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Best things to do this weekend in Los Angeles and Southern California: July 24-26
Skylight Books in Los Feliz is one of 13 stores participating in the Indie Book Crawl.
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Robert Gauthier
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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I spent last Saturday night in a time machine to the '90s, reliving my high school days at the Hollywood Bowl, where I realized I knew nearly every note of the Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler lineup. If you also donned Doc Martens and flannel once upon a time (or still do!), you’re in luck with this weekend’s music picks, too.
Lyndsey Parker at Licorice Pizza recommends the Totally Tubular '80’s festival at the Hollywood Palladium on Friday if you want to swap the Docs for Day-Glo, or you can catch early aughts favorites the Fray and Dashboard Confessional at the YouTube Theater.
On Saturday, legends Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight are at the Hollywood Bowl, Walk Off the Earth plays the United Theater, and KCRW Summer Nights features Tijuana Panthers, Mariachi El Bronx and more at Grand Performances, free with RSVP.
Sunday has Summer Sounds with Nikka Costa, free at West Hollywood’s Plummer Park; Teddy Thompson at McCabe’s; or the Pacific Amphitheatre is back to the ‘90s with Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth and Tonic. And of course, the Vans Warped Tour is on, with 3OH!3, All Time Low, Bowling For Soup, Jimmy Eat World, Third Eye Blind and dozens more all weekend long at Long Beach’s Shoreline Waterfront.
Elsewhere on LAist, you can check out all the new treats at the Orange County Fair, on through Aug. 16; learn how to fight back against mosquitoes this summer; and relive our 10 favorite moments of the World Cup.
Events
Sounds of L.A. County
Through Saturday, Aug. 29
Multiple locations
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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This weekend, Sounds of L.A. County features three great concerts across the area. All summer long, you can catch local and international sounds at parks and unique venues around L.A. This Saturday, George Lane Park hosts Country Nights with Breakin' Boots, DJ Maxey, Gilbert Louie Ray Band; East Rancho Domínguez Park in East Compton features the Utopia One Love Summer Fest: Awdiv Band, KG Superstar, DJ Adé, Jerry Flores, DJ UnieQ and Joy Christos; and San Angelo Park in La Puente has the Gabby Tamez Corazón Norteño Tour, featuring Gabby Tamez, Jessica Ballesteros and Grupo La Virtud.
ReCoding the Codex: Cultural Heritage through Language
Through Oct. 10; Opening reception Saturday, July 25, 6:30 p.m.
ReflectSpace
Glendale Central Library
222 E. Harvard St., Glendale
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy ReflectSpace
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At Frieze in 2023, Narsiso Martinez blew me away with his images of agricultural workers on CSA farm boxes. He’s one of the featured artists at the new exhibit, ReCoding the Codex, at ReflectSpace, which opens Saturday. The show features artists from the U.S. and Korea addressing “colonization, Japanese American incarceration, and exploitation of agricultural workers, creating an international dialogue about harnessing the power of text and word in innovative ways.”
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Disco Vino
Friday, July 24, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Little Dom's
2128 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz
COST: FROM $25; MORE INFO
The ever-popular Barnsdall Friday night wine events are getting the extra special treatment this week, as WONDERWERK takes over the event with Silver Lake Wine (tickets here) and then hosts an after-party at the delish Los Feliz standby Little Dom’s. From 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., guests will enjoy WONDERWERK pours with the purchase of a $25 glass you can keep, light bites and an all-vinyl DJ set from Chelsea Dean, who will be spinning house, funk and disco records in the Little Dom’s deli.
Los Angeles Indie Book Crawl
Through Sunday, July 26
Various locations
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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A map of the LA region and all the Indie Book Crawl locations.
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LA Indie Book Crawl
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You might spend more time driving than reading, but whoever says L.A. isn’t a book town has it all wrong. Visit 13 independent booksellers from Venice to Ventura, and Pasadena to the Palisades, at this first-of-its-kind small-business celebration. Dañiel Andres Martinez spoke to some of the folks organizing it; read up on the event here and head out to find your next read this weekend.
Introductory Welding Workshop
Saturday, July 25, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Lincoln Electric
12979 Sandoval St., Santa Fe Springs
COST: $125; MORE INFO
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Women Who Weld
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Eventbrite
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Women Who Weld is a Detroit-based nonprofit that teaches women how to weld and find employment in the welding industry. Their one-day L.A. workshop on Saturday is already sold out, but it’s worth getting on the waitlist if your 2026 bucket list includes learning metalwork in a safe, inclusive environment.
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Pretzel Fest
Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26; Saturday, August 1
Old World Biergarten
7561 Center Ave. #49, Huntington Beach
COST: FROM $5; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Old World Biergarten
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We may be a few months away from Oktoberfest, but get a head start by celebrating everyone’s favorite twisty treat at Pretzel Fest. With tons of pretzels, plus other food, beer, family-friendly events and free parking, there’s no need to get salty.
The Legacy of Jesse Ed Davis
Saturday, July 25, 6 p.m.
Venice Heritage Museum
1234 Pacific Ave., Venice
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Jesse Ed Davis was an indigenous rock star and Venice resident who died in 1988; now he’s the focus of a new book, Washita Love Child: The Rise of Indigenous Rock Star Jesse Ed Davis. Learn more about him during a special presentation in partnership with Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Bob Dylan Center by author Dr. Douglas Miller and a Q&A with legendary musicians Jim Keltner, Elliot Easton, Bob Glaub and Mark Shark. Plus, there will be a live musical performance by Scott McCaughey.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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