Labor Day weekend runs Friday, September 4 through Monday, September 7 this year, and LA is doing what LA does best: refusing to let summer end quietly.
Between arena concerts, beach festivals, ballgames and one very committed chili cook-off, there’s genuinely too much happening to fit into one weekend. Here’s where we’d point you.
For the concertgoers
The big one: Guns N’ Roses returns to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and if you’ve been on the fence about seeing them live, a holiday weekend stadium show is about as good a reason as you’ll get. Kicking things off Friday night, J. Cole headlines a major show in Inglewood, giving the weekend a strong start before it even hits Saturday.
If you’re more in the mood for something outdoors and lower-key, the Hollywood Bowl’s summer concert series is still running, and the LA Phil’s John Williams tribute, led by conductor David Newman, is worth catching if you want a night of E.T., Jaws, Star Wars and Jurassic Park scores with film clips playing on the Bowl’s big screens.
For the festival crowd
Fiesta Hermosa is back in its traditional Labor Day slot after a three-year hiatus, and it’s one of the most comprehensive free events in the county. Running September 5–7 in Hermosa Beach, it’s got a Makers Mercado, a full food fair, carnival rides, live music, and The Garden, a 21-and-over beer-and-wine area with a $10 cover.
Our move: coffee in Hermosa Beach, browse the vendor booths before the crowds peak, grab lunch, hit the beach for an hour, then close the day with live music and dinner near Pier Avenue.
Up in Malibu, the 43rd Annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off returns after a one-year hiatus, bringing its usual mix of carnival rides, live performances, a skate contest and, obviously, a whole lot of chili.
For families
Beyond the Chili Cook-Off, this is a strong weekend for kids: Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire rolls through LA, and Brentwood Country Mart is running its free Friday-night outdoor movie series in the Courtyard.
It’s also your last real shot at a few summer staples before they wrap for the season: the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, KCRW Summer Nights, and the Scooby-Doo exhibit at Discovery Cube LA are all wrapping up around now, so if they’ve been on your list, this weekend’s the moment.
For the classic LA weekend
Sometimes the best plan is no plan at all. The Dodgers host a full series at Dodger Stadium all weekend, outdoor movie screenings are running strong across the city (Rooftop Cinema Club, Melrose Rooftop Theatre, and Hollywood Forever’s Cinespia among the go-tos), and if you’d rather just default to sand and sun, Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach and Manhattan Beach are all sitting right there, doing exactly what they always do.
Have a great long weekend and remember, summer runs until September 22nd!
The post Your Labor Day Weekend Guide to Los Angeles: Concerts, Festivals and Everything Else Worth Doing appeared first on Press Pass LA.
