Plus, Nikki Glaser at The Virgil and the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates a list of the best events in and around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule with our Weekend Guide to L.A., and don’t forget to sign up to have the guide delivered to your inbox every week by clicking HERE.
Nikki Glaser, Patton Oswalt, Doug Benson, Bill Dawes, Maronzio Vance, Mark Serritella, Karina Reyes and Faysal Lawrence inspire a laugh-out-loud first day of 2026 with stand-up sets at The Virgil.
Amanda Seyfried in The Testament of Ann Lee.Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
With a starry awards ceremony set for Jan. 3, the Palm Springs International Film Society’s annual festival showcases film screenings, panels and events during the first week of the year. Don’t miss sponsor Kering’s Women in Motion screenings of Hamnet and The Testament of Ann Lee. Ethan Hawke is also set to receive a career achievement award.
Pierce the Veil by Christian Waite, featured in the showcase.Credit: Christian Waite
First3 celebrates touring music photographers with a photo gallery showcase in Silver Lake from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. featuring works by Andy DeLuca, Ashley Osborn, Lauren Tepfer, Matty Vogel and more. RSVP on Partiful.
The iconic 450-foot-long Hollywood sign is seen against the snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains.Credit: Photo by David McNew/Getty Images
With proceeds supporting Altadena Eaton Fire survivors through the Altadena Eaton Fire Relief Fund, the Altadena Forever Run lets Angelenos reflect on the resilience and recovery strides of the city and the surrounding San Gabriel Mountain nearly one year after the fires began. Opt for the family walk, 5K and 10K races.
Canter’s Deli in the Fairfax District, also home to Melrose Trading Post.Credit: ChildofMidnight via Wikimedia Commons
Melrose Trading Post’s usual lineup of eclectic shopping also has a wellness through words workshop with Eclectuals Book Market at 11 a.m. (featuring an intuitive poetry writing session led by Dr. Meryah A. Fisher) and various music performances throughout the afternoon.
Plus, holiday cocktails at The Spare Room and Bar Etoile Sunday chicken frites dinner
Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates a list of the best events in and around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule with our Weekend Guide to L.A., and don’t forget to sign up to have the guide delivered to your inbox every week by clicking HERE.
Justin Herbert and co. also take on Texas for a Saturday afternoon game, bringing game day excitement to the lull between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
Opening up for a noteworthy afternoon service, Bar Etoile honors Poulet Frites du Dimanche in Paris’s 11th Arrondissement with a family-style menu of roast chicken frites served with a chicory salad and chocolate mousse. Plant-based eaters can opt for the tagliatelle with vegetarian bolognese.
Make a round of bowling festive with a visit to The Spare Room, serving holiday-themed drinks alongside its lineup of games. Menu highlights include the Seas and Greetings with run, cinnamon and dash of mole bitter and the herbal and the tequila-based Pardon My Poinsettia.
The Shay, a Destination by Hyatt, in Culver City makes giving back throughout the holidays easy with its Westside Food Bank lobby donation bins. Bring by non-perishable food items and canned goods between visits to Butterfly for rooftop cocktails and dinner at Zaytina.
On Dec. 16, HiHo Cheeseburger brought its cheesy goodness to Pasadena. Stop in to try its signature menu alongside fried chicken dishes made in collaboration with James Beard Award-winning Willie Mae’s Scotch House in New Orleans and house-made desserts like milkshakes and banana cream pie in a to-go cup.
Plus, ‘The Prince of Egypt: The Musical’ and ‘Wicked’ cocktails in Long Beach
Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates a list of the best events in and around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule with our Weekend Guide to L.A., and don’t forget to sign up to have the guide delivered to your inbox every week by clicking HERE.
Open through the holiday season, Blitzen’s Bar returns across the city with locations at Westfield Century City and Omni Los Angeles Hotel. Stop in for festive drinks in an even more festive setting.
Kicking off its series of surprise community pop-ups, By/Rosie Jane stops by Donut Friend in Highland Park from 3 to 6 p.m. complimentary travel-sized perfumes for the first 100 guests. Be sure not to miss the exclusive rosewater dobut, too.
