This week, SoCal plays host to ongoing World Cup watch parties, 4th of July celebrations, free Shakespeare plays and much more.
Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Fan Zone at Hansen Dam
Hansen Dam Lake | 10965 Dronfield Ave., Lake View Terrace | July 2-5 | fanzonehdl.com
The lakefront will transform into a soccer festival with four massive LED screens with matches broadcast in both English & Spanish, stadium-quality sound, Live DJs, LAFC meet-and-greets, interactive games from Skyline Pitch LA, Bank of America Fan Band Experience, giveaways, food trucks, a beer garden and much more. General admission pre-sale tickets for adults: $25.
July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular with The Beach Boys
Hollywood Bowl | 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles | July 2-4 | hollywoodbowl.com
Celebrate America’s 250th with The Beach Boys performing their best hits, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Close out the night with a huge fireworks show.
Shakespeare by the Sea
Sepulveda Garden Center | 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino | July 3 | shakespearebythesea.org
In “Macbeth,” a Scottish general whose ambitious quest for power, fueled by a prophecy and his wife’s encouragement, leads to a descent into tyranny, paranoia, and his ultimate downfall. Admission is free.
Beach Movie Nights
Dockweiler Youth Center | 12505 Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey | July 3 | beaches.lacounty.gov
Enjoy a free screening of “Sketch” on the sand, by the waves, and under the stars. Seating is festival-style, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Fan Zone at Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Park
12552 Avalon Blvd, Los Angeles | July 4-5 | eventbrite.com
Celebrate the World Cup at this free watch party with music, food, performances, hands-on fan experiences, and much more.
Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Summer Block Party
Gloria Molina Grand Park | 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles | July 4 | randparkla.org
The West Coast’s Largest free 4th of July celebration returns with live music from trumpet player Tatiana Tate and Afro-Latin Band L.A. Tropifunk Collective, interactive art, a drone show, dance performances by Kaimera, and DJ sets from Anthony Valadez and Pangea Sound.
4th of July Spectacular Aerial Fireworks Show
La Sierra Park | 5215 La Sierra Ave., Riverside | July 4 | riversideca.gov
Mt Rubidoux | Mt Rubidoux Dr. at 9th St., Riverside
Celebrate Independence Day with a spectacular fireworks display. This events are free.
America250 July 4 Concert
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 3911 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles | July 4 | lacoliseum.com
The day starts off at 3 p.m. in Block Party Village with free food, drinks, face painting, games and giveaways before the headline concert featuring Chirs Stapleton, Chaka Khan, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Queen Latifah. Then enjoy fireworks, and a drone show. Tickets are $17.76.
Tanabata
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden | 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach | July 5 | japanesegarden.innosoftfusion.com
Celebrate Tanabata, also known as the Japanese Star Festival, by writing a wish on colorful tanzaku paper, enjoying live music, participating in hands-on activities, and learning about the traditions and story behind Tanabat. Admission: $10.
Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome
Mt Wilson Observatory | 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson | July 5 | mtwilson.edu
Set off on a musical adventure underneath the vaulted dome of the 100-inch telescope as a brass quintet plays Leonard Bernstein and more. Tickets: $65.
‘Mexodus’
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena | July 8 – Aug. 2 | pasadenaplayhouse.org
The season’s most award winning Off-Broadway live-looping hip-hop musical and New York Times Critic’s Pick – created and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson and directed by David Mendizábal with choreography by Tony Thomas – concludes its critically acclaimed run. Playwrights, actors, and musicians Quijada and Robinson tell the story of the Underground Railroad that led south, taking 4,000 to 10,000 enslaved people to seek freedom in Mexico. Tickets start at $40.
‘Zoot Suit’: Celebrating 45 Years with Director Luis Valdez and Edward James Olmos
The Ford | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Los Angeles | July 8 | theford.com
Celebrate 45 years of the film “Zoot Suit” with playwright and director Luis Valdez and one of the starring actors, Edward James Olmos. In partnership with the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, Self Help Graphics, and Pachuco Car Club, attendees will also have the opportunity to bring articles of clothing or purchase items to be printed live and see vintage cars. Tickets start at $35.
