Get outside this week and visit the LA County Fair and Monterey Park’s 110th Birthday Celebration, or take in a play like the absurd classic “Exit the King” or the true story-based “Ascent.” You can also celebrate Mother’s Day with an aerial show at MOMentum Place at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum or a candlelight concert in Claremont.
LA County Fair
Fairplex | 1101 W. McKinley Ave., La Verne | May 7-31 | 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.
Monterey Park’s 110th Birthday Celebration
Barnes Park | 350 S. McPherrin Ave., Monterey Park | May 7-10 | montereypark.ca.gov
This weekend celebration will be held in conjunction with the Cinco de Mayo Celebration on Thursday featuring mariachis, dancing, and more. The four days will also have thrilling rides. live entertainment, food, games, a farmer’s market and much more. Admission is free.
Riverdance 30
Fox Performing Arts Center | 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside | May 7 | foxriverside.com
Riverdance celebrates 30 years of spotlighting traditional Irish dancing around the world. For this production, Riverdance rejuvenates the original show with new choreography, costumes and state of the art lighting, projection and motion graphics. Tickets start at $64.
AUTRY AFTER HOURS: Western Swing Night with The Soda Crackers
Autry Museum of the American West | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles | May 7 | theautry.org
Enjoy two Western Swing dance lessons by The Honky Tonk Hunnies, two live musical performances by The Soda Crackers, a full cash bar, food for purchase, and after-hours museum access. Tickets: $20 for general admission, $14 for seniors, $8 for children under 12, and $5 for Autry members.
‘The Physicists’
The Actors’ Gang Theater | 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City | May 7 – 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.
‘Dancing with Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown & Cunningham Onstage’
The Wallis | 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills | May 7-8 | thewallis.org
Witness another side of artist Robert Rauschenberg in “Dancing with Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown & Cunningham Onstage,” a tribute marking the centennial of the American iconoclastic visionary artist. While Rauschenberg is known for his visual art and sculptures, he was also an avid cross-disciplinary collaborator—most frequently with choreographic legends Trisha Brown and Merce Cunningham. For this occasion, Trisha Brown Dance Company (TBDC) will unite the work of these two iconic 20th-century artists in an evening of dance featuring “visual presentations” designed by Rauschenberg. Tickets start at $42.90.
Friday Nights at The Gamble House
The Gamble House | 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena | May 8 | visitpasadena.com
Pick out a cozy spot on The Gamble House lawn to enjoy a picnic (or try slices from Triple Beam Pizza), wine tasting, and live music from The Bad Look (jazz, funk, and blues). Normal Ice cream will also be serving scoops of their handmade treats. Then explore the first floor of the home with docents present in each room to answer questions. Tickets: $35 w/wine tasting (21+) or free w/out wine tasting for members, and $40 with wine tasting (21+) or $5 without wine tasting for nonmembers.
Summer of Salsa: Son Mayor ft. Super DJ Robby
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes | 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles | May 8 | lapca.org
La Plaza de Cultura y Artes kicks off its Summer of Salsa concert series with Son Mayor and Super DJ Robby. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a free salsa lesson led by Dancing 101 with Roberto, followed by live music and dancing through 11 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
‘Picasso: Le Monstre Sacré’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles | May 8-17 | 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.
Caguamas Fest
San Bernardino Elks Lodge #836 | 2055 Elks Drive, San Bernardino | May 8 | eventbrite.com
Enjoy drinks and live music from Dos Caguamas, CurtisM.A.C., Black seven eye, and Marlon D. General admission $12.51-$15.
La Borracha Festival
Edwards Mansion | 2064 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands | May 8 | eventbrite.com
The night will feature a martini bar; frozen margarita bar; a hard fresca bar; more than 40 tasting brands of tequila, mezcal, spirits and cocktails; food vendors; Lotería-style photo ops; music and dancing. General admission: $65.87.
Twilight Tunes
Susan Rubio Zocalo Park | 14349 Pacific Ave., Baldwin Park | May 8 | instagram.com/p/DXu97UQD35k/
Spend the evening with Caribbean Dynamics as they bring Caribbean and Latin rhythms like salsa, merengue, cumbia, boleros, reggae, soca, funk, pop, and more to Baldwin Park. Free food and drinks will be available while supplies last.
‘Exit the King’
A Noise Within | 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena | May 9-31 | 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. A one-hour INsiders Discussion Group will take place prior to the matinee on Sunday, May 10, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Post-performance conversations with the artists will take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, May 17. Tickets start at $41.75. Student tickets start at $20. Tickets to the preview performances on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7 will be Pay What You Choose starting at $10.
Annual Honoring Our Mothers & Mother Earth Pow Wow
Kellogg Arena | 3801 W. Temple Ave., Pomona | May 9 | cpp.edu
From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., enjoy drums, dancers, gourd and Bird Singers. The event is free and open to the public.
