Best Things To Do This Weekend In Los Angeles and Southern California: Apr. 5 - 7

Japanese whiskey? Check. A beautiful urban garden? Check. Sashimi and other fancy snacks? A super cool soundtrack and anime films? Check, check, check. Head to Little Tokyo for this fun collab under the stars between The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center and vinyl proprietors In Sheep’s Clothing on the first Friday of the month.

See work from over 140 artists from L.A. and around the world, and maybe even buy a new piece for your home. The Other Art Fair focuses on work that’s more accessible to new art collectors, and with DJs and a full bar, it’s fun to walk around and explore the varied exhibitors.

If there’s something cuter than a beach full of corgis, it can only be a beach full of corgis in costumes. SoCal Corgi Beach Day is exactly what it sounds like. There’s yoga with your dog, a cutest corgi butt competition, bacon-flavored bubbles, and a treat-eating contest. Somebody alert Buckingham Palace!

Don’t sit and putter, get down to the Ahmanson to see the Broadway touring company of Funny Girl. The musical follows Fanny Brice on her journey to stardom and earned rave reviews for Glee star Lea Michele on Broadway. Katerina McCrimmon takes the stage here as Fanny Brice; Grammy winner Melissa Manchester plays Mrs. Brice.

Love to tinker? Have some STEM skills to share? Head down to the L.A. State Historic Park. On Friday, extra help is needed to set up, and on Saturday you can check out the exciting projects while lending a hand as well. Or grab a free ticket and walk through to meet the creators – like Katherine Connell who makes wearable light-up art – and maybe even be inspired to pick up a new hobby of your own.

UPDATE: RSVPs are closed, and KCRW asks that people NOT just show up on the day.

Longtime KCRW visionary station manager Ruth Seymour really defined a moment for public radio in L.A.

Seymour died late in 2023, and you can join KCRW at a public memorial celebrating her contributions this weekend.

Women’s advocacy organization Mujeres de Maiz celebrates its 27th year in East Los Angeles with a live art event and book release party. Featuring performances from Dr. Martha Gonzalez, Jessa Calderon, and emcee D’Lo as well as poetry and panel discussions, the event honors the new book Mujeres de Maíz en Movimiento: Spiritual Artivism, Healing Justice and Feminist Praxis.

Is goat yoga sooooo 2018? Who cares, it’s fun. Bring your mat and a sense of humor (and clothes you don’t mind getting a little, um, dirty) and let those baby goats roam the wilds of your back with Laughing Frog Yoga.

Travel back to the days before all wine had to be natural and organic and all we had to worry about was the merits of merlot. Yes, the 2004 Alexander Payne Syrah-fueled cult hit Sideways is screening at the majestic El Capitan Theatre as part of their Searchlight Saturdays series, followed by a Q&A with producer Michael London, editor Kevin Tent, and actor Virginia Madsen.

Chef Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar birthday cake is nothing short of iconic; one look at the funfetti and you know you’re in for a tooth-aching treat. She’s made Milk Bar into an empire and ships these cakes all over the world now, but you can learn to assemble and decorate your own from the experts this week at their flagship bakery on Melrose. Go home with your own 6-inch cake and truffles, whether it’s your big day or just a Saturday.

Sample beers from 80 breweries, plus enjoy tons of food trucks and live music, DJs from Power106, and more. Make sure you plan to get a ride home!

The folks at Atla in Venice take mezcal seriously. This Sunday the relative newcomer to Abbot Kinney from Chef Enrique Olvera (of Mexico City’s Pujol fame) hosts a mezcal tasting that’s not just a tasting but a five-hour event with a series of seminars on the smoky liquor and a variety of bites. Hear from experts in the industry about the future of mezcal and sample over 50 agave spirits.