ONGOING
‘Mamma Mia!’
Ahmanson Theatre | 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles | Through July 19 | centertheatregroup.org
For more than 25 years, “Mamma Mia!” has brought the music of ABBA to the stage in this tale of love, friendship and the relationship between mother and daughter. Tickets: range in price.
‘Coriolanus’
Old Zoo in Griffith Park | Through July 26 | indieshakes.org/free-shakespeare-2026
The Independent Shakespeare Co. kicks off its free Shakespeare festival with “Coriolanus,” a surprisingly comedic political tale. In a corrupt Rome where the gap between the poor and rich widens, Roman general Coriolanus is expelled from the city over his contempt for his people. Coriolanus then sets off on a path for revenge. Arrive early for pre-show events
Open Fist Theatre Company
The Great Clown Bank Show
Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles | Through Aug. 1 | openfist.org
Under the cracked neon glow of the Big Top, a wild-eyed, clown-capitalist circus fantasia erupts in a fever-dream spectacle of greed, glitter and grotesque excess. The gleefully deranged story follows the rise of the Greedy family — a scheming dynasty of powder-faced hustlers who transform their tiny carnival cashbox into the most powerful clown bank in America. Tickets range from $26 to $40. Content warning: risqué language and situations; parental guidance is advised for children under 13.
Sawdust Art Festival
935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach | Through Sept. 6 | sawdustartfestival.org
Discover handmade artwork from more than 180 local artists, enjoy live music, art demonstrations, take a glassblowing or mosaic class (among many offered), and soak in Laguna Beach’s beautiful scenery. Single day ticket: $12.50 for adults, $10.50 for seniors, $5.50 for children.
‘Romeo and Juliet’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Sept. 26 | theatricum.com
Co-directors Ellen Geer and Willow Geer have set their “Romeo and Juliet” in New York City during the tumultuous Gilded Age, a period marked by stark social inequality and rampant industrialization. Through this lens, the famous love story becomes not just a tragedy, but a powerful warning about the costs of division, hatred and fear. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. Children 4 and under are free. Pay-What-You-Will at the performances on Monday, Aug. 3.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream‘
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Oct. 10 | theatricum.com
Set against the natural backdrop of Topanga’s woods, this production requires no elaborate set design to conjure Shakespeare’s enchanted forest brimming with magic, mischief and romance. Audiences of all ages will be enchanted by the whimsical entanglements of four lovers, a troupe of bumbling actors, and the mischievous fairies who meddle with them. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. Children 4 and under are free. Pay-What-You-Will at the performances on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
‘WASHOKU | Nature and Culture in Japanese Cuisine’
Japan House LA | 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Oct. 18 | japanhousela.com
This landmark exhibition explores the core elements, evolution, and cultural significance of washoku, a UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage.
‘Treasure Island’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Oct. 3 | theatricum.com
In this re-imagining of the novel by Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer, a young man’s romantic dream of pirates on the high seas becomes a harrowing reality. Tested at every turn, young Jim Hawkins faces each challenge with courage, trusting in a moral compass strong enough to triumph — and to discover the true treasure: a life lived with integrity and purpose. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. The performance on Monday, Aug. 10 is Pay-What-You-Will (available online the week of the performance or pay cash at the door) and features a 30-minute pre-show discussion, beginning one hour before curtain, at 6:30 p.m.
‘Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo’
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Jan. 10 | 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.
‘Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon’
Academy Museum | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Feb. 28 | academymuseum.org
“Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon” will celebrate Marilyn Monroe as a visionary actor and image-maker, examining the many facets of how she created and shaped her public image in the context of the classical Hollywood studio system. The pink satin gown will be on view in the exhibition, located on Level 3 in the Rolex Gallery. General admission tickets for the museum’s exhibitions are $25 for adults, $19 for seniors (age 62+), and $15 for students.
