas Carol and Scrooged (Sunday).

The large pub crawl returns this weekend to benefit the Westside Food Bank. Dust off those antlers and Santa hats, shine up those menorahs and join hundreds of your pals to celebrate the holidays. Participants choose from three different routes throughout the city and get exclusive $6 to $9 food and drink specials at 20 local favorites including The Victorian, Jameson's Irish Pub, Tavern on Main, Twelve Twelve, Barney's Beanery and Britannia Pub. Tickets also include one free drink, no cover charges, priority entry and entry into Santa’s official after-party.

Standing Room at Death & Co transforms into a retro holiday pop-up in partnership with Beam Suntory. The cozy, sublevel space offers cocktail offerings such as the Vintage Eggnog (Knob Creek 100 Bourbon, Courvoisier VSOP, Overproof Jamaican Rum, Whole Egg, Cream, Sugar) and snacks like fried chicken, tater tots with optional caviar add-on and seasonal cream puffs.

In preparation for a launch next summer, the team behind Maydan Market hosts a pop-up to introduce themselves to L.A. and the West Adams neighborhood. The 10,000-square-foot market will house the Michelin-starred Maydan restaurant and bar, Compass Rose, an indoor and outdoor bar, and five L.A.-based food hot spots. Food vendors include Poncho’s Tlayudas, Tamales Elena y Antojitos, River Street BBQ, Nawal and Maydan. Other vendors will be onsite selling products and crafts. Tickets include a complimentary bite/beverage and entertainment.