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Here are 20 of our favorite events happening right here in L.A. this weekend. Think we missed something or you want other options? Check out the August Guide, too.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5
G2 GREEN EARTH FILM FESTIVAL (Environmental fest)
G2 Gallery in Venice presents the G2 Green Earth Film Festival, an environmental film festival, from Friday to Sunday. In addition to 34 film screenings, the festival hosts panels, live music and parties that are all free to the public, made possible with help from members of UCLA IoES, Nerd Brigade LA, African American National Parks Experience, The Natural History Museum and others. Special guest panelists include Robert Egger, founder of the DC Central Kitchen, Clare Fox, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, and NHM’s master gardener Florence Nishida.
HISTORY KEEPERS: TRAVERSING LOS ANGELES (History + culture)
The California Historical Society and LA as Subject opens a new exhibition on Friday at El Tranquilo Gallery & Visitor Center at El Pueblo de Los Ángeles Historical Monument in DTLA. History Keepers: Traversing Los Angeles brings together objects from more than 30 L.A. museums, archives and libraries and features drawings, maps, albums, books, street signs and ephemera that tell the city’s history. The exhibition runs through Aug. 27. The opening reception is on Friday from 6-8 pm.
EQUITY (Film Q&A)
Equity is a female-focused financial thriller starring Anna Gunn and Alysia Reiner and directed by Meera Menon. On Friday, the Sundance Sunset Cinema hosts a Q&A with Gunn and Menon after the 5 pm screening. This show is 21+. Tickets: $13.
BARNSDALL PARK’S FRIDAY NIGHT WINE TASTING (Wine + views):
Barnsdall Park's Friday Night Wine Tasting Fundraiser continues this Friday and runs weekly from 5:30-8:30 pm through Sept. 2. Sip wine (provided by Silverlake Wine) under the stars, listen to music by KCRW and buy food from some of the city’s best food trucks. New this year are discounted rides from Lyft. Tickets: $30 and $42 for tasting and a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House. The event supports the Park’s capital projects, art programs, historic renovations and exhibitions. Pro tip: While the wine tasting may sell out online, there are always a few tickets at the door. 21+ only for wine tasting area.
SUMMER NIGHTS IN THE GARDEN (Party)
The Natural History Museum holds a free Summer Nights in the Garden event on Friday night beginning at 5 pm. Listen to DJs (Kisses, Taken by Trees) spinning tunes throughout the grounds, sip on garden-inspired cocktails, participate in arts & crafts activities and hands-on garden workshops (pickling, building bee hotels) and check out some art and performances, too. Bring a picnic or buy from one of the foodtrucks on site. Friday’s event is standby only.
3ON3 (Basketball)
The Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament, California’s largest outdoor tourney, takes over L.A. LIVE this weekend, Friday through Sunday. The competition features more than 1,500 teams, 5,000 players and 25,000 spectators. Things kick off on Friday night at 7 pm with the 2nd annual ESPNLA 710 All-Star Celebrity Game to benefit the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at The V Foundation. (Tickets for the celeb game are required and run $25-$250.)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6
TOONS WITH 'TUDE (trailer) from Cinefamily on Vimeo.
TOONS WITH ‘TUDE / SAUSAGE PARTY (Film)
Cinefamily presents the program Toons With 'Tude Marathon starting on Saturday at 8 pm and wrapping on Sunday at 3 am. As part of the marathon of crass and NSFW cartoons, there’s also a screening of Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters on 35mm and a sneak peek screening of the upcoming Sausage Party. Pre-party activities courtesy of Pabst Blue Ribbon and special edition food items provided by Dog Haus. Free with pre-registration/RSVP. Rolling admission all night long.
BEARD BATTLE: LA (Beard and Mustache Competition)
The Gentlemen's Social Club of Los Angeles presents Beard Battle: LA, a beard and mustache competition at the Federal Bar in North Hollywood. With the theme of Mad Max, they’re expecting more than 100 contestants and over 500 attendees with vendor booths, raffles, drink specials and surprises.The event benefits the LA Food Bank. Doors are at 2 pm with the show at 3 pm.
POKÉMON GO PUB CRAWL (Games + Food)
There’s a Pokémon Go Pub Crawl on Saturday from 3-8 pm where participants travel to five area bars to hunt Pokémon. In addition, organizers have secured food/drink specials with many of the restaurants/bars. Collectibles will be given to each attendee in addition to free drinks at each location. The bar hop is kicking off at Bru Haus on the Westside. Tickets: $20-$40.