Matinees on the Mountain
Mount Wilson Observatory | 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson | May 9 | mtwilson.edu
Moviegoers can enjoy lunch at the Cosmic Cafe or picnic on the grounds, explore the Observatory’s rich history, and then settle in for Disney/Pixar’s tale of a lonely trash-compacting robot on a deserted Earth discovering love and helping spark humanity’s return to the planet. Movie snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. General admission: $20. Children under 12: $15. A Forest Adventure Pass is also required.
Tastemakers: Earth Mother with Paige Emery
Getty Center | 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles | May 9 | getty.edu
While visitors enjoy a brunch inspired by historical cookbooks from the Getty Library collection, ecological artist and herbalist Paige Emery will be joined in conversation with Melissa Goldstein—founder and editor of Mother Tongue magazine—to explore rituals of remembering the earth. Tickets: $60.
‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’
Will Rogers State Historic Park | 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Pacific Palisades | May 9 | streetfoodcinema.com
Pack your low chairs (max 6 inches off the ground) and blankets for this free showing of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” On-site food trucks will be available. Leashed dogs are welcome.
7th Annual Long Beach Filipino Festival
Jackie Robinson Academy | 2750 Pine Ave., Long Beach | May 9 | eventbrite.com
Celebrate Filipino heritage with a fun and nostalgic ‘90s theme, live entertainment, authentic cuisine, local vendors, and interactive cultural experiences, a lively karaoke area, and a ‘90s lookalike actor/actress contest. General admission: $7.18.
México en el Corazón
The Luckman | 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles | May 9 | eventbrite.com
This cultural celebration features mariachi, folklorico dance, and traditions. Reserving a ticket is free.
‘Ascent’
Skylight Theatre | 1816-1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles | May 9-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.
Salsa & Bachata Dance Class, Social Dancing
Rodeo 72 | 7012 Walnut Grove Drive, Whittier | May 9 | cielo.dance/event/day-dance-social
Check in at 6:15 p.m. for this free salsa dance lesson followed by a social dance. No partner or experience needed. Food and drinks will be available for purchase throughout the event.
Tardeada Fest
White Park | 3936 Chestnut St., Riverside | May 9 | latardeadafestival.com
La Tardeada has two live stages with nonstop music from banda and norteñas to DJs spinning perreo, cumbias, and regional club edits. Attendees can also expect traditional performances and entertainment like lucha libre and baile folklórico. There will also be food vendors, a beer garden, art and more. General admission: $25. Kids 12 and younger enter for free.
Mother’s Day Concert: An Evening Celebrating Love, Music, and Candlelight
Claremont United Church of Christ | 233 Harrison Ave., Claremont | May 10 | eventbrite.com
Treat the mother figure in your life to a candlelight concert featuring violin, harp, cello, guitar, and voice. The program will feature classic and contemporary selections. Tickets start at $22.65.
‘The Sleeping Beauty’ by International Ballet Stars
Terrace Theater | 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach | May 9 | lbentertainmentcenter.com
Experience “The Sleeping Beauty” through Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score, the classical Petipa choreography, brand-new hand-painted sets and more than 200 exclusive costumes. Tickets start at $66.75.
LA Children’s Chorus Spring Concert
Pasadena Presbyterian Church | 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena | May 10 | 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.
Mariachi Los Camperos
Downey Theatre | 8435 Firestone Blvd., Downey | May 10 | downeytheatre.org
Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Los Camperos expertly performs beloved mariachi classics as folkloric dances bring color to the performance. Tickets start at $47.75.
MOMentum Place
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | May 10 | theatricum.com
“MOMentum Place” celebrates moms and families with a fantastical world of aerial and circus performers, dancers and musicians in the rustic outdoor amphitheater at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. Performers this year include quick change artist Elena Brocade, singer-songwriter Inara George, ventriloquist Karl Herlinger, contortionist and hand-balancer Tyler Jacobson, aerialist and contortionist Alita Kneeland, aerialist/hoop artist Marissa Maiorana, roller skater Kim Manning, comedian and juggler Scot Nery, stilt walker Lexi Pearl, aerialists Lily Smith, Heather Valles and Dreya Weber, and more. Tickets: performance is $50; students and seniors pay $40; children 12 and under pay $20.
‘Brigadoon’
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena | May 13 – 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.
Vaughan Williams’ ‘A Sea Symphony’
First United Methodist Church | 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena | May 13 | pasadenachorale.org
In “A Sea Symphony,” Vaughan Williams pairs music with Walt Whitman’s visionary poetry—written at a time when ideas of empire dominated global thinking. Whitman’s words instead celebrate inclusion, exploration, and shared humanity, creating a powerful contrast that makes this work feel both monumental and forward-looking. Following the performance, the Pasadena Chorale will host its final post-concert gathering of the 2025-2026 season at Pasadena’s AC Hotel, located just one block from the venue. Guests are invited to continue the evening in the AC Lounge, enjoying conversation and mingling with fellow audience members, as well as Artistic Director Jeffrey Bernstein, the evening’s soloists, musicians, singers, and board members. All concertgoers who make a donation of $50 or more when reserving their free ticket are welcome to attend.
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.
‘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.
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.
‘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.
‘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.
