Best things to do this weekend in Los Angeles and Southern California: December 27 - 29

The first night of Hanukkah is also Christmas Day this year, and the annual menorah lighting on the promenade continues every night of the eight-day celebration. Head out to the shopping street for after-Christmas sales and cap it off with the Hanukkah fest.

Looking for a fun, family-friendly activity while everyone is off from school and work? The pop-up (no pun intended!) Balloon Museum is more art exhibit than kids' birthday party, with installations that feature artists working in the medium. It includes works with LED lights, hot air (of course), and more. The rooms are interactive and colorful and will definitely keep everyone occupied and entertained for an afternoon.

Kick off New Year’s weekend with the post-punk indie dance party of your early aughts dreams, with jams from The Killers, Muse, New Order and more, hosted by DJ perksandkisses.

Get your last dose of holiday twinkle through next weekend at the L.A. Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow experience. Animal-themed light installations, new lantern sculptures, and more are all featured in the wildlife house at the Griffith Park institution.

Born on YouTube during the pandemic, The Spirit of Hanukkah lives on live and in-person at Dynasty Typewriter. The comedy show from cousins Zane Shrem-Besnoy and Jacob Surovsky features a film, live music, special guests, and more. L’chaim!

Who needs to party on New Year’s Eve when you can party on Saturday with Grammy-winning New Orleans brass band The Dirty Dozen? I’ve seen these guys all over the world and they never fail to bring the joy out to L.A. from the 504. Opening for them at The Mint are the soulful sounds of Kat Lincoln and Sin Palabras as well as Macías & the Velvet Priests. Dirty Dozen hit the stage at 10 p.m.

Make sure you're dressed to impress and ready to dance as East L.A. drag queen Morgan Wood hosts the 25th anniversary of the ICONS party from DJ Larry Tee, Electroclash creator and the writer of RuPaul's hit song "Supermodel (Your Better Work)." Los Globos in Silver Lake is the venue for performances by Wow Ash Wow, The Glamorous Monique, Zack Binder, Noise Pup, and Skunky Sweet. Join an inclusive crowd for the show, and get there early.

Skate into the last week of the year in your ugliest sweater and show off your coolest roller derby moves at the Midnight Rollerway's Ugly Sweater Skate Night. I can’t think of a more fun and L.A. thing to do. Bring out-of-town guests, go on your own to meet some new friends, or bring your local crew out to celebrate the end of the year together. Skate rental is $8, and there are prizes for the truly ugliest of holiday sweaters, so don’t hold back.

O.C. Parks and Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalists will lead a 2.5-mile hike focused on native California plants and their seasonal cycles in Laguna Beach. Walk off your holiday treats while learning about our winter plant life. Remember to bring water and wear closed-toed shoes.

The Academy Museum theater is celebrating the magic of 3D with a series of screenings ranging from classics like 1973’s Flesh For Frankenstein (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.) to more recent films like Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 sci-fi adventure Pacific Rim (Sunday, 7:30 p.m.), with family favorites like Paranorman (Sunday, 2 p.m.) mixed in as well.

A.O.C. celebrates the festival of lights with a dinner from Chef Suzanne Goin, inspired by Amelia Saltsman's The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen, and supplemental wine pairings by Caroline Styne. The menu includes sweet and savory cheese pancakes, beef brisket, and pistachio ice cream for dessert.

This might be my favorite collab of the year. Lodge Bread and Krispy Kreme teamed up for the Hanukkah collab of my dreams, reimagining the classic sufganiyot (jelly doughnut). Through Jan. 2, Krispy Kreme’s signature dough meets Lodge Bread’s artisanal raspberry jam — by Chef Or Amsalam — and a dusting of powdered sugar.