Project Gallery presents 'Humble & Epic' a solo show of Ben Gregor's work. (Image: Courtesy of the artist and gallery)
HUMBLE & EPIC (Art)
London-based artist Ben Gregor brings his solo show Humble & Epic to Project Gallery in Chinatown. It opens with a reception from 7-11 pm on Saturday and runs through Aug. 20. The show features 65 maple skate decks etched with the names of people who have influenced, challenged or changed Gregor’s life. All proceeds from the show will benefit Skateistan, “a grassroots NGO that uses skateboarding to connect at-risk youth with educational opportunities for children from 5 to 18 years old.”
EVERYTHING YOU OWN IS MINE (Art)
Nous Tous, a new gallery/retail space in Chinatown presents the group art show Everything You Own is Mine, featuring the work of photographers Parker Day and Jacquie Ray and illustrator/painter Kristen Liu-Wong. The show opens with a reception on Saturday from 7-10 pm and wraps up on Aug. 27.
LIONTECH (Music + arts)
The Liontech arts collective presents the music and arts event Resonant Sound at Airliner on Saturday night at 7:30 pm. There will be two stages of DJ's, bands, rappers as well as vendors and live art. Participating musicians include Planet Rock, De Leon, All Signs Point to and Lewdite. Cover: $5.
LOSTBOY ILLUSTRATIONS (Art)
Co-LAb gallery presents a solo show by Fin Lee aka Lostboy Illustrations, a Queer, first gen Korean American artist, illustrator and maker. From the gallery: “They create abstract visceral formations, patterns, textiles, and affirmations with themes that surround their identity.” The show opens on Friday from 7-10 pm with a reception and closes on Aug. 31.
EAT SEE HEAR (Outdoor films)
The Eat See Hear series continues on Saturday night with a screening of 500 Days of Summer (which was postponed a few weeks ago because of the Sand Fire) at Centennial Square at Pasadena City Hall. The dog-friendly evening is a mashup of films, food trucks and live music—and this week’s band is State to State. Doors at 5:30 pm and the music performance starts at 7 pm. The movie screens at 8:30 pm. Tickets: $5-$21 (plus fees). Tickets for the July 23 event will be honored.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7
SUFJAN STEVENS + KURT VILE + IBEYI (Music)
The KCRW World Music Festival at the Hollywood Bowl presents headliner Sufjan Stevens on Sunday night. Also performing Kurt Vile and the Violators and French-Cuban sister duo Ibeyi opens. 7 pm. Tickets: $21-$103.
CABINET OF CURIOSITIES (Art exhibition)
Union Station opens its Cabinet of Curiosities peephole installation project on Sunday and will remain open through Aug. 31. A group of L.A.-based artists—Tanya Brodsky, David DiMichele, Ashley Hagen, Noel Korten, Keith Lord, Cecilia Miniucchi and Andre Yi—created mysterious worlds viewed through a peephole viewed by one person at a time. A special reception with the artists, open to the public, runs from Aug 7 from 3-6 pm.
SPIKE LEE (Book signing)
On Sunday at 1 pm, filmmaker Spike Lee is at Book Soup to sign his new Moleskine Notebook that celebrates the 30th anniversary of the release of Lee’s 1st Joint—She's Gotta Have It. He’ll also sign one other piece of memorabilia, in addition to the limited-edition, numbered notebook (only 3,000 available). The notebook must be purchased at Book Soup for the signing.
LEONA 1ST BIRTHDAY (Seaside cookout)
On Sunday, Venice’s upscale Californian restaurant, Leona, celebrates its first anniversarywith a Seaside Cookout from 2-6 pm. Chef Nyesha Arrington creates a special feast by the beach. Tickets are $40 and include the food with $2 house beers and specials on champagne and all of premium and select beers and wines available.
SUNDAY SOUL REVUE (Poolside music)
This Sunday, W Hollywood Hotel launches the late night Sunday Soul Revue, a weekly musical performance featuring Nikki Leonti at its rooftop pool’s WET Deck. The Revue will take place every Sunday beginning at 10 pm (doors at 9 pm). The event is free and open to the public. Upscale casual dress code will be enforced.
Celine and Julie Go Boating (trailer) from Cinefamily on Vimeo.
CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (Film)
Cinefamily’s La Collectionneuse continues the film series Une fantaisie: The Dream Cycle of Jacques Rivette (1974-1981), featuring the lesser-known and seen fantasy films of late French auteur Jacques Rivette. On Sunday at Cinefamily, there’s a screening in 35mm of the mystery/fantasy Celine and Julie Go Boating. Tickets: $12. Free for members.Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
