If you like carnivals, you’re in luck! From Monrovia Days, to OC Greek Fest and the Crawfish Festival, you have a plethora of choices. You also have a pick of star-gazing parties, musical showcases and many cultural exhibits.
Monrovia Days
Library Park | 321 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia | May 14-17 | monroviaca.gov
Monrovia’s birthday celebration returns with a parade, carnival rides, Merengue’s Bakery pie eating contest, live musical entertainment, a beer garden, carnival food, games, and a book sale. Admission is free.
Shostakovich’s 15th Symphony Arranged for Piano Trio and Percussion
Zipper Hall | 200 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles | May 14 | cameratapacifica.org
Janet and Ray Scherr Forum | 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks | May 17 |
The Huntington | 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino | May 19 |
The international chamber music collective Camerata Pacifica caps its 36th season with the highly anticipated California premiere of Dimitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15, Op.144, arranged by Viktor Derevyanko for piano trio and percussion. This is just the fifth performance in the western hemisphere of the 47-minute arrangement, which Shostakovich himself approved. Premiered in 1972 in Moscow, it is considered an alluring textural and rhythmic alternative to Shostakovich’s original. Tickets: $35/$75 at The Huntington and Zipper Hall; $48.25/$94.40, including fees, at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum.
San Gabriel Valley Women’s Summit
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Monrovia-Pasadena | 924 W. Huntington Drive, Monrovia | May 15 | duartechamber.com/sgvwomenssummit
Presented by the Duarte Chamber of Commerce, this year’s theme: “Rooted, Resilient, and Rising,” calls on women across the San Gabriel Valley to find strength in their inner foundation and in each other. Through inspiring speakers, meaningful conversations, and intentional networking, the event creates space for attendees to reflect on their personal journeys while building confidence and drawing inspiration from women across the San Gabriel Valley. Tickets: $90 members/$100 non-members.
St. Bruno Spring Fest
St. Bruno Catholic Church | 15740 Citrustree Road, Whittier | May 15-17 | stbrunochurch.org
Celebrate spring with live music, food, carnival rides, beer, wine, games, a raffle with a $10,000 grand prize and more. Admission is free.
Crawfish Festival
Fountain Valley Sports Park | 16400 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley | May 15-17 | crawfishfestival.com
Savor a little of New Orleans here in the Southland. Master Chefs will prepare Louisiana-style crawfish along with Cajun potatoes, corn on the cob, and tangy remoulade dipping sauce. There will also be music, live entertainment, beignets, karaoke, carnival games and much more. Admission begins at $6.
LAAS Star Party
Mount Wilson Observatory | 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson | May 15 | mtwilson.edu
Join Mount Wilson Observatory and the Los Angeles Astronomical Society for this free, public star party. This event does not give access to the 60- or 100-inch telescopes. The Observatory grounds will be closed and star party visitors will only be allowed in the upper lot, lower lot, and cafe area. No RSVP necessary.
An Enchanted Evening with The Three Mexican Tenors
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall | 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa | May 15-16 | pacificsymphony.org
Enrico Lopez-Yañez conducts Mexican tenors Jorge Lopez-Yañez, Bernardo Bermudez, and Alfredo Carrillo alongside Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar and a full orchestra. Tickets start at $58.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’
Lineage Performing Arts Center | 920 E. Mountain Ave., Pasadena | May 15 – June 7 | lineagepac.org
Lineage breathes new life into this sci-fi cult classic with dance. Tickets start at $38.62.
Salute to Recreation
Northridge Recreation Center | 18300 Lemarsh St., Northridge | May 15-17 | recreation.parks.lacity.gov
Enjoy a full lineup of activities, including a children’s area, artisan vendors, food and drinks, live entertainment, sports tournaments, senior dance, pickleball tournament, folklorico, and carnival rides and games.
OC Greek Fest
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church | 405 N. Dale Ave., Anaheim | May 15-17 | ocgreekfest.com
Indulge in a variety of authentic Greek foods like souvlaki and baklava and stop by the Greek taverna. You can also shop at the Festival Agora and Greek Food Market or dance to live music. Regular admission is $5.
