Events
Fiesta Hermosa
May 16. One of Southern California’s biggest Memorial Day weekend traditions returns as Fiesta Hermosa transforms downtown Hermosa Beach into a massive open-air festival packed with live music, food, shopping and carnival fun. Spanning the entire downtown footprint, the three-day celebration features five music stages, more than 250 vendors at the Makers Mercado, a large family-friendly carnival, food fairs, dessert stands and beachside beer and wine gardens. Saturday-Monday, starts at 11 a.m. Pier Ave., Los Angeles. fiestahermosa.net
MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street
May 16-17. A culinary crawl meets real-life board game adventure as MAINopoly takes over Main Street Santa Monica for a weekend of food, drinks and interactive fun. Guests can exchange MAINopoly dollars for tastings from local restaurants, bars and shops while collecting stops on their game board for chances to win prizes. This year also introduces a special “Go to Jail” Beer Garden and Entertainment Zone permit, allowing guests 21+ to sip cocktails and beer while strolling Main Street between participating locations. Expect Monopoly-inspired outfits, all-ages activities and a lively Memorial Day weekend atmosphere. $40 GA / $60 VIP. Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Main Street Santa Monica. Get Tickets Now
Topanga Days
May 23-25. A longtime Memorial Day weekend tradition returns to Topanga Canyon with a festival blending live music, local art, food vendors, games and free-spirited community energy. Families can take part in classic country-fair activities like tug-o-war, pie-eating contests, musical chairs and water balloon games, while local bands provide the soundtrack throughout the weekend. The celebration also features healing arts, handmade goods and the beloved DIY Memorial Day parade, where attendees can even build their own float and join in. Free shuttle service along Topanga Canyon Boulevard helps ease parking and traffic throughout the event. Saturday-Monday at 10 a.m. 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Los Angeles. topangadays.com
Keep Winning x W Legends Run Club Hosts Mental Health Awareness Community Run
May 23. A community-focused run in Venice brings together Keep Winning, W Legends Run Club and AIM Youth Mental Health for an evening centered on movement, connection and mental wellness during Mental Health Awareness Month. The event is designed to create a supportive environment through running, music, recovery activations, giveaways and community interaction, with sponsors including Amazfit, BioOptimizers and Keep Winning. Participants can also enter giveaways ranging from Amazfit smartwatches and Strava subscriptions to a two-night stay and spa treatment at W Hollywood. Free. Saturday at 9 a.m. 41 Market Street, Venice. RSVP Now
Food + Drinks
Smorgasburg LA Expands 10th Anniversary Celebration With BBQ Invitational
May 23-25. A packed summer lineup kicks off with a Memorial Day Weekend BBQ Invitational at Santa Anita Park, where six of Los Angeles’ most popular BBQ pop-ups will showcase regional styles spanning Texas, Filipino, Japanese, Cambodian, Cuban and more alongside live horse racing, carnival rides and games. Set inside the track’s infield, the three-day event blends smoke-heavy barbecue culture with the energy of a county fair. Saturday-Monday, 12-7 p.m. 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia. la.smorgasburg.com
Levain & Sweet Rose Creamery
Now Serving. A seasonal dessert collaboration returns as Levain teams up with Sweet Rose Creamery for the comeback of cookies à la mode, pairing the bakery’s warm six-ounce cookies with scoops of handcrafted ice cream. This year’s lineup also introduces mini ice cream sandwiches and affogatos made with Sweet Rose ice cream and fresh espresso. Madagascar Vanilla anchors the menu throughout the summer, while rotating flavors like strawberry, salted caramel, cherry chocolate chip and blueberry muffin roll out month by month. Hours and locations vary, visit site. More Information
Paradise Dynasty x Burritos La Palma Launch Birria Xiao Long Bao
Now Serving. A cross-cultural collaboration lands at Paradise Dynasty as the restaurant teams up with Burritos La Palma for a limited-time birria xiao long bao inspired by the legendary birria de res that made the Southern California institution a favorite among food fans. The soup dumplings are served with Burritos La Palma’s signature salsa and fresh sliced serranos for dipping, blending rich consommé flavors with the delicate texture of xiao long bao. The special introductory pricing runs through May 22 before continuing as a seasonal offering through July 31 at both the Americana and South Coast Plaza locations. Hours vary. The Americana at Brand, 177 Caruso Ave., Glendale. paradisegp.com
Inside Perse, Brentwood’s New Persian Restaurant
Until May 17. The family behind Toranj recently opened Perse, an upscale Persian restaurant in Brentwood centered on wagyu kebabs, tart fesenjoon and sour cherry–dotted rice. The restaurant comes from brother-sister team Farinaz and Farbod Pirshirazi, who built the menu around regional dishes they grew up eating across Iran. Diners can expect dishes like caviar tartlets topped with slivered chives, lollipop lamb chops paired with saffron yogurt and a bread basket filled with sangak and barbari. The menu also features koobideh, saffron lamb chops, branzino, gormeh sabzi, saffron-glazed lamb neck and duck confit. Monday-Sunday, 5–10 p.m. 11677 W. San Vicente Blvd., STE 315, Los Angeles. perserestaurant.com
Arts + Culture
Dudamel Conducts Die Walküre Act III
Until May 17. Wagner’s sweeping masterpiece returns to Los Angeles as Los Angeles Philharmonic continues its acclaimed staging of the Ring Cycle with Die Walküre, led by Gustavo Dudamel and director Alberto Arvelo. Featuring a set designed by the late architect Frank Gehry, the production unfolds as a three-part saga where each act stands on its own while building Wagner’s monumental story of love, fate, duty and self-determination. International opera stars bring the drama to life, including Ryan Speedo Green as the conflicted god Wotan and Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde. Thursday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind
May 23. A major new exhibition at The Broad celebrates the groundbreaking work of Yoko Ono, bringing the artist’s first solo museum exhibition in Southern California to Los Angeles. Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind, organized in collaboration with Tate Modern, spans more than seven decades of Ono’s influential work across art, music and activism, inviting visitors to actively participate in installations centered on peace, imagination and human connection. Among the highlights is Wish Trees for Los Angeles, transforming The Broad’s olive trees into a living public artwork where guests can tie personal wishes to the branches in a collective expression of hope. Opening day is this Sunday at 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 221 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. thebroad.org
The Superman Experience Brings an Immersive DC Adventure to Life
May 14-17. Fans can step directly into the world of Superman with The Superman Experience, an immersive attraction that combines motion technology, active 3D gameplay and cinematic storytelling to transform guests into Earth’s greatest Super Hero. Designed for friends and families, the experience uses hyper-realistic first-person gameplay and motion detection to simulate flying across continents through Superman’s universe, blending cutting-edge technology with the legacy of DC Studios. Thursday–Monday from 12–8 p.m. 3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank. supermanexperience.com
BoxLunch Launches New Manga Station Experience in Sherman Oaks
May 16-17. Fandom retailer BoxLunch is celebrating the launch of its new Manga Station experience with a public event at Westfield Fashion Square on Saturday, May 23 from 12 to 2 p.m. The immersive retail fixture, debuting at select BoxLunch locations, features manga-inspired artwork alongside exclusive merchandise tied to beloved series including Inuyasha, Ranma ½, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and Uzumaki. Guests attending the launch can expect a live DJ, a boba milk tea cart and a first look at new apparel, tote bags, posters, sticker packs and other manga-themed collectibles. Saturday, 12-2 p.m. 14006 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks. More Information
Photo Credit: Sack Race courtesy of Topanga Days and Fadeout Media. All other images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.
