Events
Sounds of LA County
Until Aug. 29. LA County Parks and NextFest LA bring a festival atmosphere to neighborhood green spaces with 108 free concerts across 27 parks. Each lineup draws from the county’s independent music scene and reflects its host community, spanning cumbia, R&B, hip-hop, jazz, reggae, country, Indigenous music and other genres. Concerts take place throughout North, East and South L.A. County, including parks in La Puente, Sylmar, Carson, Azusa, West Covina, Palmdale and Lancaster. Every Thursday-Saturdays; most concerts run 6–9 p.m. Free. Various L.A. County parks. soundsoflacounty.com
KCON LA 2026
Aug. 14-16. KCON returns for three days celebrating Korean music and culture with concerts, panels, workshops, artist engagements and interactive K-food, K-story and K-beauty experiences—including Olive Young’s first K-Beauty Festival. The 34-act lineup includes NCT 127, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ZEROBASEONE, TREASURE, ILLIT and P1Harmony. Daytime programming begins at the Los Angeles Convention Center, followed by M Countdown concerts at Crypto.com Arena; arena doors open at 6:30 p.m. Friday–Sunday, starts at 10 a.m. Concerts at 8 p.m. Tickets required; festival-ground admission is sold separately with some packages. Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa Street and Crypto.com Arena, 1111 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles. kconusa.com
Let’s Groove: Hip-Hop & R&B
Aug. 13. Ovation Hollywood turns its open-air courtyard into a dance floor for a free evening of hip-hop and R&B. GROOV3 dancers lead the opening session before instructor Lolo.Bee takes over with routines set to throwbacks and current hits, while DJ Monalisa keeps the music moving throughout the night. A mechanical bull and photo booth round out the all-ages event. Dance-floor space is first-come, first-served. Thurs., Aug. 13, 7–9 p.m. Free. Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. RSVP
500 Days of Summer Under the Stars
Aug. 13. CINEHAUS brings its summer movie series to the rooftop of Desert 5 Spot for a poolside screening of 500 Days of Summer. Expect handcrafted cocktails, tacos, popcorn and candy as the Los Angeles-set romantic comedy plays against the Hollywood skyline. The bar opens at 7 p.m., doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the film begins at sunset, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. Ages 21 and older. Thursday. Tickets start at $19. Desert 5 Spot, 6516 Selma Ave., Hollywood. Get Tickets Now
Food + Drinks
Maydan’s Mini Tawle Feast
Aug. 14-28. Chef-owner Rose Previte brings Maydan’s live-fire cooking to Dine LA with a $55 mini-tawle dinner designed for the whole table. The family-style spread includes walnut casik, hummus, muhammara, pickles, fresh herbs, seared halloumi, roasted sweet potatoes, stewed chickpeas and kebabs grilled over the restaurant’s central hearth. Dinner served Tues.–Sun., 5–10 p.m. Maydan at Maydan Market, 4301 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles. meetatmaydan.com
Dine LA at Zaytinya
Aug. 14-28. Zaytinya brings the cooking of Turkey, Greece and Lebanon to its $55 Dine LA dinner, pairing José Andrés Group hospitality with California produce. The mezze-style menu features hummus with harissa chile crisp, crispy Brussels afelia, cumin-spiced soutzoukakia, grilled chicken shish with toum and a lemon-olive oil cake finished with local blueberries and orange-blossom cream. Dinner served Sunday–Thursday, 5–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 5–10 p.m. Zaytinya at The Shay, 8801 Washington Blvd., Culver City. zaytinya.com
National Rum Day at Tiki Kai
Aug. 16. A shared table becomes common ground as newly arrived chefs Maysaa and Abdul Kanjo prepare an intimate Syrian dinner centered on food, conversation and cultural exchange. Hosted by Miry’s List and Scribble, the evening connects Angelenos with refugee families rebuilding their lives in Southern California, with proceeds supporting Miry’s List’s resettlement work. Sunday, 6-8 p.m. 5541 York Blvd., Highland Park. Get Tickets Now
Döner Haus Opens in South Los Angeles
Now Open. New York-based Döner Haus has opened its first West Coast location at Juanita Tate Marketplace, introducing German-style döner kebabs to South Los Angeles. The menu centers on sandwiches, wraps and boxes prepared in an open kitchen with fresh vegetables, Turkish pide bread and halal-certified, filler-free meat. Operated by Los Angeles native Sebastian Martinez, the location is also the brand’s first with a dedicated dining room. Open Sunday–Thursday, 10 a.m.–11 p.m. Friday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–1 a.m. 5857 S. Central Ave., Unit 150, Los Angeles. doner.haus
Arts + Culture
Al Green at the Hollywood Bowl
Aug. 14. The iconic Al Green brings his gospel-rooted soul to the Hollywood Bowl with classics including “Let’s Stay Together,” “Tired of Being Alone” and “Love and Happiness.” The 11-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is joined by The Womack Sisters, who open with songs from their Daptone Records debut while carrying forward the Womack family’s musical legacy. Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles. hollywoodbowl.com
Nisei Week Japanese L.A. Festival
Starts Aug. 15. Little Tokyo celebrates Japanese and Japanese American culture with two weekends of taiko drumming, tea ceremonies, calligraphy, dance, food and community traditions. Highlights include the new JX Matsuri carnival at Weller Court and the Grand Parade through Little Tokyo, followed by the Plaza Festival’s live entertainment, games, shopping, Japanese food and sake. East West Players also hosts Crazy Talented Asians, an AAPI performance showcase curated by AJ Rafael at 7:30 p.m. Festival runs Aug. 15–23. Most events are free; Crazy Talented Asians tickets are $30. Various Little Tokyo locations and hours vary. niseiweek.org
Imagining Begumpura at the Fowler
Aug. 15. Inspired by Rahee Punyashloka’s exhibition Field Notes from Begumpura, this afternoon program explores South Asian identity, caste and inequality through art, storytelling and independent publishing. Neelanjana Banerjee of Kaya Press joins Fowler curator Syona Puliady for a conversation on creative resistance, followed by a hands-on zine-making workshop led by Samantha Chen and a community share with light refreshments. Materials are provided; guests may bring personal photographs, magazines, drawings or other collage elements. Presented with Kaya Press. Sat., Aug. 15, 2–5 p.m. Free; RSVP requested. Fowler Museum at UCLA, 308 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles. fowler.ucla.edu
The Spring Arts Takeover
Aug. 15. The historic Spring Arts Tower becomes a 12-story community market as hundreds of local vendors fill the building with art, clothing, crafts, collectibles, food and oddities. A $5 advance ticket provides entry during a selected time slot and includes a $3 coupon redeemable at The Last Bookstore that day. Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The Last Bookstore and Spring Arts Tower, 453 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles.lastbookstorela.com
Photo Credit: Nisei Week courtesy of Toyo Miyatake Studio. Zatinya courtesy of Katrina Frederick. All images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.
