Stuck in between the spooky fun of Halloween and the holiday buzz of Christmas, November is often overlooked. But it shouldn’t be. There are plenty of fun things to do this November and here are just a few as you plan your week ahead. 

Lightscape

LA Arboretum | 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007 | Nov. 12 – Jan. 16 | arboretum.org

Following a sold-out run in London, Lightscape will transform the LA Arboretum with a one-mile illuminated trail featuring thousands of lights in various attractions like the Cathedral of Light, the Star Tunnel and the Fire Garden.

Hollywood Cannabis Tour

6633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 | Nov. 12 | eventbrite.com

Explore Hollywood’s cannabis culture in this two-and-a-half-hour, narrated tour. The tour will stop at a high-end dispensary and one of Southern California’s only licensed cannabis grow facilities. 

City of Angels/Wings of Desire

The Lair of the Rose | 35 N. Raymond, #203, Pasadena, CA 91103 |  Nov. 12 | eventbrite.com

Acrobatic performers execute difficult dances using the pole, trapeze skills, hammocks, chains and the Lyra to depict tales of wishes, faith and desire.With only 40 seats per show, audience members watch the show feet from performers.  

Gasolina Party

Avalon Hollywood & Bardot | 1735 Vine St., Los Angeles, CA 90028 | Nov. 12 | eventbrite.com

Dance into the weekend with reggaeton, guaracha, dembow and EDM in the main room or hip hop and top 40 hits in the Bardot room. 

An Evening With Darren Criss

Grammy Museum |800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 | Nov. 12 | grammymuseum.org

Just as the holiday season gets started, Emmy Award-winner, singer-songwriter and former “Glee” cast member Darren Criss will be joined by multi-Grammy nominee and producer Ron Fair for a discussion of Criss’s new holiday album, “A Very Darren Crissmas.” Criss will also perform songs from the album throughout the night. Tickets are available for $35.

Magical Mystery Dome

Wisdome LA | 1147 Palmetto St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 | Nov. 12-13 | wisdome.la

This 360-degree immersive experience pays tribute to the Beatles’ psychedelic period. Some of the band’s most iconic songs will be played live by BritBeat Beatles Tribute as visuals inspired by The Beatles play around you.  

Banda Expo 2021

Pico Rivera Sports Arena | 11003 Rocks Road, Pico Rivera, CA 90601 | Nov. 12 | ticketon.com

Banda Expo 2021 pits 13 bands — including Implacable Banda La Juvenil, Banda Imperio de Oscar Curiel, Banda La Lujosa — against one another in a battle of the bands.

LA Hidden Bars & Speakeasy Tour

Te’Kila | 6541 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 | Nov. 12, 13, 18 | eventbrite.com

Hit up LA like a local and used hidden entrances to track down elusive elixirs at three to four exclusive speakeasy bars. The first stop of the night elicits the sophistication of 1920s Hollywood. The second stop is an underground cocktail den where you can play carnival games. The final speakeasy features Latin dancing, burlesque shows and live music.

Lunar Bloom

Oracle Tavern | 1640 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Nov. 13 | eventbrite.com

Coconut Spaceship, the indie record label and the creators of June Gloom, is creating a music festival out of this world. Billed as a “tropical lunar oasis” featuring live music, visuals and art, to support local musicians, artists and businesses.

Outfest Legacy Awards Gala

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Nov. 13 | outfest.org

The Outfest Legacy Awards Gala supports Outfest Forward, which provides mentoring and educational programs, and Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, the largest LGBTQIA+ moving image archive in the world. This year’s honorees include Victoria Alonso, Rain Valdez, Robin de Jesús, NEON, Jonathan Howard, Marissa Román Griffith and Alan Koenigsberg.

Esa-Pekka Salonen Conducts The Colburn Orchestra

The Soraya | 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330 | Nov. 13 | thesoraya.org

Composer, conductor, and current music director of the San Francisco Symphony, Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to The Soraya’s podium for the third time as he conducts the Colburn Orchestra, the flagship orchestra of the Colburn School’s Conservatory of Music, which has gained international acclaim for producing the next generation of world-class musicians. The program features Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6. Tickets are free and available online. 

The Satin Dollz

The Mixx | 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Nov. 13 | themixxclub.com

Take a trip back in time and commemorate Veterans Day Weekend with three tiki, rockabilly and USO performances by the Satin Dollz. DJ Boppin Bebo will play vintage rockabilly records. Arrive early for dinner and drinks as vintage Bob Hope USO performances play on the LED wall.

Los Angeles Got Sole

Sneakertopia LA | 6081 Center Drive #222, Los Angeles, CA 90045 | Nov. 13 | gotsole.com

Described as “LA’s greatest sneaker convention,” LA Got Sole brings together thousands of people buying, selling and trading sneakers and clothing. There will also be free giveaways, live performances and contests.

Verdi Chorus Fall Concert: Ritorna Vincitori

First Presbyterian Church | 1220 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA 90401 | Nov. 13 & 14 | verdichorus.org

The Verdi Chorus is the only choral group in Southern California that focuses primarily on the dramatic and diverse music for opera chorus. This program, which Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum says includes “both the most joyous and the most dramatically reflective moments from some of the most powerful operatic works,” will feature selections from Verdi’s “Aida,” Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas,” Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” Boito’s “Mefistofele,” Bizet’s “Carmen,” and Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci.” Priority seating is available for $40, general admission is $30, seniors are $25, and students aged 25 and under with a valid ID are $10.

