Looking for events and things to do in Los Angeles? The entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles overflows with festivals, premieres, and world-class cultural events year-round. This local guide covers Los Angeles’s biggest annual festivals, recurring markets and events, seasonal highlights, and how to find out what’s happening this weekend — straight from the people who live here.
Los Angeles’s biggest annual events & festivals
LA’s signature events include the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl in Pasadena on New Year’s Day, the LA Marathon, Grand Performances and free summer concerts, the LA County Fair, CicLAvia open-streets events, film premieres and award shows, and endless music and food festivals.
Farmers markets & recurring things to do in Los Angeles
Farmers markets run nearly every day somewhere in the city (the Original Farmers Market, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and more); Grand Park, the Hollywood Bowl, and Levitt Pavilions host constant concerts; and neighborhoods run year-round cultural festivals in the mild climate.
Los Angeles through the seasons
The mild weather means events all year — the Rose Parade and awards season in winter, festivals and CicLAvia in spring, Hollywood Bowl concerts and fairs in summer, and food and film events in fall.
What to know about Los Angeles events
LA is enormous — pick events by neighborhood rather than crossing town, and use Metro where possible. Many events (CicLAvia, farmers markets, Grand Performances) are free. Traffic and parking reward arriving early.
What’s happening in Los Angeles this weekend
Printed event calendars go stale fast, and the best local happenings — pop-ups, block parties, last-minute shows — often never make the official listings. The most current, honest answer to “what’s going on this weekend?” comes from neighbors. On Neighborhood Nurturers’ Los Angeles community, real Los Angeles residents post and discuss what’s happening right now. For more ideas any time, see our guide to the best things to do in Los Angeles. Join your Los Angeles neighbors free and never miss what’s happening →
Fitting it into a day in Los Angeles
The best events here are seasonal and neighborhood-driven, so timing is everything. What sets Los Angeles apart is how close everything sits together. Start near the free Griffith Observatory, work in one of the spots from this guide, and you are minutes from Griffith Park if you want to keep going. Locals often round out the local calendar with a detour to the Venice Boardwalk or a quieter stop at the free Getty Center. Because the distances are short, you can improvise as you go rather than lock the whole day down in advance.
More Los Angeles guides
Los Angeles rewards people who dig a little deeper. These related guides map the same neighborhoods from different starting points: Things to do in Los Angeles, Free things to do in Los Angeles, Things to do with kids in Los Angeles — enough to plan a whole day or two.
Get a local’s take
Guides are a starting point; the current, on-the-ground details come from people who live in Los Angeles. Hours shift, favorites change, and residents always know what is genuinely worth it now. Ask Los Angeles neighbors directly or join your town community free to hear from real locals.
Frequently asked questions
What are the biggest events in Los Angeles?
The Rose Parade and Rose Bowl, the LA Marathon, the LA County Fair, CicLAvia open-streets events, Hollywood Bowl concerts, and countless film and music festivals.
Does Los Angeles have farmers markets?
Yes — markets run nearly every day across the city, from the Original Farmers Market to Hollywood and Santa Monica.
What’s happening in Los Angeles this weekend?
With events all over the city every weekend, LA neighbors share the most current neighborhood picks — beyond the big listings — in our community.