{"id":409519,"date":"2026-07-23T15:19:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T15:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/409519\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T15:19:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T15:19:17","slug":"l-a-weekend-guide-best-things-to-do-july-23-26-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/409519\/","title":{"rendered":"L.A. Weekend Guide: Best Things to Do July 23-26, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Plus, free LACMA jazz, an indie bookstore crawl and A.O.C.\u2019s Rib Fest<\/p>\n

Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine<\/a> curates a list of the best events in and around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule with our Weekend Guide<\/a> to L.A., and don\u2019t forget to sign up to have the guide delivered to your inbox every week by clicking HERE<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: OutfestNEXT<\/p>\n

The L.A. LGBT Center\u2019s Village at Ed Gould Plaza welcomes this year\u2019s OutfestNEXT, a celebration of queer cinema across four days of programming \u2014 including screenings of 18 feature films, over 30 shorts, workshops and panels with filmmakers and a host of community events. The lineup features Gregg Araki\u2019s latest work, plus films starring Brittney Griner, Callum Scott Howells, Olivia Wilde, Margaret Cho, Charli XCX and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Courtesy of Sounds of LA<\/p>\n

A new weekend concert series takes the city by storm when LA County Parks and NextFest LA present Sounds of LA County: 108 free concerts across 27 parks through August 29, spotlighting local artists across an array of genres. From 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, head to any of the ten parks hosting disco, soul, R&B, country, reggae and Latin acts for a cost-free evening of music under the stars.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: CUT by Wolfgang Puck x Joint Seafood<\/p>\n

Beverly Hills\u2019 fine dining steakhouse partners with Joint Seafood to deliver a one-night-only omakase-inspired dining experience at the Beverly Wilshire hotel. For $450, guests can enjoy a decadent menu of dry-aged seafood and premium beef sourced from across the globe, as well as a live bluefin tuna carving presentation and preparations featuring live king crab, caviar, aged Japanese seafood and Australian wagyu. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. and reservations are available through OpenTable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n

\"malibuMalibu Beach Inn\u2019s Carbon Beach Club<\/p>\n

From 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Faherty invites shoppers to its Malibu store in collaboration with the Malibu Beach Inn for an afternoon of complimentary styling sessions and personalized recommendations, celebrating coastal fashion and the breezy lifestyle behind it. Get a taste of Carbon Beach Club\u2019s new Malibu Fizz cocktail featuring bourbon, citrus and ginger beer, and spend $300 or more for a chance to win a private chef\u2019s dinner for six at the club.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"LACMACredit: Iwan Baan<\/p>\n

Head over to LACMA\u2019s Smidt Welcome Plaza at 6 p.m. for another Friday night of the finest (free!) jazz in Los Angeles. The museum continues its summer concert series with David Ornette Cherry Heritage Ensemble, featuring music by Cherry and from alumni of his bands. Enjoy food trucks from Fresh Pizza on Wheels and Kreung Kitchen as bassist Ollie \u201cBasie-O\u201d Elder plays traditional jazz and various African and world music alike.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Skylight Books<\/p>\n

Bibliophiles cannot miss L.A.\u2019s inaugural indie book crawl, in which 13 independent bookstores throughout the city join forces to offer you an odyssey that rivals Homer\u2019s. Make a purchase of at least $10 at any store to get your book crawl passport and first stamp, and from there, begin a journey that will take you from West Hollywood to Manhattan Beach to Studio City and back. Prizes and exclusive merchandise are available at every stop, and those who acquire all 13 stamps will receive a goodie bag full of bookish treats and $25 gift cards to every store.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Long Beach\u2019s annual dragon boat festival takes place at Marine Stadium from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for paddlers and water sport enthusiasts alike. Not only does the festival host one of the largest dragon boat competitions in California, but it features Chinese traditional art demonstrations, Chinese acrobats and traditional dance, hip hop, music and martial arts performances.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"MortalCredit: Courtesy HBO Max<\/p>\n