California Strawberry Festival
Ventura County Fairgrounds | 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura | May 16-17 | castrawberryfestival.org
The festival will host more than 40 food vendors, live music, arts and crafts booths, and more fun for all. Tickets: $15 for adults and $8 for kids 5 to 12 years old.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Sierra Madre Playhouse | 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | May 16 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
Lively and engaging, this 45-minute version, filled with visual flair, takes the audience on a spirited romp through the woods into a world of enchantment filled with fairies, mischief, and magic. The family-friendly show is geared for children and adults of all ages. In this whimsical tale of entangled worlds, four people get lost in a mystical forest near ancient Athens. The mischievous spirit Puck intervenes, and although chaos and romantic mix ups ensue, the story culminates with a glorious triple wedding. Audience participation is woven throughout the action. Tickets: $20.
Market Place@PAM: Creativity and Tradition
USC Pacific Asia Museum | 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena | May 16 | eventbrite.com
Shop handmade crafts, textiles, jewelry, ceramics, and artisan foods as you hear the personal stories behind each craft. Tickets include museum admission, and free parking. Admission is free.
Baryo HiFi 2026
Historic Filipinotown | May 16 | posh.vip/e/baryo-hifi-2026
This one-day block party celebrates Filipino music, food, and community with DJs and live sounds, a curated marketplace featuring local Filipino-owned vendors, and food. General admission is free.
LA Coffee Festival
Magic Box @ The REEF | 1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles | May 16 | lacoffeefest.com
The inaugural LA Coffee Festival will feature some of the best coffee, teas, and eats in LA. Tickets start at $24.
Jodi Siegel
Sierra Madre Playhouse | 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | May 16 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jodi Siegel, acclaimed for her smokey vocals and masterful slide guitar, presents her gritty groove-forward blend of blues, R&B, soul, and jazz. The Chicago native performs music from her latest album, “Wild Hearts.” Tickets: $12-$35.
Ontario Art Walk: Museum Night Market
Downtown Ontario Arts District | 225 Euclid Ave., Ontario | May 16 | ontarioartwalk.org
The quarterly Art walk will feature art exhibitions, pop-up galleries, artist talks, workshops, live music and arts events sponsored by local artists, performers, organizations and businesses in the Downtown Ontario Arts District.
City of San Gabriel Play Day
Vincent Lugo Park | 1305 Prospect Ave., San Gabriel | May 16 | eventbrite.com
Get ready for a day of family-friendly fun featuring face painting, balloon art, games, prizes, crafts and entertainment. Admission is free.
LATINAfest Preview
Wilshire / Fairfax D Line Station | 6026 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | May 16 | eventbrite.com
Before the big festival on June 7, get a LATINAFest Preview and enjoy delicious bites, dancing, authors, music, artists, poets and a marketplace. Admission is free.
Long Beach Pride Parade & Festival
Marina Green Park | 386 E. Shoreline Drive, Long Beach | May 16-17 | longbeachpride.com
Now in its 43rd year, the parade on May 17 will feature more than 100 participating organizations, business and stakeholder groups showcasing a variety of vibrant and engaging floats and displays. The parade will commence at Ocean Boulevard and Lindero Avenue and travel along stretches of Ocean Boulevard and Alamitos Avenue in Downtown. The festival will feature music, food, art, community and more. Tickets start at $20.
Beverly Hills Art Show
Santa Monica Boulevard between Wilshire & Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills | May 16-17 | beverlyhills.org
This free art show takes over four garden blocks in the center of the city and features paintings, sculptures, watercolors, photographs, mixed media, ceramics, glass, jewelry, drawing and printmaking. There will also be a Wine and Beer Garden with live music, demonstrating artists, children’s activities, gourmet food trucks and several community exhibits.
Zipangu: Japanese Music Event
Brookside at Rose Bowl | 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena | May 16 | zipangu-event.cloud
This one-day J-pop music festival will feature acts like Ado, Chanmina, 10-Feet, Hana and more. Tickets start at $149.
Arts and Nature Festival
Oak Glen Preserve | 39611 Oak Glen Road, Building 10, Oak Glen | May 16 | wildlandsconservancy.org
The all-day outdoor event will also feature original work by local artists available for display and purchase, music, crafts, games, a kids scavenger hunt,Aztec dancers, a bird walk, a wildflower walks, a drawing, and interactive art activities. The festival is free and open to all.
Avalon Ball
Avalon Casino Ballroom | 1 Casino Way, Avalon | May 16 | artdecola.org
Journey to the past when Big Band ruled the airwaves and art deco opulence was as ubiquitous as gray is today. The evening will feature a night of dancing and music from the 1920s to the 1930s. A no-host bar and bar menu will be available in the ballroom. Tickets: $91.36.
