This week, SoCal invites you to expand your mind during the Los Angeles Indie Book Crawl or Shakespeare by the Sea, boogie at one of many outdoor music events including at National Day of the Cowboy and Cowgirl, and celebrate local diversity at events honoring Iranian and indigenous communities.
Sunset Concerts
Skirball Cultural Center | 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles | July 23 | skirball.org
Terrace Martin honors Miles Davis’s centennial with a stirring tribute and will be joined by harpist, composer, and bandleader Brandee Younger. Sunset Concerts are free, with walk-up tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Shakespeare by the Sea
Soka University | 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo | July 23 | shakespearebythesea.org
Veterans Park | 309 Esplanade, Redondo Beach | July 24 |
Dominguez Park | 200 Flagler Lane, Redondo Beach | July 25 |
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.
Los Angeles Indie Book Crawl
13 LA County bookstores | July 24-26 | laindiebookcrawl.com
From Manhattan to Pasadena, 13 independent bookstores across the greater Los Angeles region are joining forces to create an unforgettable weekend for bibliophiles. To participate, visit any one of the bookstores, and make your first purchase of at least $10. From there, you will receive your Book Crawl Passport and first passport stamp. Then simply visit the next bookstore (in no particular order) and make a purchase of $10 or more at each stop for prizes and exclusive merchandise. People who get their passports stamped at all 13 stores will be entered to win a grand prize, $25 gift cards at each store. The event is free and open to everyone.
Zoo After Dark
LA Zoo | 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles | July 24, July 31 | lazoo.org
When the zoo closes, the party starts! The night will feature live music, a silent disco, lawn games, food trucks, and full bars. Head back in time to the ‘80s as Flashback Heart Attack jams out starting at 6:30 p.m. General admission: $30.
Friday Nights at The Gamble House
The Gamble House | 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena | July 24 | gamblehouse.org
Enjoy access to the first floor of the famed Gamble House, where docents will be stationed in each room to share insights and answer questions. Then head out to the lawn and sip curated wine flights from West Altadena Wine, stretch out on a blanket, and settle in with a picnic while The Wise Guys Big Band rock and swing all night. Tickets: $40 w/wine tasting (21+) for non-members, $5 w/out wine tasting, and free for children 12 and under.
Beach Movie Nights
Dockweiler Youth Center | 12505 Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey | July 24 | beaches.lacounty.gov
Enjoy a free screening of “Anaconda (2025)” on the sand, by the waves, and under the stars. Seating is festival-style, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
KCRW Summer Nights at MOLAA
Museum of Latin American Art | 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach | July 24 | molaa.org
Dance under the stars to sets from KCRW DJs Tyler Boudreaux and Wyldeflower, then explore the museum’s exhibitions featuring Latin American artists like Mercedes Gertz, Guillermo Bert, and Antonio Romero. There will also be food trucks, a full bar, and an open-air courtyard. RSVP: free.
A Toast to the Rat Pack
LA County Arboretum | 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia | July 25 | pasadenasymphony-pops.org
Step back in time to when the voices of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Ella Fitzgerald reigned supreme for an evening of smooth vocals and big band swing featuring classics like “My Way,” “Come Fly with Me,” “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “Ain’t that a Kick in the Head,” “Come Rain or Come Shine” and many more. Tickets start at $38.
National Day of the Cowboy and Cowgirl
Autry Museum of the American West | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles | July 25 | theautry.org
Celebrate National Day of the Cowboy and Cowgirl with trick ropers, cowboy poetry, live music, country line dancing lessons, a film screening, horse photo ops, workshop and docent-led tours. General admission adult: $25.
TOLTECAYOTL Ceremonia
Villa Park | 363 E. Villa, Pasadena | July 25 | instagram.com/yankuititl/
Learn traditional Aztec dance steps, movements, and drum rhythms as instructors guide participants from basic techniques to choreographed dances, all accompanied by live Aztec drumming. This free event starts at 4:30 p.m.
Off the 405
Getty Center | 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles | July 25 | getty.edu
The Getty Center’s annual Off the 405 concert series returns with outdoor performances from some of today’s most exciting artists. Enjoy live music in the museum’s scenic courtyard, where striking architecture and sunset views create a memorable summer concert setting. Admission is free.
Levitt Vibe Pasadena Music Series
Memorial Park | 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena | July 25 | levittvibepasadenamusicseries.com
The Levitt VIBE Pasadena Music Series continues its summer run at Memorial Park with a performance by pianist Julian Torres and Mariachi Cenzontle. Admission is free.
Matinees on the Mountain
Mount Wilson Observatory | 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson | July 18 | mtwilson.edu
Enjoy “The Right Stuff” (1983) in the observatory’s 256-seat auditorium. Moviegoers can enjoy lunch at the Cosmic Cafe or picnic on the grounds, explore the Observatory’s history, and then settle in for the movie. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. General admission: $20.