From noon to 3 p.m., Venice Beach transforms into a free women\u2019s combat workshop in honor of Friday\u2019s premiere of Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max. Cast member Adeline Rudolph joins self-defense expert Cesalina Gracie and The Pack\u2019s co-founder Noah Neiman in a makeshift Mortal Kombat arena on the beach, providing participants with priceless functional fitness and self-defense skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Courtesy Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Celebrate a decade of Facebook Marketplace at the Still Available Residency on the corner of Melrose and Western Avenue, a free immersive event bringing Facebook Marketplace offline. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., attendees can enjoy one-of-a-kind vintage giveaways, interactive workshops, experiential moments and exclusive offerings from Ashu Matcha and Roxana Jullapat,\u00a0owner of L.A.\u2019s Friends & Family bakery and author of cookbook Morning Baker.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Courtesy STRONG Pilates<\/p>\n

Start your Saturday off with a bang on The Sun Rose Hotel\u2019s garden terrace in West Hollywood, where STRONG Pilates Santa Monica offers a 45-minute mat class starting at 11 a.m. For just $7, attendees can get a workout in and luxuriate after with exclusive wellness experiences, including mini spa facials, protein ice cream from Kova Kream, refreshing beverages and a discount on hotel spa services.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Courtesy Aliza Hotel<\/p>\n

Venice\u2019s Aliza Hotel offers an introductory watercolor workshop from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday with local artist and teacher Shannon Courter \u2014 the first of Courter\u2019s monthly workshop series at the boutique hotel. Tickets cost $85 per person and include a watercolor starter kit to take home, plus a specialty coffee from Cafe Meggo to start the morning off right.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Betsy x Crudo e Nudo<\/p>\n

There is hardly a better Sunday feast than the one prepared by Santa Monica\u2019s Crudo e Nudo chef Brian Bornemann, who\u2019s partnering with chef Tyler Wells of Altadena\u2019s Betsy for an intimate seven-course dinner experience. For $225 per person, guests can join the culinary masters in Betsy\u2019s urban garden at 7:30 p.m. for a family-style meal of lamb tartare, salad, grilled lamb chops, tagliatelle with lamb ragu, smoked roast lamb with vegetables and a decadent dessert, plus wine pairings with each course by sommelier JD Plotnick.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"DogtoberfestCredit: Chuck Bennett<\/p>\n

Bring your furry friends to South Coast Botanic Garden on Sunday to enjoy its special dog walking hours, where 87 acres of the park\u2019s luscious greenery is available to four-legged family members for just $18. Take your puppy on a field trip they won\u2019t soon forget, and be sure to bring a leash!\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Suzanne Lanza<\/p>\n

A.O.C. presents its 26th installment of Rib Fest, a one-night-only, all-American feast from 4:30 to 9 p.m. For $95 a ticket, guests can dine on Saint Louis-style pork ribs, braised beef brisket, spiced lamb spare ribs and chicken wings, with sides including coleslaw, baked beans, collard greens, corn-on-the-cob and tomato and watermelon salad. Wash it all down with a selection of cowboy cocktails and if there\u2019s room for dessert, don\u2019t miss the peach and blackberry crisp.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ROWCredit: ROW DTLA<\/p>\n

Smorgasburg partners with Farhang Foundation to host the second annual SmorgasJOON, a free celebration of Iranian-Angeleno culture from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at ROW DTLA. Festivities include a lineup of guest culinary partners, artisan vendors, music from KCRW and live Persian calligraphy demonstrations. Indulge in the food and drink from DarBar Bakery, Koja Cafe, Maison De La Fork and many more, because what better way to spend a Sunday than eating, dancing and shopping?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Summer Sounds \u2013 July 5Credit: Courtesy of the City of West Hollywood. By: Jonathan Moore<\/p>\n

West Hollywood\u2019s free outdoor concert series is in full swing this summer, back with another weekend of live music and programming. Starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday in Plummer Park, enjoy sets by Nikka Costa and DJ Anthony Valadez, with food trucks on-site and a forecasted sunset you won\u2019t soon forget.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Plus, free LACMA jazz, an indie bookstore crawl and A.O.C.\u2019s Rib Fest Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":409520,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[647,2644,2821,48,52,51,20633,47,50,49,8124],"class_list":["post-409519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-books","tag-concerts","tag-facebook","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-lacma","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news","tag-weekend-guide"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=409519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409519\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/409520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=409519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=409519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=409519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}