If you’re looking for what’s on tap this summer, we’ve got you covered! Our favorite season officially kicks off this month on June 21, and there’s no shortage of events happening in the community that the whole family can enjoy.
Mark your calendars for these fun, free (or low-cost) local events, so when someone asks you “What’s happening this weekend?” you’ll be in the know. Below are our picks for the best summer events to keep your schedule packed through September!
Beach Fun-A-Palooza
Saturday, June 8 • 11 am to 4 pm
12505 Vista Del Mar, Playa del Rey, FREE
Join the Department of Beaches and Harbors for a day of fun in the sun at the Beach Fun-A-Palooza, a free family fun event featuring rides, petting zoo, carnival games, camp activities, live entertainment, face painting and more!
As an added bonus, attendees can also learn about the Dockweiler Youth Center’s summer recreational programs. All guests will be asked to sign a liability waiver before enjoying the rides and attractions, so save time by visiting beaches.lacounty.gov and clicking on the Fun-A-Palooza flyer to register. All-day parking at Dockweiler Beach is available for $13.
For more info, please call (310) 726-4128.
ChamberFest LAeXpo
Thursday, June 13 • 4 to 7 pm
6200 Playa Vista Dr., Playa Vista, FREE, $10 for “Taste Of”
Come for the freebies and stay for the networking at the LAX Coastal Chamber’s annual business expo and “Taste Of” event this month, featuring more than 80 of the top local businesses showcasing their products and services.
Giveaways are abundant at this family-friendly event, as are raffles, entertainment and samples from some of the neighborhood’s most popular eateries.
The event is free to attend, but if you’re interested in the “Taste Of” event featuring Benny’s Tacos, Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill, the Hotel MDR, Melody Bar & Grill, Rainbow Acres, Tony P’s and more, the cost is $10.
Raffle tickets are also available for purchase at the event, with the grand prize being a ticket on Southwest Airlines.
For more information, please visit laxcoastal.com.
Playa Vista Summer Events
Various dates • Various times
Various Playa Vista parks, FREE
Movies, concerts and Shakespeare in the Park? Count us in! Playa Vista is the place to be this summer for outdoor events. Grab your blanket, picnic basket and relax under the stars with hundreds of your fellow community members to enjoy the free entertainment! You can also grab a bite from gourmet food trucks that are fixtures at all of the park’s events.
Playa Vista’s Concerts in the Park run on select Sundays from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and this year’s lineup includes:
• Sunday, June 23–Blue Breeze (R&B/Soul) at Concert Park
• Sunday, July 21–Queen Nation (Queen tribute band) at Central Park Bandshell
• Sunday, August 11–Woodstock Tribute Band at Central Park Bandshell
Playa Vista Movies in the Park are shown on select Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m., and this year’s featured films include:
• Friday, June 21–“Green Book” at Central Park Bandshell
• Friday, July 12–“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” at Concert Park
• Friday, August 2–“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” at Concert Park
Shakespeare in the Park performances start at 7 p.m. and will include:
• Sunday, June 30–“As You Like It” at Concert Park
• Sunday, July 28–“Pericles” at Central Park Bandshell
Concert Park is located at Concert Park Drive and Runway Road; and the Central Park Bandshell is located at Waterfront Drive between Artisans Way and Campus Center Drive.
For more info, please visit playavista.com/events.
Shakespeare on the Bluff & LMU Movie Nights
Various dates • Various times
LMU campus, 1 LMU Dr., Westchester, FREE
Hang out at LMU this summer at one of the university’s outdoor movie nights or at the 2nd Annual Shakespeare on the Bluff! Festivities kick off Friday, June 28 with a screening of “Jumanji” in the Sculpture Garden. Friday, July 19, the university will show “Captain Marvel.” Movies start around 8 p.m. as the sun goes down. Bring your blankets and chairs and LMU will provide the popcorn. Parking is free on the campus after 8 p.m. and on the weekends.
Shakespeare on the Bluff is back this year with 90-minute outdoor performances of “As You Like it” and “Pericles” in Lawton Plaza. Presented by the College of Communication and the Fine Arts’ Theatre Arts Program, the plays feature professional actors, LMU alumni, faculty members and current students. “As You Like It” will be performed at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29. “Pericles” will be performed at 8 pm on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27.
For more info, visit cfa.lmu.edu/shakespeare.
By Angela Clouse.
LAX Coastal on Parade
“America, Better Together”
Thursday, July 4 • 11 am
Loyola Blvd. at Westchester Park, FREE
This year is the 20th anniversary of the LAX Coastal Fourth of July Parade, and the whole community is invited to celebrate! Fifty community groups, marching bands, schools and floats will participate in this hometown event with the theme, “America, Better Together!” This year’s theme represents the wonderful melting pot of our country, highlighting our communal spirit and how together we are a stronger, more diverse and prosperous nation.
While there’s no bad spot to enjoy the festivities, if you’re interested in a place near one of three announcer booths along Loyola Blvd. (at Manchester Blvd., 83rd St. and 80th St.), you’re encouraged to arrive by 10:30 a.m. Limited bleacher seating is also available on a first-come, first- served basis at center stage.
Biking or walking to the event is encouraged.
For more information, please visit laxcoastal.com/parade and make sure to pick up a copy of our parade edition, out Thursday, June 27.
Marina del Rey Firework Celebration
Thursday, July 4 • 9 pm
Marina del Rey, FREE
Marina del Rey will once again host one of the Westside’s largest firework shows in honor of Independence Day.
View the 20-minute show on the Fourth of July at Fisherman’s Village or Burton Chace Park to enjoy synchronized music or at various spots throughout the community with a view of the Marina. Thousands of people head to MDR for the holiday and to enjoy the show, so it’s recommended that you plan ahead to get there early (paid parking lots around the Marina tend to fill up early in the day and street closures can start as early as 1 p.m.) or consider taking the WaterBus, the Beach Shuttle or use your favorite rideshare app.
