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Here are 20 of our favorite events happening right here in L.A. this weekend...
FRIDAY, SEPT. 16
ALTCAR EXPO (Car show)
The 11th Annual AltCar Expo takes over the Santa Monica Civic parking lot and East Wing on Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. The car expo is dedicated to showcasing alternative-fuel vehicles. Cars participating in ride and drives include: the Audi A3 e-tron, BMW i3, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Fusion Plug-in Hybrid, Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, Volkswagen eGolf and more. Admission to the expo is free.
GREEN FESTIVAL EXPO (Convention)
The Green Festival Expo returns to the L.A. Convention Center (Hall K) from Friday through Sunday, promoting healthy and sustainable lifestyles. The expo offers attendees a look at trends in green living, emerging green brands and other more recognized products. Visitors can sample and buy thousands of products and services from companies founded on sustainability. This year’s focus will be on food with presentations from celebrity vegans Moby and Ed Begley Jr., among others. Additionally, the Expo hosts screenings of documentary films Cowspiracy and Speciesism with discussions with their directors. Tickets/passes: $12-$35, but ride the Metro, show your receipt and get in for free.
SON OF MONSTERPALOOZA (Scare fest)
Monsterpalooza’s fall show—Son of Monsterpalooza—is at the Burbank Convention Center from Friday through Sunday. If you’re into SFX for film, TV and themed entertainment, then this expo is for you. There are more than 150 vendors, presentations, makeup demos, celebrity guests (Bruce Davison, Denis O’Hare and more) throughout the weekend. Tickets: $25 per day or $60 for the whole weekend.
ROARING NIGHTS (Zoo party)
Roaring Nights, the L.A. Zoo’s summer music and party series, concludes for the season on Friday night from 7-11 pm with a tribute to David Bowie and Prince. DJ Richard Blade spins the ‘80s tunes and two other DJs handle the playlists for a Silent Disco (via wireless headphones), with Bowie, Prince and more. Or listen to live music by the ‘80s cover band Betamaxx. Also on tap are food trucks, bars, lawn games and pop-up zookeeper talks. Roaring Nights tickets are $25 and $22 for GLAZA members. The event is 18+.
LOCAL NATIVES (Music)
L.A.’s own Local Natives headline the Greek Theatre on Friday night. They’re currently on tour to support the band’s latest album, Sunlit Youth, its first album in three years. Charlotte Day Wilson opens the show. Tickets: $38-40+ fees.
HEY! HO! LET’S GO: RAMONES AND THE BIRTH OF THE PUNK (Art + music history)
Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: Ramones and the Birth of Punk is a Ramones exhibit that opens at The Grammy Museum on Friday night. The exhibition commemorates the release of the Ramones' 1976 self-titled debut album and looks at the band’s placement in music and pop culture history. A number of photos, personal items, artifacts and memorabilia will be on view. The Ramones exhibition will remain on view through Feb. 28, 2017. Adult tickets: $12.95.
VIVIANE HAPPY HOUR (Food)
Viviane, located in the Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills, launches a new happy hour menu this weekend. Executive Chef Michael Hung extends happy hour from 2:30-7:30 pm daily, and he’s also introducing new items like dollar oysters, à la carte cheese and charcuterie options, and more.
WRITERS BLOC: NICHOLSON BAKER (Writing talk)
Writers Bloc presents Nicholson Baker with Jeff Hobbs on Friday at 7:30 pm at the Goethe Institut in mid-Wilshire. Baker’s new book, Substitute, is a nonfiction work that explores the work of a substitute teacher as well as the state of k-12 education in America. Parking under building $1 after 6 pm. Tickets: $20.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17
LONG BEACH COMIC CON (Expo)
Long Beach Comic Con takes over the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday, celebrating comic books and pop culture. In addition to celebs from film and TV (Batman: The Animated Series’s actors Kevin Conroy and Loren Lester; Con Man’s Nathan Fillion and Firefly cast members Summer Glau, Sean Maher, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite) check out the works of talented writers, illustrators and other artists. There are more than 130 workshops and panels planned for the weekend. Tickets: $30-$55.
BLACK LIST LIVE! (Film read)
Black List Live! presents a live read of Trey Ellis’ Holy Mackerel, a script from the Black List online scriptwriting community, on Saturday night at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood. The script retells the true story of the birth of the Amos ‘n’ Andy TV show, “the NAACP’s single-minded mission to destroy it, and the devastating effect the controversy had on black comedy for decades.” The cast includes: Jesse Williams, David Alan Grier, Mykelti Williamson, Yvette Nicole Brown and Reno Wilson. Doors at 7 pm and reading at 8 pm. Tickets: $25.
BRAINFEEDER: FLYING LOTUS (Music)
The Brainfeeder record label presents a great lineup of music at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday night. Flying Lotus headlines and is joined on the bill by Funkadelic featuring George Clinton and Parliament, Thundercat, Shabazz Palaces and The Gaslamp Killer. 7 pm. Tickets: $20-$61.
