Page 121 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

SPECIAL
»
EVENTS 2017
»
MUST
SEE,
DO
THE HOLLYWOOD REEL INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL Screens new feature films,
documentaries, shorts and videos by emerging filmmakers who possess an independent
spirit and create innovative work outside the studio system. Feb. 8-20 at multiple venues
and locations in Los Angeles. hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com
FESTIVAL OF BOOKS Meet hundreds of literary lights and browse the booths at one of
the largest book festivals in the country. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books celebrates
its 21st year. April 22-23 at USC. events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks
LOS ANGELES COMEDY FESTIVAL The nation’s largest comedy festival features film,
live comedy acts and a screenplay competition. Held twice a year, May 4-13 and tentatively
November 9-19 at Let Live Theatre in Los Angeles. Check website for details. lacomedyfest.com
LOTUS FESTIVAL This 37th annual celebration at Echo Park Lake honors the Asian Amer-
ican community in Los Angeles and this year it features the people of Bangladesh. Expect
live music, food, dance, and dragon boat races set against a backdrop of blooming lotus
flower beds. July 15-16 at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles. facebook.com/lotusfestivalla
LA FOOD FEST Follow your nose to this annual festival celebrating more than 100 of LA’s
food vendors, from top chefs and renowned restaurants to gourmet food trucks and street
food stalls. Sample a variety of libations too, including craft cocktails and tequila. Whether
you’re looking for a gourmet treat or a simple repast, you’ll find something that satisfies. In
July at Exposition Park in Los Angeles. Check website for details. lafoodfest.com
626 NIGHT MARKET Inspired by the bustling Asian night markets, this evening bazaar
will spice up your senses with more than 200 food vendors (tempting your taste buds with
skewers of beef, spiraled fried potatoes, stinky tofu and mango shave ice), performers and
retail booths. Entering its sixth year, this Asian-food festival is held in the summer at Santa
Anita Park in Arcadia. June 30-July 2, July 21-23, Aug. 11-13, Sept. 1-3. Check website for details.
626nightmarket.com
THE ABBOT KINNEY FESTIVAL Founded in 1984, this eco-conscious artisan and food
festival attracts many to this bohemian-chic area in Venice. Located on a one-mile stretch
on Abbot Kinney Blvd., from Venice Blvd. to Main Street. Sept. 24 in Venice. abbotkinney.org
WEST HOLLYWOOD CARNAVAL Every Oct. 31, more than 500,000 people attend the
world’s largest Halloween street party along Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.
Dress up in your favorite costume and prepare to dance the night away.
visitwesthollywood.com/halloween-carnaval
SANTA MONICA PIER, below; Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, opposite.
» Santa Monica Pier Long a favorite place to
people watch, play and eat. Savor a Will Rogers Hot
Fudge Brownie Sundae, ride a vintage-style carousel,
view the area from the Ferris wheel (a movie
celebrity in its own right) and explore the theme
park on the 107-year-old pier. Snap a selfie by the
End of the Trail sign on the pier for the legendary
Route 66, which ends its 2,450-mile journey here.
Dig your toes into the soft sand and join the surfers
or stroll along Ocean Front Walk alongside bikers,
skateboarders and rollerbladers. Need more? Walk a
few blocks to the pedestrian-only Third Street Prom-
enade, a mix of retailers and restaurants.
› santamonicapier.org
» Street Food Cinema Pack a blanket, beach
chair and pillows and join other Angelenos for this
curated outdoor movie series at one of the 12 loca-
tions from Pasadena to the Pacific Palisades. Choose
from more than 50 events. Enjoy the confluence of
pop culture films, celebrity guests, gourmet food
trucks and live music under the sun and stars.
› streetfoodcinema.com
» Olvera Street Browse lucha libre (Mexican
wrestling) masks, Day of the Dead figurines, piñatas
and other souvenirs in this block-long Mexican
marketplace located in Los Angeles Plaza Historic
District. This section of LA was the town center
during the colonial era under Spanish and Mexican
rule through most of the 19th century. Some vendors
are the descendants of the original merchants in
this marketplace that was established in 1930 to
preserve and bring back “old Los Angeles” and its
customs. Try a churro from Mr. Churro’s or a taco
amidst the street stalls and old structures.
› olvera-street.com
» See Improv, Sketch or Stand-up Comedy
Plan to laugh a lot when you visit one of the many
comedy clubs in Los Angeles. You may see up-and-
coming comedic geniuses honing their craft or a
legendary veteran headlining or dropping by.
Notable clubs include The Groundlings,
Hollywood Improv Comedy Club, Laugh Factory,
Upright Citizens Brigade and Comedy Store.
› thecomedybureau.com/los-angeles-comedy-show-calendars
› discoverlosangeles.com/blog/comedy-clubs-los-angeles
» TCL Chinese Theatre Located along the
Hollywood Walk of Fame, the landmark TCL
Chinese Theatre remains a prized venue for movie
premieres. Compare your handprints and
footprints to those of more than 200 stars
memorialized in cement, including Charlie
Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Sidney Poitier, Jackie
Chan, Emma Watson, and Star Wars characters
including C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader.
› tclchinesetheatres.com
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