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Best things to do this weekend in Los Angeles and Southern California: June 6 - 8
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Courtesy California Watermelon Festival
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Our Picks
I want to add another “season” to L.A.'s fire, flood and award seasons — and that's FYC, or “for your consideration." This marketing gimmick is the precursor to award season and has become a game of one-upmanship, with entertainment brands jockeying to prove they've got the "cool factor" and hoping to entice awards voters to support their shows. While I hate to admit it, they can be pretty fun and get you free access to some unique L.A. venues.
There’s no shortage to choose from, whether your favorite show is Only Murders in the Building (there’s a live read at the Wallis), Hacks (HBO hosted a French Open-inspired pickleball event last night in Venice with tennis great Andy Murray showing Hacks and The Pitt stars how it's done), or The Boys (Amazon is hosting a free live performance of “Put The Christ Back in Christmas,” complete with lip-syncing skaters and public ice skating sessions in Century City).
For more indie spirit, the Hollywood Fringe kicks off previews this week, and we’ll be highlighting some of the best picks to check out all month long, so watch this space. And Saturday is your last chance to catch the Robert Irwin exhibition at Pace Gallery. The best part? You can get anywhere for free as Metro celebrates the opening of the new airport station.
For more to explore, browse LAist.com, where you can learn the latest about how Wayfarers Chapel may get to stay in Rancho Palos Verdes, check out a summer movie preview guide, and grab tickets to June 21’s Go Fact Yourself live with guest Brendan Hunt (Ted Lasso).
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Events
Saturday, June 7, 4 to 11 p.m.
Venice Pride Block Party
99 Windward Ave., Venice
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Bring your pride to the beach for the annual Venice Pride Block Party, right under the Venice sign. It's free and open to all ages. The party goes late and features DJ Victor Rodriguez & Friends, community booths, food trucks, local vendors and more. Wander down to Baja Cantina afterwards to keep the party going at the annual Gaywatch dance party.
Saturday, June 7, 8 p.m.
Opening night at the Bowl: An evening with Hugh Jackman
Hollywood Bowl
2301 Highland Ave., Hollywood
COST: FROM $68; MORE INFO
Hugh Jackman performs onstage during 'Hugh Jackman: From New York, With Love' at Radio City Music Hall on January 24, 2025.
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Kevin Mazur
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Who better to open summer in L.A. than the greatest showman himself, Hugh Jackman? The boy from Oz will perform songs from his favorite shows, including The Music Man, Greatest Showman and more, backed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and featuring special guests.
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Okay, the Bowl season has started, so summer has officially begun.
Sunday, June 8, 12 to 5 p.m.
Pride In Bloom
Natural History Museum Commons
900 Exposition Blvd., Expo Park
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
It’s not like we made up rainbows and peacocking. Leave it to the birds to show us how Pride is really done.
Pride In Bloom at the Natural History Museum celebrates self-expression in the natural world and the lessons we can learn from the colorful animals and plants among us. Co-created with the artists of Drag Arts Lab, Inc., the event features a mini-resource fair with community-based organizations, a rainbow scavenger hunt connecting Pride flag symbolism to the Museum's collections, a pronoun pin-making station where you can craft your wearable pride, and talk with Museum Educators to discover surprising stories of transformation and resilience in the Museum's collections.
Weekends through Saturday, June 14
Gatsby Redux
Greystone Mansion
905 Loma Visa Dr., Beverly Hills
COST: $30; MORE INFO
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I have a cat named Zelda, so I may be a little more Gatsby-inclined than most. That said, this sounds awesome.
Gatsby Redux is a site-specific theater and dance performance by Mixed eMotion Theatrix celebrating the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Set amongst the gardens at Greystone Mansion, audience members move alongside the dancers and are encouraged to don their 1920s-themed best.