Mystic Universe: Immersive Art & Meditation Experience

Wisdome LA | 1147 Palmetto St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 | Nov. 13, 14, 17, 18  | wisdom.la/gomystic

Step into the ether and find your true reality with immersive art installments influenced by Julius Horstuis, Luminokaya and Igor Baranko at the Mystic Universe in the DTLA Arts District.

Happy Hour Paint Class

Wingwalker Brewery | 235 W. Maple Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016 | Nov. 14 | eventbrite.com

Enjoy an evening of painting while sipping on craft beers with friends. The first beer is included in the $45 ticket and you can pack your own food to the class. All supplies are provided.

African Marketplace & Drum Circle

4395 Leimert Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 | Nov. 14 | leimertparkafricanmarketplace.com 

Every Sunday, the African Marketplace & Drum Circle Certified Farmers Market celebrates culture and creativity. The market serves as an incubator for Black entrepreneurs and brings fresh food from Black farmers to the South LA community.

Rose Bowl Flea Market

Rose Bowl Stadium | 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103 | Nov. 14 | rgcshows.com

For over 50 years the Rose Bowl Flea Market has been THE place to visit for unique treasures. Featuring over 2,500 vendors, the market has everything from food to antiques. 

Laughs & Libations Pop-Up Comedy Show

Heroic Italian | 516 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401 | Nov. 15 | eventbrite.com

Laughs & Libations is a pop-up comedy show hosted by actor and comedian Curtis D. Davis featuring comics from all around. This is the second of three shows held at Heroic Italian. 

La Muerte Comedy Show

Tellefson Park | 11057 Washington Place, Culver City, CA 90232 | Nov. 16 | eventbrite.com

The bimonthly standup show brings together LA’s up-and-coming comedians. Tickets are free with RSVP.

The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra

The Soraya | 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330 | Nov. 17 | thesoraya.org

Directed by Scotty Barnhart and featuring jazz vocalist Lizz Wright, who steps into the shoes of Ella Fitzgerald, the 18-member orchestra pays tribute to the timeless swing of the Count Basie Orchestra. 

Diálogo Con Mujeres Artistas Contemporáneas

MOLAA | 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802 | Nov. 17 | molaa.org

MOLAA, the government of Baja California, Women’s Salon LA and Salon Mexico are hosting this virtual event featuring women artists from Baja and Southern California. The event will be in Spanish and English.

John Craigie

Troubador | 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069 | Nov. 18 | troubadour.com

Singer-songwriter John Craigie is bringing his Keep It Warm 2021 tour to West Hollywood. “On his 2020 Asterisk The Universe, John Craigie awkwardly encounters previous flames, mistakes a Catholic School custodian as a saint (and prays to him anyway), pays tribute to modern-day revolutionaries, and explores what it all means to live in the 21st century where infinite possibility does not necessarily equate infinite understanding,” according to his website. “He soundtracks these stories with a score of smoked-out soul, tender folk, and American songbook eloquence billowing right from the heart of California.” The band will be donating $1 from every ticket to the Western Center on Law & Poverty. 

Martha Graham Dance Company

The Soraya | 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330 | Nov. 19 | thesoraya.org

The Martha Graham Dance Company, lead by artistic director Janet Eilber, will be performing on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of its signature work “Appalachian Spring,” to its original Pulitzer Prize winning score by Aaron Copland performed live by Wild Up, conducted by musical director Christopher Rountree. “Martha Graham Dance Company invented 20th century dance as we know it today with works like Appalachian Spring and Division of Angels and is led by Janet Eilber who continues its legacy,” said Thor Steingraber, The Soraya’s executive and artistic director. Tickets for Martha Graham Dance Company start at $41.

Winter Frolic

Kidspace | 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91103 | Nov. 19-Jan. 9 | kidspacemuseum.org

Winter has arrived in Pasadena as Kispace transforms into a space where children and families can share the magic of the season. Winter Frolic features a no-ice sock skating rink, “ice fishing” in the Kispace Arroy Stream, and snowflake decorating.

Bangsgiving 

Los Globos | 3040 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026 | Nov. 20 | eventbrite.com

Bangsgiving is a massive LGBTQIA+ dance party with a holiday twist featuring house, top 40s, mashups, hip hop, EDM and more. 

Southern California Westling Club

Beverly Hill Jui Jitsu | 1080 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035 | Nov. 21 | socalwrestlingclub.com

End your weekend with a solid sweat at Beverly Hills Jujitsu with the Southern California Wrestling Club. All skill levels welcome. Weekly practices are Sundays from 4-5:30 p.m.

The Elf On The Shelf Magical Holiday Journey

Fairplex | 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, CA 91768 | Through Jan. 2 | elfontheshelfjourney.com

Returning for the second year in a row, The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey is an outdoor experience featuring dazzling scenery, lights, ice skating, trolleys, walking paths, treats and a Christmas village.

The Obama Portraits Tour & Black American Portraits

LACMA | 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Through Jan. 2 | lacma.org

 Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of President Barack Obama and Amy Sherald’s portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama have become iconic since being unveiled at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in 2018. As part of the five-city tour of the portraits, LACMA will present Black American Portraits in conjunction at an adjacent gallery. The tour will feature teacher workshops, tours and an illustrated book.

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