For more info and recommended viewing locations, please visit visitmarinadelrey.com/events/july-4-fireworks-marina-del-rey.
Marina del Rey Summer Concert Series
Various dates • 7 pm
13650 Mindanao Way, MDR, FREE
Invite your friends and family and head to a concert at Burton Chase Park this season. Whether you’re into Symphonic Thursdays or Pop Saturdays, love the band or are just looking for something to do, the concerts are a fun way to take in some tunes while enjoying a picturesque sunset over the water.
This year’s concert series includes:
• Thursday, July 11–Opera at the Shore, “La Boheme” & “Phantom of the Opera”
• Saturday, July 20–Rickie Lee Jones (Rock)
• Thursday, July 25–Sights, Sounds & Dance in America
• Saturday, August 3–Jon Batiste (Jazz)
• Thursday, August 8–Kronos Quartet
• Saturday, August 17–Leela James (R&B)
• Thursday, August 22–Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me, Kate”
• Saturday, August 24–encore presentation of Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me, Kate”
• Saturday, August 31–Jenny & the Mexicats
Concerts can get crowded and seating is festival style, so attendees are encouraged to get to Burton Chace early to put down a blanket or low-back beach chairs. Food trucks are onsite beginning at 5 p.m. with food for purchase.
For more info, please visit beaches.lacounty.gov/concerts.
21st Annual Pancake Breakfast at Fire Station 5
Saturday, July 13 • 8 to 11 am
8900 Emerson Ave., Westchester, $5, Kids under two free
The Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club will host a good old-fashioned community pancake breakfast benefiting Fire Station 5 next month. The club will be serving up sausages, fruit, coffee and juice, while volunteers from the LAX Marriott grill up fluffy pancakes.
Invite your friends and neighbors to join in on the fun, buy breakfast for a good cause and meet with local firefighters. Kids can enjoy a bounce house, face painting, balloon animals and the opportunity to check out the fire fighting equipment and vehicles with the help of firefighters.
For more info, visit playavenice.org.
Beach Movie Nights & Marina Movie Nights
Various dates • 8 pm
Various locations, FREE
There’s no shortage of outdoor cinema this summer courtesy of the Department of Beaches and Harbors. At the Dockweiler Youth Center, located at 12505 Vista del Mar in Playa del Rey, enjoy family-friendly screenings on the sand, by the waves and under the stars on Friday nights.
This year’s schedule includes:
• Friday, July 5-“The Lego Batman Movie”
• Friday, July 12-“Smallfoot”
• Friday, July 19-“Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation”
• Friday, July 26-“Incredibles 2”
• Friday, August 2-“The Lego Movie 2”
• Friday, August 9-“Shark Tale”
• Friday, August 16-“Sherlock Gnomes”
• Friday, August 23-“Ralph Breaks the Internet”
• Friday, August 30-“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
On Saturdays this summer, Burton Chace Park, located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey, will host movies for the teen and adult crowd. Attend “Marina Movie Nights” for screenings of:
• Saturday, July 6-“Aquaman”
• Saturday, July 13-“Forrest Gump”
• Saturday, July 27-“Crazy Rich Asians”
• Saturday, August 10-“Black Panther”
• Saturday, September 7-“Wizard of Oz”
• Saturday, September 14-“Mean Girls”
• Saturday, September 21-“Solo: A Star Wars Story”
• Saturday, September 28-“Beetlejuice”
For more information, please visit beaches.lacounty.gov.
Westchester Farmers’ Market
Every Sunday • 9 am to 2 pm
Westchester Triangle (87th St.), Westchester
The two Westchester Farmers’ Markets have consolidated and will now be held every Sunday in the Westchester Triangle. Stop by this summer to check out the market’s vendors, grab a bite to eat and shop for produce at this family-friendly community hub. With the Wednesday market now closed, expect increased vendors and programming at the Sunday event.
For more information, visit facebook.com/westchesterfarmersmarket.
Courtesy Ballet Beyond Borders.
Ballet Beyond Borders
Wednesday, August 7 through Saturday, August 10 • Various times
LMU campus, 1 LMU Dr., Westchester
Ballet Beyond Borders (BBB) is coming to Westchester for the first time this year after expanding from its headquarters of Missoula, Montana with the support of the Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation.
Ballet Beyond Borders is a dance challenge and festival that provides a cultural, educational and diplomatic exchange to further human understanding and spark vital communication.
During the BBB weekend, performances, workshops and a “Cultural Diplomacy in a Changing World” conference will take place at LMU and around Westchester. BBB’s main event, a dance competition featuring dancers from around the globe, will be held at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. Stay tuned for more details!
For more info, please visit facebook.com/ballet.beyond.borders.
Westchester Arts & Music Block Party (WAM)
Sat., September 21 • noon to 8 pm
Emerson Ave. between 80th Pl. and 80th St., Westchester, FREE
Celebrate the last days of summer at Westchester’s coolest event, the Westchester Arts & Music Block Party (WAM). Hosted by the Emerson Avenue Community Garden as a fundraiser, the fourth annual event is the place to be for live music, art, dance, community booths, kids’ activities and a whole lot more. During the day’s festivities, Emerson Ave. in blocked off for guests to enjoy the performances, do some shopping and hang out with their friends and neighbors in the Stephanie Younger Group-sponsored beer & wine garden. Grub from gourmet food trucks is also available for purchase. While the 2019 lineup is still being finalized, you can sign-up for updates at wamblockparty.org. Stay tuned for more info and some surprises!
What’s on your must-do summer list? Let us know at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com or at facebook.com/thehtn.com!