Saturday, June 7, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Carnival of Cats: Open House
Tail Town Cat Cafe
1780 E Washington Blvd., Pasadena
COST: FREE WITH RSVP; MORE INFO
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Kym Ellis
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Pasadena’s Tail Town Cat Cafe hosts its second annual Carnival of Cats, a free, family-friendly event for cat lovers ages six and up. Feline fans can play, party and purr with the cafe’s 30-40 free-roaming rescue cats at the open house. Find your next furr-ever friend or just make a few purr-fect mates for the day.
Through Sunday, June 8
Pacific Symphony's 'A Grand Finale: Verdi’s Mighty Requiem'
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
615 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa
COST: FROM $30; MORE INFO
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Opera lovers should head to Costa Mesa for an epic performance of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. It’s been called an “opera in ecclesiastical dress.” Conducted by Carl St. Clair in his final performance as Pacific Symphony’s music director after 35 years and featuring soprano Raquel González, performances run through Sunday’s matinee. The 8 p.m. evening shows feature a pre-performance talk with KUSC host Alan Chapman at 7 p.m.
June 7-8
California Watermelon Festival 2025
Hansen Dam
11480 Foothill Blvd., Lakeview Terrace
COST: $20; MORE INFO
Try everything from the deep-fried watermelon to watermelon sushi, and then wash it all down with a watermelon michelada at the annual California Watermelon Festival at Hansen Dam. There are activities for everyone, from an extreme sports booth to a watermelon-eating contest, raffles and more. Come for their mascot, Wedgie Watermelon; stay for the watermelon slices with chamoy. Whatever you do, don’t wear white unless you want it to be pink!
Outdoor Pick
Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hoodlin Skate Park Takeover
El Sereno Skatepark
4721 Klamath Place, El Sereno
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Hoodlin characters will invade the El Sereno Skatepark with street artists, skate competitions, giveaways, DJ sets and more. The fun continues at Gilbert Lindsey Rec Center in South Central on Saturday, June 14.
Viewing Pick
Saturday, June 7, 6 p.m.
Purple Rain screening + Prince tribute dance party
The Montalbán Theatre
1615 Vine St., Hollywood
COST: DANCE PARTY IS FREE, SCREENING FROM $30; MORE INFO
Prince poses with Sheila E. (L) and Cat (R) during his Love Sexy '88 Tour in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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FG / Bauer-Griffin
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Saturday is the late, great Prince’s birthday, and this tribute night couldn’t be more fitting. Head to the rooftop to screen Purple Rain, and get there early to party like it’s 1999 at a free dance celebration. If you show up dressed as Prince, there are free drinks, too.
And if classic films are more your style, Casablanca is showing at the same venue that night as well.
Dine & Drink Deals
Fridays through Sept. 26
Barnsdall Fridays
Barnsdall Art Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz
COST: $45; MORE INFO
Get your tickets early for the always popular Barnsdall Fridays Wine Tasting, which kicks off this week and extends through the end of September. Explore the lawn and gardens at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, taste wines from Silverlake Wine, and enjoy a variety of food trucks and DJ sets. Bring a blanket and soak in summer!
Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Food Forward’s Zest Fest
California State University Northridge's Orange Grove
18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge
COST: FREE, REGISTRATION REQUIRED; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Zest Fest
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The annual Zest Fest brings the community together to pack and distribute citrus to communities in need. Join volunteers at Cal State Northridge’s historic orange grove where you’ll box citrus for wildfire victims and others in need and help Food Forward reach their goal of 500 million pounds of rescued food.
Friday, June 6
National Doughnut Day
Multiple locations
COST: VARIES
Score free merch, free doughnuts, and more sweet treats at various doughnut shops and bakeries — including Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts, See’s Candies, Sidecar Doughnuts, and more — across the region in honor of National Donut Day.
Now open Thursday-Sunday
Bar Avoja
1545 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood
COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
L.A. celeb chef Evan Funke (Felix, Mother Wolf) launched his latest project on May 30, a bar in the back of hotspot Mother Wolf in Hollywood. The space has been reimagined as “an intimate Roman villa” serving cocktails and modern Roman street food.
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