Opening Night: ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ 40th Anniversary
LA State Historic Park | 1245 N. Spring St., Los Angeles | May 16 | streetfoodcinema.com
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with Featherborn, featuring Scott Underwood from Train, hitting the stage at 6:45 p.m. The night will also feature trivia, food trucks, and comedy from Justin Rupple. General admission: $29.94.
Great Big Family Play Day
Autry Museum of the American West | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles | May 16-17 | feverup.com
This festival offers live performances on multiple stages, interactive games, rides, custom-built play experiences, food trucks, lounges, swag, giveaways, character meet & greets, and more. General admission is $5 for kids and $15 for adults.
5th Annual Pacific Art Walk Festival
Huntington Park | Pacific Avenue, between Zoe and Saturn avenues | May 17 | hpca.gov
Celebrate local culture starting at noon. The festival will feature vendors, live music, art contest, performances and food.
Family Festival: Celebrating Photography & the Black Arts Movement
Getty Center | 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles | May 17 | getty.edu
Celebrate the power of photography and self-expression at this free, daylong festival inspired by the exhibition “Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985” featuring live music, dance, storytelling, and interactive workshops.
LA Children’s Chorus Spring Concert
Pasadena Presbyterian Church | 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena | May 17 | lachildrenschorus.org
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus celebrates hope and joy through music at its Spring Concert. Highlights include music from Bach, Verdi, Rachmaninoff, Allister MacGillivray, Handel, and Schubert, as well as folk tunes from across the globe, and more. Tickets: $15-$52.80.
31st Annual Balboa Island Artwalk
South Bayfront Promenade from Marine to Emerald avenues, Balboa Island | May 17 | balboaislandartwalk.info
This fine art show will feature 90 artists exhibiting paintings, jewelry, blown glass, sculpture, and photography. There will also be live music. Admission is free.
12th Annual Taste of South Pasadena
Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street, South Pasadena | May 19 | eventbrite.com
Taste from more than 50 wineries and eateries in South Pasadena and enjoy live music. The VIP Wine & Spirits Tasting is a separately ticketed pre-event held at the Canoe House at 805 Fair Oaks Ave. Food tasting adult ticket: $45. VIP wine ticket: $40.
‘Life of Mozart’
San Marino Community Church | 1750 Virginia Road #0412, San Marino | May 20 | pasadenachorale.org
The Pasadena Choral Society presents a strikingly original interpretation: the “Requiem” is performed exclusively in the form Mozart himself completed, allowing audiences to hear the work as he left it. Interwoven throughout the performance is a dramatic narrative, brought to life by musician and actor Milo Brody, who will portray Mozart. Through excerpts of the composer’s own letters, Brody gives voice to Mozart’s thoughts, struggles, humor, and humanity, which creates an intimate and immersive experience that transcends the traditional concert format. Admission is free and open to the public.
St. Louis of France Catholic Church Parish Fiesta
St. Louis of France Catholic Church | 13935 E. Temple Ave., La Puente | May 20-22 | stlouisoffrancechurch-lapuente.org
Don’t miss this community event featuring delicious food, rides and entertainment.
ONGOING
Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area | 15501 E. Arrow Highway, Irwindale | Through May 17 | renfair.com/socal
Hear ye! Hear ye! The Renaissance Pleasure Faire returns to SoCal with entertaining shows ranging from falconry and magic to drinking songs and jousting. With delicious food, flowing drinks, a marketplace like nowhere else, and actors getting everyone into the spirit, you will undoubtedly have a good time. Huzzah!
‘Warsaw’
Beverly O’Neill Theater | 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach | Through May 17 | ictlongbeach.org
A woman fighting for her life after a devastating accident draws four very different visitors to her bedside — a doctor, the doctor’s estranged fiancé, a truck driver, and a hospital volunteer who believes he once knew her long ago. As the four keep vigil, they realize that the comatose patient holds vital pieces missing from their own lives. “Warsaw” is a moving meditation on survival, forgiveness, and the invisible threads that bind our lives together. Tickets are $56 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, except opening night (Friday, May 1), and $59 on opening night and at Sunday matinees.
