Best Things To Do This Weekend in Los Angeles and Southern California: Apr. 19 - 21

Book lovers wait all year for the L.A. Times Festival of Books and this year features a who’s who of authors and personalities from RuPaul to Henry Winkler, Miranda July to Jonathan Lethem. There’s something for everyone and tons of kids and young adult authors and events, too – including a Turtles All the Way Down screening and panel with John Green. Some events require tickets, so plan ahead.

LAist participates and is a partner of the event. We'll be reporting live from USC on LAist 89.3 FM, and you can come find our booths and say hello!

Bob Baker Marionette Theater is a uniquely L.A. institution. Their new puppet theater home is alive and well in Highland Park, and this weekend they celebrate Baker’s 100th birthday with a full day of festivities, games, and of course puppet shows at the L.A. State Historic Park, hosted by this year's Grand Marshall Sid Krofft, the "Grandfather of Puppetry."

Broadway diva and three-time Tony winner Patti Lupone shines at the L.A. Opera for one night only this weekend, performing some of her Broadway favorites – and songs that highlight her personal journey – in her one-woman concert, Patti LuPone: A Life in Notes.

In one of the biggest spoken word events in the country, students from all across Southern California will show off their poetry prowess at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theater on Saturday, sharing their unique response to a classic poem. Judges include Rudy Francisco, Yesika Salgado, and Joshua Silverstein.

A couple navigates moving, life, Ikea assembly, and a lot of cardboard boxes in choreographer Laura Karlin’s dance piece, Interior Design. Featuring artists Hyosun Choi and Marco Palomino, the two-night event from Invertigo Dance Theatre is sure to hit home for many.

Join L.A. Works and National Parks Service on Friday to help restore native habitat parcels of the Santa Monica Mountains destroyed by the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

Actor and activist Jane Fonda and Harvard professor Dr. Naomi Oreskes talk about the impact of climate storytelling through film and the movement toward a sustainable future.

Roundhouse Aquarium is hosting everything from plankton races to shark education talks to fish feeding to get you energized about saving our oceans.

Get your hands dirty digging up invasive weeds and caring for native plants on Saturday during their habitat restoration event, and then join in arts and crafts festivities, nature talks, and a luncheon during the South Bay Parkland Conservancy's Earth Day celebration on Sunday.

Friends of the L.A. River is hosting two events this weekend. Saturday’s habitat restoration in the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve also includes a guided nature walk. On Sunday, join their Earth Day Extravaganza and enjoy activities like making seed balls and hearing eco-themed poetry performances.

It’s always Earth Day at the Natural History Museum, but Sunday will feature behind-the-scenes activities, plus live music, native seed ball making, a scavenger hunt, and more. And while you’re close by, check out the GreenFest happening next door at Jesse Brewer Jr. Park.

The L.A. Zoo gets in on the Earth Day action with a "Planting for Pollinators" station, an Earth Expo featuring community and eco partners, live story readings, and more.

Get on your bikes and ride! CicLAvia returns to Venice Blvd this weekend with open streets for jogging, biking, rollerskating, or any other people-powered forms of transport you can think of, from Palms to the Beach. The hubs at Mar Vista, Palms, National, and Venice Beach will each feature art pop-up activities like tassel making for your bike or bag, bike repair, water refill stations, and more.

Experience the majesty of California’s redwoods – and the threats they face – on the big screen at this event from the Los Angeles Rivian Club. The film, which is narrated by Bay Area native and reggae singer Michael Franti, will also screen on Monday in Palos Verdes as part of the Beauty of Nature Series, presented by Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy.

From Hawaiian BBQ at Blissful Eats to Filipino desserts at Dough Mamma to Turkish coffee at Coffee Queens, you can snack your way around the globe this Saturday night in Anaheim. Alongside the food, craft vendors will be showcasing global cultures.

We would never forget to acknowledge that it’s 4/20 this weekend and The Woods wouldn’t either. The jungle-inspired cannabis dispensary and lounge opens at 6 a.m. on 4/20 for a special 42-percent off sale and cannabis brand pop-ups and giveaways all weekend. Plus, next-door watering hole Holy Water is opening at 12 p.m. and has created a special 420-inspired (but THC-free) cocktail.

Enjoy food from local chefs like Clementine’s Annie Miller and Clemence de Lutz from The Gourmandise School, complemented by craft cocktails, to celebrate Food Forward’s mission to reduce food waste and bring fresh fruits and veggies to those experiencing food insecurity. A perfect Earth Day-themed fundraiser!