Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Join us today for the LAist Tournament of Cheeseburger live event at Smorgasburg LA!
El Brewjo and their La Hot Mess burger.
(
Image courtesy of El Brewjo
)
It’s all going down this Sunday, July 7, at Smorgasburg LA at The Row DTLA.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the cheeseburger in Pasadena — and crown the winner of our months-long search for SoCal’s favorite burger spot — we’ve put together a fun-packed day of kid-friendly activities, music and, yes, lots of cheeseburgers!
If you haven’t been, Smorgasburg LA is a lively outdoor food fair with a great selection of vendors.
Cheeseburger-themed specials
This Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can sample cheeseburgers galore, as well as cheeseburger-themed specials, including:
Support for LAist comes from
- Evil Cooks: Bacon Cheeseburger Trompo. Yep, a burger trompo! (They also make a burger taco)
- The Dumpling Dream: Cheeseburger Dumplings.
- Champignon Eats: Cheesy Fun Guy Burger (Vegan)
- Be Bright Coffee: Kaleidoscope Espresso Milkshake (not a burger, but definitely on brand!)
- Dog R: Venezuelan Burger
LAistland
We’ve also created a special section, LAistland, where there will be activities for the whole family, including:
Smorgasburg LA Tips
-
- Price: It’s free to enter, but vendors will be selling their wares
- Hours: 10 am - 4 pm, with the crowning of the winner at 2pm.
- Who can come: everyone of all ages. But leave pets at home, unfortunately, they’re not allowed.
- Parking: available on-site with a 4,000-car garage. The first two hours are free.
- Amenities: shaded areas include various picnic tables with umbrellas and an enclosed beer garden.
- Stay cool: it’s going to be hot, bring a hat, sunglasses, water and sunscreen
- Price: It’s free to enter, but vendors will be selling their wares
- The Discovery Cube with gooey slime-making activities
- Palomita, a mom-owned toy store with a potion-making station
- Sunbeams LA with an activity focused on improving kids' mental health
- The LA Surf Bus teaching the basics of surfing on dry land.
- The LAist Engagement and Education teams with a music-making station for little ones to come and jam.
Music will be provided by Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles, the world's first LGBTQ+ mariachi, who will play at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., along with our friends at Dublab, who will be spinning tunes throughout the day.
And at 2 p.m., celebrate as we crown the ultimate winner of the LAist Tournament of Cheeseburgers.
For those who can't join us, listen to LAist 89.3 as we'll be broadcasting from there at different times throughout the day, with hosts Austin Cross and Larry Mantle, among others.
Support for LAist comes from
We can’t wait to see you on Sunday.
Peace, love, and cheeseburgers!
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Isolated showers can still hit the L.A. area until Friday as remnants from the tropical storm move out. -
First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings. -
It's thanks to Tropical Storm Mario, so also be ready for heat and humidity, and possibly thunder and lightning. -
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass suspended a state law allowing duplexes, calling more housing unsafe. But in Altadena, L.A. County leaders say these projects could be key for rebuilding. -
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5425437/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3897+0+0/resize/640x396!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
L.A. County investigators have launched a probe into allegations about Va Lecia Adams Kellum and people she hired at the L.A. Homeless Services Authority. -
This measure on the Nov. 4, 2025, California ballot is part of a larger battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45c201e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3894+0+0/resize/786x486!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
Best of LAist