Best Things to Do in Los Angeles Today with Concerts & Events (2024)

One of L.A.’s best free live music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured legit legends over its three-decade run at the museum. Seating for the program is available in the museum’s plaza on a first-come, first-served basis, though you’re welcome to picnic on the grass, too (you won’t really be able to see the show, but you’ll still hear it). You’ll find the series on Friday evenings in LACMA’s welcome plaza (just behind Urban Light)throughout the summer.

The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screeningsto LEVEL in Downtown L.A. Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair(with optional blankets for purchase to up the coziness). And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word.This spring and summer, look out for a slate of wedding season picks and AAPI Heritage Month selections in May, as well as Pride and Black Music Month screenings in June. Also, select “wooftop” screenings will be dog-friendly starting in May.Find the full schedule on their site, or in our outdoor movie calendar.

It’s more than just the low clearance: This exhibition at the Petersen explores the custom paint, engraving, upholstery and, of course, thegravity-defying suspension of the lowrider scene. In addition to iconic cars, the exhibit spotlights influentialartists inthe Chicano lowrider art scene. Even if you have no interest in cars, this colorful showcase of 20-plus lowered cars and bikes is excellent: The candy-colored paint jobs are dazzling, and the craftsmanship of the customizations—many vehicles are on display with their enginesand undercarriages visible—is remarkable. You’ll learn a little bit of history here, how the “low and slow” movement is rooted in the postwar Mexican American zoot suit counterculture, but largely this is an excuse to ogle someL.A. automotive icons.

Be prepared:The Lion King is turning 30, and to celebrate its anniversary a mix of Broadway and film stars (from both versions of the movie) will perform alongside a screening of the animated classic at the Hollywood Bowl. On May 24 and 25, a live orchestra will accompany a screening of 1994’s animated classic,The Lion King, with song performances bythe cast of the original film:Nathan Lane (Timon), Ernie Sabella (Pumbaa), Jeremy Irons (Scar), Jason Weaver (the singing voice of young Simba); the 2019 remake:Billy Eichner (Timon); the Broadway edition:Bradley Gibson (Simba); and a guest appearance from Jennifer Hudson, who hasn’t been involved in any version of the musical, but come on, she’s Jennifer Hudson.

L.A. has changed immeasurably since 1921, when this event was first staged as an agricultural fair. However, the perennially popular event still has farm-friendly appeal (livestock beauty contests, local produce) alongside the more modern acrobats, wine tastings, exhibitions and concerts.RECOMMENDED: A guide to the L.A. County Fair

Let the wild rumpus start at this celebration of beloved children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. The Skirball Cultural Centeris displaying more than 150 sketches, storyboards and paintings from theWhere the Wild Things Are creator.“Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak” debuted at theColumbus Museum of Art in 2022 and has since sailed off (metaphorically speaking) to visit L.A. from April 18 through September 1.As you might expect, Where the Wild Things Arereceives the biggest spotlight in the exhibition, with beautiful crosshatched artwork, translations of books, monster-themed merch and even costumes from the Spike Jonze film.In addition to his own books,In the Night Kitchen andOutside Over There among them, the exhibitionalso features artthat Sendakcreated for a handful of other authors,most notably Else Holmelund Minarik’sLittle Bear, as well designs for Mozart operas. The showalso focuses on his personal and family life, with insight on his Jewish upbringing, some very early drawings (including one of Mickey Mouse he created when he was just six years old) and lots about how his beloved dogs inspired and integrated into his books.Admission costs $18 for adults, with discounts for students, seniors and children; it’s completely free to visit on Thursdays. Look out for the adorable living room setup near the entrance, too—it hosts story time Thursday through Sunday at 3pm.

Roam the stalls at this Memorial Day arts festival, sample the food and listen to the music—and then take a dip in the nearby Pacific. A few logistical changes for the last few fests have streamlined the layout: You’ll still find on-the-street stalls and sidewalk vendors along Hermosa and Pier Avenues, but the live music has been moved to the beach while there’s a proper carnival (with a wine garden) and arts festival inland behind the Hermosa Beach Community Center.When is Fiesta Hermosa?This year’s event takes place Saturday through Monday, May 25, 26 and 27, 2024 from 11am to 7pm. You’ll find it along Hermosa Avenue and Pier Avenue.Is Fiesta Hermosa free?Yes, though food, drink, games and craft vendors will of course cost you. Also, the Garden, a 21+ area with drinks and music, has a $5 cover fee.Is the event dog friendly?Thegated Garden area of the event isn’t dog-friendly (and as is the case in nearly all of L.A. County, neither is the beach), but you’re welcome to bring a dog with you to the rest of the Fiesta.

Hollywood’s Japan House has tapped artistSebastian Masuda to dive into the roots of all things cute and colorful with this exhibition on Japanese kawaii culture. The free show includes multiple pieces and installations from Masuda.

Watch a slate of classics from the past couple of decades on one of the prettiest rooftops—now called Anita’s Oasis—in Hollywood at this outdoor screenings series.All movies are piped in over sets of provided wireless headphones. Before showtime, make sure to hit up the bar or the on-site kitchen.

The krautrock and electronic pioneers sent museumgoers into a frenzy over their intimate shows in New York and London institutions about a decade back.Now, the proto-techno quartet is reviving that marathon format to stagenine shows at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Each one will focus on a different album, starting withAutobahn, while the final concert will pull from their entire catalog.