LABYRINTH (Art)
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1986 fantasy classic, Labyrinth, and to honor David Bowie, Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra presents an official tribute to Jim Henson's final film. More than 35 art pieces recreate or pay homage to some of the film’s favorite scenes and characters. Costumes and cosplay highly encouraged. The opening reception is from 7-10 pm on Saturday night and the works will remain on view through Sept. 30.
WE ARE LA FAMILY MUSIC FESTIVAL (Music festival)
The We Are LA Family Music Festival takes over the StubHub Center in Carson on Saturday from 11 am-11 pm. The lineup includes family-friendly fare such as Rachel Platten, Ozokidz (presented by Ozomatli), Lisa Loeb, Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band, Rhythm Child, Kevin Costner and Modern West, Jessica Sanchez, and Reluctant Apostles featuring Katey Sagal. Magician and comedian Justin Willman also performs. Attendees can play soccer with the LA Galaxy, explore with Kidspace Children's Museum, kayak and fish with the National Park Service, face-paint with Hollywood makeup artists and more. Proceeds from the festival with benefit seven L.A. charities, including 826LA, CASA of Los Angeles, LA Galaxy Foundation and more. Tickets start at $20 with special discount codes available on the festival’s website.
CARTWHEEL ART TOURS (Coffee + Biking)
Cartwheel Art Tours x The Wheelhouse present #AD3rdSat—an all-ages coffee and bike tour of DTLA’s Arts District—from 10-11:30 am on Saturday and every third Saturday of the month. The tour starts at The Wheelhouse and will stop at coffee shops Blacktop, Blue Bottle, Bulletproof and Shreebs for tastings (included in the tour). The last stop is at ediBol where participants will be served Chef Andrea Uyeda’s homemade waffle wedges. Bring your bike. If you don’t have one then, there’s a Metro Bike Share Station right next to The Wheelhouse. Metro is sponsoring the first 30 minutes of the bike share for free. Tickets: $15.
VERSA-STYLE (Dance)
The Versa-Style Dance Company presents its show Box of Hope, an evening of street dance, spoken word and music under the stars on Saturday at 8 pm. The company blends Motown, R&B with hip-hop (house, popping, locking, whacking and boogaloo) as well as salsa, merengue, cumbia and Afro-Cuban dance moves. Tickets: $30, $15 for children and $50 for VIP (includes premium seats, a gift bag and a signed poster).
2016 YOGA DAY (Yoga)
L.A.’s yoga community should head to Loyola Marymount University in Westchester on Saturday for a day of yoga practices, postures, philosophy and more. Beginning at 10 am, there are classes and workshops offered throughout the day. Things wrap up with a “healing concert” with Wah! At 7 pm. Check-in begins at 9 am. Food trucks will be on site. All events are free, but RSVP requested.
CHURCH NIGHT (Comedy)
The Washington, D.C., comedy act <em>Church Night hits up Nerdmelton Saturday night at 7 pm. The show is a blend of sketch, stand-up, music, improv and the sacrilegious. Joining the troupe on Saturday are comics Dan St. Germain and Lizzy Cooperman and burlesque from VV Trippple. Tickets: $8 ($10 at the door).
SUNDAY, SEPT. 18
KRAFTWERK 3-D (Music)
Kraftwerk, German pioneers of electronic music, have their first Hollywood Bowl outing on Sunday night, performing a 3-D concert, blending music, computer animations and performance art. The Lyris Quartet will open the night with ambient adaptations of rare Kraftwerk compositions. 7 pm. Tickets: $14-$151.
NAUTICA MALIBU TRIATHLON (Sports)
The Nautica Malibu Triathlon returns to Zuma Beach in Malibu on Sunday. It’s supposed to get hot again this weekend, so come out and cheer on the participants—including a number of celebs—who will be taking on the classic distance of the half-mile ocean swim, 18-mile bike ride and 4-mile run beginning at 7 am. Fundraising efforts will benefit the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ Pediatric Cancer Research Program, dedicated to curing and preventing childhood cancers.
THE GUILD: SUNDAY SUPPER (Food)
The Guild, a wine bar on the Sunset Strip located in the former home of the Screen Actors Guild, starts a weekly dinner special for two this weekend. The Sunday Supper includes a salad, hearty entrée and dessert, along with a complementing bottle of wine. The main course includes Buttermilk Fried Chicken with kohlrabi fennel slaw, cornbread and honey cup mustard (Sept. 18); Rack of Lamb with pomme puree, seasonal veggies and pomegranate jus (Sept. 25); and 1 lb Prime Rib Eye with yucca fries, and chimichurri sauce (Oct. 2). The supper runs from 5-11 pm on Sundays and costs $60 for two people, including a bottle of wine.
Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