Smokey Robinson & Gladys Knight: Just the Two of Us
Hollywood Bowl | 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles | July 24-25 | hollywoodbowl.com
These two icons of soul music have eight Grammy wins and 28 nominations between them. Tickets start at $24.50.
‘The Hour of the Star’
Broadwater Black Box Theatre | 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles | July 25-Aug. 1 | thehourofthestar.eventbrite.com
Brazilian artist Bruna Fachetti stars in a powerful adaptation of Clarice Lispector’s acclaimed novella The Hour of the Star, a landmark of Brazilian literature. Bringing six characters to life, Fachetti tells the story of Macabéa, a young woman from Brazil’s impoverished Northeast whose quiet existence becomes a profound exploration of identity, invisibility, poverty, resilience, and the universal search for belonging. Tickets: $20.
The People’s Home: Intertribal Indigenous Pow Wow
California State University, North Field | 5401 Paseo Rancho Castilla, Los Angeles | July 25 | uaii.org
From drum groups and dancers to Native artists, food vendors, and cultural sharing, this gathering honors the traditions of the Native community. Festivities will begin at 10 a.m.
The Music of Star Wars
Great Park Live | 250 Corsair, Irvine | July 25 | pacificsymphony.org
Pacific Symphony led by Principal Pops Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez will perform John Williams’ scores from the “Star Wars” franchise, including “Revenge of the Sith,” “Star Wars Main Title” and “Duel of the Fates.” Tickets start at $40.
Cinespia: ‘Edward Scissorhands’
Hollywood Forever Cemetery | 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles | July 25 | cinespia.org
Picnic at Hollywood Forever Cemetery as DJ sets bring the block party to life, and enjoy classic movie treats. There will also be a free photo booth. Tickets start at $24.
Montebello’s 2026 Downtown Street Fest
Whittier Boulevard, Montebello | July 25 | montebelloca.gov
Enjoy a day and night filled with live music, food, artisan vendors, a beer garden, family fun, and all the summer vibes from 3 to 10 p.m. Admission: free.
Christmas in July
Heritage Square Museum | 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles | July 25-26 | eventbrite.com
Christmas is coming early! Explore historic Victorian homes transformed into festive Christmas storybook settings such as Santa’s Tropical Summer House, Toyland and Candyland. There will also be a 30-minute performance with Santa and storybook characters performed by the Pasadena Civic Ballet. General admission: $43.45.
Plei Game Night
The Mixx | 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena | July 25 | eventbrite.com
Enjoy over 100 nostalgic and modern games, plus music, dining, and dancing all night long. Tickets: $20 presale, $25 at the door.
Frida Garden Muses
Heritage Museum of Orange County | 3101 W. Harvard St., Santa Ana | July 26 | eventbrite.com
This Frida-inspired garden celebration features art, culture, wine tastings, workshops, artisan vendors, and Frida-inspired photo installations. Early bird general admission: $28.52.
SmorgasJOON
Row DTLA | 777 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles | July 26 | farhang.org
Join Farhang Foundation and Smorgasburg LA for the 2nd Annual SmorgasJOON, a one-day celebration of Iranian Angeleno culture through food, music, art, shopping. The day will feature music by KCRW and DJ Nassir Nassirzadeh, live Persian calligraphy gifts, and more. Admission: free.
Silent Sundays Series
San Gabriel Mission Playhouse | 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel | July 26 | missionplayhouse.org
Silent Sundays, with live accompaniment on the Playhouse’s 1924 Mighty Wurlitzer, returns with “The Thief of Bagdad” starring Douglas Fairbanks. In this fantasy adventure drama, Fairbanks plays a swashbuckling thief who decides to change his ways after falling for a princess and then embarks on a journey to make himself worthy of her love. Tickets: $12.
‘Dead Man’
Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles | July 28, Aug. 4 | EchoTheaterCompany.com
The Echo Theater Company and Theatre Ghosts present “Dead Man,” direct from its smash hit run at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. In this noir comedy clown mystery written and directed by Ann Noble, a lone private eye investigates a crime everyone wants to forget: it will definitely take more than one clown to figure it out. Somebody’s dead. Somebody must find the killer. Life is easier when everything’s black and white. Except for those pesky greys. Tickets: $20.
ONGOING
‘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
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.
‘Mexodus’
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena | Through 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.
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.
‘Waiting in the Wings’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Oct. 3 | theatricum.com
Set in “The Wings,” a charity home for retired actresses, Noël Coward’s 50th play is a witty portrait of nine opinionated, funny, difficult and full of life women, each of whom once basked in public admiration — but who must now learn to face old age together, long after the curtain has fallen. A tribute to the theater that evokes the lives of aging stars, their lingering jealousies and the enduring power of friendship, Waiting in the Wings is a meditation on community and forgiveness. Old grievances linger here like half-remembered roles, but Coward suggests that bitterness is heavy to carry, and that reconciliation, no matter when, can be liberating. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63.
‘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.
‘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.
‘Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo’
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | Through March 21 | 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.
