This week’s roundup is short but sweet, with a dash of umami, and as expected mostly about America’s Independence Day, Tuesday, the 4th of July. There’ll be fireworks, of course, along with baseball (aka America’s favorite pastime), music and movies, Zoo animals at twilight, and free produce for the community. I hope this holiday break gives you some time to relax and hang with the people you care about. Have fun, stay safe, and I’ll see you on the flipside!
Arts, Culture, and the Fourth
LACMA is more well known for its FREE Friday night music series, Jazz at LACMA, but they’ve also got you covered on Saturday nights with another exciting music series, Latin Sounds. Start your weekend (and many to come through Sept.) off right with a splash of Soul Sauce: a tribute to Latin jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader on Saturday, July 1 from 5-7 p.m. Bear witness to world-renowned artists performing everything from Indigenous music to the latest sounds from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, and Los Angeles! Latin Sounds is free and open to all. Seating is limited and first come, first served. Visitors are encouraged, but not required, to wear face masks in all indoor spaces. Check LACMAs calendar for a full schedule of events.
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure + Fireworks at Hollywood Forever is happening on Saturday, July 1 and I can’t imagine a better place to be. I know you are but what am I? Hee hee. I LOVED Pee-wee and this movie when I was a kid, and how fun it would be to see it outdoors on the big screen with the giddy anticipation of fireworks to follow. In this 1985 cult classic, Pee-wee is a rebel with a cause on a mission to find his treasured stolen bike that takes him on a crazy adventure packed with wild characters like Large Marge, the ghost of a truck driver who scared the crap out of me as a kid. Bring a picnic or buy food at the grill, and be sure to hit up the free Pee-wee themed photobooth for those all-important photo ops. Fun fact: this movie was visionary director Tim Burton’s feature film debut! Tickets are $45; off site parking available for $20. Gates at 7:15 p.m. / Movie at 9 p.m.
OMG OMG OMG. The Beach Boys at the Hollywood Bowl for the 4th of July?! Does it get any more American than that? The short answer is ‘no’. Ring in another year of independence in the grand ol’ USA with the Beach Boys (which these days is Mike Love and Bruce Johnston sans Brian Wilson and Al Jardine) performing “Surfin’ USA,” “I Get Around,” “Fun, Fun, Fun”, and all the other classics backed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at the annual July 4th Fireworks Spectacular. Tickets are still available for this concert and fireworks double feature, but there aren’t many left so you best ‘get around’ to it! (See what I did there?) But if you already have plans on the Fourth, you can just get tickets for Sun, July 2 or Mon, July 3, so you don’t miss out. Tickets prices vary per night; tix for kids 12 and under are half off; limits apply. Gates at 5:30 p.m. / Concert at 7:30 p.m.
Dodger and non-Dodger fans alike, the annual 4th of July at Dodger Stadium fireworks extravaganza is here again with a ‘do it up extra’ kind of attitude on America’s holiday this coming Tuesday, July 4. They usually do fireworks on Friday nights throughout the season, but this night will be “extra.” First, watch the team take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (there’s also a game on the 3rd) and then stick around for the display you can see from your seat, or watch from the outfield grass. Just be sure to line up on the field level near the end of the game if you want to get ahead of the crowd. Tickets range from $33 to a whopping $800(!). P.S. I’m sure you’ll have a nice enough view of the fireworks from outside the stadium as well, so no need to sit through a long game if you’re not a baseball fan – there’s plenty to do in the area while you wait. Game starts at 6:10 p.m.
FREE is a word I throw around often from week to week and here is that word yet again: you’re invited to a FREE Fourth of July Block Party celebrating the good ole US of A at DTLA’s Gloria Molina Grand Park from 4-9:30 p.m. This Independence Day, GP will host a unique block party, featuring your favorite food trucks, live music, dancing, and interactive multi-media artworks showcasing a dynamic retrospective of the last 10 years. Then, at around 9 p.m., look to the night sky above the Music Center as it lights up, not with fireworks, but with 500 illuminated drones! Ta-Wist! Public parking is available at The Music Center and Disney Concert Hall for $9. However, you may want to consider taking public transit due to the high draw. GMGP is conveniently located at the Civic Center / GMGP station along the Metro B Line (Red) and Metro D Line (Purple). Hope to see you there!
Movie screenings bulletin! This being Tinseltown and all, there’s always plenty of cool old theaters and innovative spaces on hand to watch movies at, in, or on, and this week is no different. The Academy Museum will be serving up Diner on Tuesday, the Fourth of July (just make sure your date doesn’t cut a hole in his popcorn box), with a screening of Nope to follow on Thursday, July 6, and other films throughout the week. 
Check the museum’s full schedule here. Next up is the Quentin Tarantino owned theater, The New Bev, with a glorious Double Feature of Easy Rider and Beavis and Butt-Head Do America on Tues-Thurs, July 4–6. Other cinematic classics such as Jaws, Tron, and Scarface will also be playing throughout the week. Check The Bev’s full schedule here. Tickets are $13.
And lastly, for now, Zoo Friday Nights at the LA Zoo hath returned! Starting on Friday, July 7 and running through August 18, you’re invited to come see what the animals and your fellow humans get up to during the twilight hours from 6–9 p.m. Enjoy live music, a family dance party and games, and interactive education stations at no additional charge, plus paid add-ons like carousel rides, tasty treats, and full bars for the adult kids. Music and food trucks for opening night will include Masanga Marimba and DJ Johnny Hawkes, with Baby’s Badass Burgers, Cousins Maine Lobster, Burnt to a Crisp Texas Smokehouse, Afters Ice Cream, Border Grill, and Rice Balls of Fire on site to quench your hunger. Tickets are $25 per adult (18+); $20 per child (2–17) and $15 for members. To inquire about group tickets, reach out to [email protected]. Carousel closes at 8:30 p.m.
Community and Local Government
FoodCycleLA and The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Outreach Committee will be giving away Free Produce to the community this weekend on Sunday, July 2 in the parking lot of Wilshire United Methodist Church. There will be fresh fruits and vegetables, generously donated by local farmers markets, and other food items available. All are welcome! Donations will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. And please don’t forget to bring your own bags. The event starts at 2:45 p.m. WUM Church is located at 4350 Wilshire Blvd.
And that same Neighborhood Council, Greater Wilshire, has one meeting on the schedule this week – the Resilience Committee gathers on Monday, July 3 at 6:30 p.m. All Resilience Committee meetings take place on the First Monday of each month at Coldwell Banker in Larchmont Village (251 N Larchmont Blvd). Check the GWNC’s website for agendas, cancellations, and the full schedule.
The Mid City West Neighborhood Council is taking a bit of a hiatus over the holiday week, so check back next time or Mid City’s calendar for a full schedule of meetings. Please Note: all MCW meetings will now be held at the Pan Pacific Park Senior Center (lunch room) located at 141 S. Gardner St.