‘The Storyteller of East LA’
The Los Angeles Theatre Center | 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles | Through May 17 | latinotheaterco.org
Dedicated to her mother, the newest work by Latino Theater Company resident playwright Evelina Fernández celebrates the sustaining power of love, compassion, storytelling, and the resilience of family. Lucy Rodriguez and Sal López star as Mercedes, a 90-year-old woman with dementia, and Serafina, the guardian angel with whom Mercy interacts in “The Other Place,” a liminal space existing somewhere between memory and reality. As Mercy’s health declines, her daughters Grace and Mary and granddaughter Lulu are forced to confront unresolved tensions and make difficult choices about her care. Their fragile caregiving arrangement is further strained when Mercy’s nighttime caregiver stops coming, afraid to leave home during ICE immigration raids. Daytime caregiver Josefa faces similar fears, even as she tries to ensure that Mercy’s care continues. The play blends intimate family drama with elements of magical realism to explore themes of memory loss, family dynamics and the complexities of caring for aging loved ones. Tickets range from $10 to previews and for all Thursday performances to $48 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, except students and seniors, who pay only $24.
‘Picasso: Le Monstre Sacré’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles | Through May 17 | odysseytheatre.com
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents British actor Peter Tate in Picasso: Le Monstre Sacré, a visceral, uncompromising portrait of the artist. Pablo Picasso was an undisputed genius and visionary artist, yet his obsession with his work often destroyed those he professed to love. Tickets: $15-$35.
‘Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos’
The Los Angeles Theatre Center | 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles | Through May 24 | latinotheaterco.org
Latino Theater Company welcomes the return of San Jose-based LGBTQ+ ensemble Teatro Alebrijes with “Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos” (Carlota: Jewelry Box of Secrets), a bold reimagining of Federico García Lorca’s “The House of Bernarda Alba.” Inside the home of Carlota and her three daughters, time seems to have stood still. But their cloistered world is suddenly shaken when the youngest daughter encounters a handsome stranger in town for his father’s funeral. What follows is a cascade of revelations as long-buried secrets emerge — like precious jewels hidden inside a jewelry box. (Performed in Spanish with English supertitles.) Tickets range from $10 for all Thursday performances to $48 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
‘The Sound of Music’
Pantages Theatre | 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles | Through May 24 | broadwayinhollywood.com
“The Sound of Music” has been one of our favorite things since Julie Andrews twirled onto our screens singing “The hills are alive with the sound of music.” Maria and the von Trapp family will take audiences on a journey about love, following your own path, the power of music, and resisting fascism. Tickets starts at $57.
LA Zoo Bloom
LA Zoo | 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles | Through May 25 | lazoo.org
The LA Zoo will be buzzing with activity all spring. LA Zoo Bloom is a season-long event featuring colorful photo ops, strolling characters, and the new conservation themed Mission Safari maze. Tickets: $22-$27.
‘For Want of a Horse’
Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles | Through May 25 | echotheatercompany.com
The Echo Theater Company presents the world premiere of a darkly comic, deeply human exploration of love, desire and unconventional relationships. Joey Stromberg stars as Calvin. Calvin is devoted to his wife, Bonnie, played by Jenny Soo. But, as Calvin confesses to his best friend, PJ, if he’s to move forward, he needs to open up their relationship to include his new romantic partner. One complication: that partner would be Q-Tip — and Q-Tip is a horse. Tickets range from $15 to $42.75.
‘Fractured Fables’
The Actors’ Gang Theater | 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City | Through May 30 | theactorsgang.com
The Actors’ Gang presents Fractured Fables – for the entire family (ages 6 & up recommended) – written and adapted from Aesop and Brothers Grimm, among others, by Rynn Vogel and directed by Adam J. Jefferis. Audiences of ages 6 & up can expect a lively and engaging theatrical experience that celebrates creativity, mentorship, and the enduring power of storytelling. Tickets: $25 Saturdays and Sundays; seniors, students, educators are $20.
LA County Fair
Fairplex | 1101 W. McKinley Ave., La Verne | Through May 31 | lacountyfair.com
The LA County Fair is back with rides, art, contests, farm animals, delicious food and drinks, live music and a skating rink! Single day tickets are $18 but there are special prices and value passes available.