Opt for local vendors during the big shopping weekend. Awash in holiday decor, Old Pasadena has nearly 200 independent shops and restaurants alongside giveaways and promotions from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Street Food Cinema’s holiday screenings at the Heritage Square Museum kick off Thanksgiving weekend with a pajama party night and back-to-back screenings of Home Alone and Home Alone 2.
Blake Vogt (Penn and Teller’s Fool Us, Magic Castle, America’s Got Talent) begins a two-night engagement, Inventing Magic, at Mr. Wanderlust at Level 8 in Downtown. The show, also on Dec. 7, showcases illusions, interactive tricks and one-of-a-kind moments.
Santa Claus appears at the 73rd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade on November 28, 2004 in Hollywood, California. Credit: Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
With actors Luke Wilson as the grand marshal and Anthony Anderson as the Humanitarian Award Honoree, floats, marching bands, more celebrities and Santa Claus bring holiday cheer to Tinsel Town.
After 13 years on La Brea Avenue, Recess LA opened its second location in Beverly Hills, showcasing its signature stylish curation of vintage accessories and ready-to-wear pieces.
The Glinda GlowCredit: Fairmont Breakers Long Beach
Find cocktail wizardry at this Long Beach hotel serving four limited-edition Wicked-themed cocktails: Popular (hibiscus vodka, lemon elixir, rosé prosecco) and Peculiar (vodka, hazelnut vanilla, matcha, cream) at lobby bar La Sala or The Glinda Glow (raspberry syrup, lemon juice, gin, egg white) and The Wicked Green (gin, green chartreuse, Luxardo maraschino, lime juice) at Halo.
Labor Day weekend brims with live music, food deals and more
Soko Credit: Shelby Moore
Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates a list of the best events in and around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule with our Weekend Guide to L.A., and don’t forget to sign up to have the guide delivered to your inbox every week by clicking HERE.
Extended Dine LA Menus — Aug. 29-31
Credit: Robiee Ziegler
Through Sunday, Connie & Ted’s three-course lunch and dinner menus continue for $35 and $55, respectively, with highlights like fresh oysters and a lobster roll with fries. At Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, catch Soko’s three-course Japanese dinner for $85 and Fig Restaurant’s three-course menu for $65 featuring peaches and burrata, slow-cooked duck breast and apple galette.
Danielle Agami and Jacob Jonas present a night of contemporary dance with their performances “Soon After” and “Grip,” respectively. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
With support from Vicky Farewell and Daryl Johns, Mac DeMarco follows up the Aug. 22 of his new album Guitar (and a surprise set at The Echo)with a run of shows at the Griffith Park amphitheater.
Vanessa Hernandez, a.k.a. Nezza, takes over The Roxy with friends and special guests like Michael Cimino, Pamé and more in benefit of immigration defense nonprofits. Be sure to bring a toy and or canned food if you can to support This About Humanity.
The Lincoln Heights brewery celebrates the launch of its limited-edition collaboration beer, Bullpen Dawg Hazy IPA, with a meet and greet with Dodger Alex Vesia.
Prosperity Market finishes its fifth annual Black Business Scavenger Hunt with a pop-up market featuring local Black-owned farms and businesses and prizes for the Scavenger Hunt winners from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Facebook IRL Road Trip kicks off its six-stop tour in Los Angeles with a pop-up featuring a vintage-inspired styling session with stylist Harper Slate, a portrait studio with photographer Thalia Gochez, a “remix lab” where visitors personalize thrift items with vintage artist Katie Chambers and a spotlight on four local Facebook Marketplace sellers.
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra: Visionaries at The Wallis Credit: Brian Feinzmer
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and National MS Society team to present a free concert inspired by Emmy-winning film and TV composer and LACO collaborator Jeff Beal (House of Cards, JFK Revisited, Rome, Monk) and his experience living with multiple sclerosis. Alongside music, the free programming includes yoga, a sound bath, instrument petting zoo, an MS awareness panel and more.
The Capri-inspired, boardwalk-adjacent restaurant and bar pulses with music from DJ Sarina Chhabra and plenty of drink specials, including $50 Aperol spritz carafes.