‘Exit the King’
A Noise Within | 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena | Through May 31 | anoisewithin.org
It’s King Berenger’s last day on Earth, but he refuses to accept it. King Berenger has ruled with absolute power, so why should the rules of death apply to him? As the king stubbornly denies the inevitable, his crumbling kingdom is held together by an eccentric court: his formidable first wife, his devoted second wife, and a band of increasingly bewildered attendants. Absurd, witty and unexpectedly touching, this modern classic becomes a poignant and surprisingly joyful reminder that even kings must face their final curtain. Post-performance conversations with the artists will take place every Friday and on Sunday, May 17. Tickets start at $41.75. Student tickets start at $20.
Photography and the Black Arts Movement
The Getty | 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 403, Los Angeles | Through June 14 | getty.edu
“Photography and the Black Arts Movement brings together works by more than one hundred photographers, painters, graphic designers, and multimedia artists who used photographic images in their struggles against inequality,” says Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the J. Paul Getty. Divided into eight sections, this exhibition brings together more than 150 artworks in a range of media, including video art, paintings, collages, contact sheets, newsletters, and magazines, giving a sense of the varied ways that photographic imagery circulated at the time.Admission to the Getty Center is always free, but a reservation is required for admission.
‘Brigadoon’
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena | Through June 14 | pasadenaplayhouse.org
Two American travelers lose their way in the Scottish Highlands and stumble upon Brigadoon—a mysterious village that appears for just one day every hundred years. With its lush score, live orchestra, sweeping choreography, and a newly adapted book, this beloved classic is a heart-stirring journey into a world where time stands still, and love defies all logic. Tickets start at $58.
‘Hymn’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles | Through June 14 | odysseytheatre.com
“Hymn” is a life-affirming new play by Olivier Award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti (“Life of Pi,” “Hamnet”). Two middle-aged Black men form a deep bond against a background of R&B rhythms, boxing, and rounds of scotch in this soulful play about love, faith and male friendship. Tickets to all performances are $35. A $3 fee will be added to each ticket purchased with a credit card. Discounts are available for students and seniors.
DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion: Escape
L’ESPACE DIAVOLO | 616 Moulton Ave., Los Angeles | Through June 14 | diavolo.org/escape
Founder and Creative Director Jacques Heim, choreographer of Cirque du Soleil’s long running Las Vegas production KÀ and creative director of the 16th Asian Games Opening Ceremony, continues his mission to explore the relationship between the human body and its environment. This 70-minute piece explores the conditions of the human struggle to break free from a chaotic world — featuring a company of 22 artists testing themselves against a variety of DIAVOLO’s most famous custom-made architectural structures. Pre-show and post-show interactive opportunities give audiences the opportunity to experience movement with the architecture pieces as well. Tickets start at $39.
‘Ascent’
Skylight Theatre | 1816-1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles | Through June 14 | skylighttheatre.org
Based on the true story, “Ascent” tells about the life of Qian Xuesen, the brilliant aerospace engineer who helped launch America’s space age—until Cold War paranoia forever changed the future of both his new and native homelands. In this play and its production, two fascinating American stories are told – the true story of Qian Xuesen (spelled often as Tsien Hsue-shen), a father of American rocketry and co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who became later known as the father of Chinese rocketry – giving that country nuclear capacity, and playwright Henry Ong, a beloved playwright and powerful figure in the Los Angeles theatre community for more than thirty-five years. General admission starts at $29.
‘The Physicists’
The Actors’ Gang Theater | 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City | Through June 20 | theactorsgang.com
In Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s 1961 “The Physicists,” the world’s greatest physicist, Johann Wilhelm Möbius, is in an asylum and haunted by King Solomon. His friends are two equally deluded scientists – one who believes he is Einstein and the other Newton. As the play progresses, they are not as harmless as they appear as they plot the end of the world abetted by their psychiatrist, Mathilde von Zahnd. Like Peter Weiss’ “Marat/Sade,” also originally directed by Peter Brook, “The Physicists” asks where the line is between mad and dangerously insane. Tickets: $38; seniors, students and educators are $28.
‘Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo’
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Jan. 10, 2027 | academymuseum.org
The Academy Museum presents Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo, celebrating the artistry of Studio Ghibli and the hand-drawn animation behind the 2008 film. The exhibition features over 100 original materials from Studio Ghibli, including art boards, posters, an animation desk, and hand drawings by Hayao Miyazaki, many on display in North America for the first time. Curated by Jessica Niebel with assistant curator Emily Rauber Rodriguez. The museum is open six days a week, closed on Tuesdays. Tickets $15–$25; film screenings $5–$10.