Note that because of the Covid-19 virus, some organizations are starting to cancel events. As of the time of this post, everything on our list for this weekend is still on as far as we know, but you might want to check with any of the organizations mentioned if you have any doubts about whether specific events will proceed as planned.
Starting today (Friday) and running through the business day on Sunday, the Larchmont Boulevard Association’s Semi Annual Sidewalk Sale will be offering great deals to local shoppers on the commercial section of Larchmont Blvd. Participating merchants and deals include: Landis Stationery will have a table outside its doors with items at 50% off, and inside the store they’ll offer 15% off all custom orders for Felix Doolittle return address labels and bookplates. Shopaholic Sample Sales will offer a $30 “super sale” rack. And Pickett Fences will offer all sale merchandise at 50-70% off original prices.
This is also the first Saturday of the month, which means it’s time for the monthly Everwalk event, a walk for fun and fitness around Pan Pacific Park, hosted by Bonnie Stoll and legendary long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad. Meet some new folks or bring along family and/or friends, and do as many of the five one-mile laps around the park as you want. (Dogs are welcome, too!) The group meets at 9 a.m. for juice and warm-up stretches by the parking lot behind the Pan Pacific Senior Center, 141 S. Gardner St. It’s all free, and everyone is welcome.
Going back to bargain shopping, the Friends of the John C. Fremont Library, 6121 Melrose Ave., is holding its monthly book sale on Friday (12-4 p.m.) and Saturday (12-5 p.m.) This month, in addition to books, they also have a bunch of new puzzles in stock…and cookbooks are on sale, too. All proceeds benefit the library and its programs including “Hot Off the Press,” the bi-monthly French conversation class, and all childrens’ programs.
If you’re looking for something fun and educational to do with the kids on Saturday, the Natural History Museum will hold one of its Sensory-Friendly Dinosaur Shows starting at 11:30 a.m. The shows feature NHM’s life-size dinosaur puppets, presenting information on dinosaur behavior, extinction, adaptation, and more. The sensory-friendly shows are a bit less stimulating than the regular performances, with less dim lighting and lower audio levels, as well as space and permission for kids who need to move. There’s also a “relaxation zone” in the back of the hall for kids who need a break during the performance. It’s all free with regular museum admission.
For a different kind of sensory-pleasing experience, the UCLA Gluck Reed Quartet will perform at 2 p.m. on Saturday, at the Wilshire Branch Library, 149 N. St. Andrews Pl. The group will perform works by composers ranging from Bach to Gershwin. All ages are welcome, and – like all library events – it’s free of charge.
For those who’d like to make some art on Saturday, the Craft Contemporary will present “CraftSocial: They Came from the Trees. A Natural Dye Workshop with Andres Payan Estrada,” from 2-4 p.m.  Participants – who are encouraged to bring found eucalyptus bark or leaves to the session – will experiment with natural materials collected from logwood and eucalyptus trees to dye a range of natural fiber fabrics. Please register at the link above if you’d like to attend. The cost, including materials and drinks, is $35 for museum members, $45 for the general public.
For vintage movies this weekend, you have many options. First, the New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., has a full weekend of programming, starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday (and Sunday) with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Then at 7 p.m. on Saturday, there’s Peter Sellers in Return of the Pink Panther and (at 9:25 p.m.) The Pink Panther Strikes Again. At 11:59 p.m., there’s the 1970s cult favorite, Harold & Maude, and at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, the 1965 comeday extravaganza, The Great Race.
Meanwhile, at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., the American Cinematheque is hosting the 22nd Annual Noir City: Hollywood festival, starting today (Friday) and running for more than two weeks, through Sunday, March 15. According to the organizers, “This year’s program boasts a distinct international flavor, with Hollywood A and B titles joined by noir discoveries from Argentina (including two new restorations), Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Sweden.” This weekend’s offerings include “The Beast Must Die” and “Gilda” (Friday starting at 7:30 p.m.), “M” (1931), “M” (1951), and “El Vampiro Negro” (Satruday starting at 5 p.m.), “The Devil Strikes at Midnight” and “Fly-By-Night” (starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday), and “The Housemaid” and “My Name is Julia Ross” (Sunday, starting at 7:30 p.m.) See the series link above for more information, the full festival slate, and tickets.
Moving on to Sunday, don’t forget to “Spring Forward” and set your clocks ahead an hour, since Daylight Savings Time starts at 2 a.m.  Finally, once again, it will still be light outside when kids get home from after-school activities, and you will be able to actually see what you’re cooking for dinner on your backyard grill.
You’ll probably find a lot of early risers on Sunday at the LA Marathon, which begins at 6:30 a.m. in downtown Los Angeles. More than 27,000 runners are expected, from all over the world…but even if you’re not going to be among them, it’s a good event to know about, since there will be a large number of street closures through the early part of the day, making it difficult to travel from our local neighborhoods to the San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, or anwhere coastal north of Santa Monica. See the map above for street closures, or the event website link for more details about the event, the route, and street closure times.
For a fun family-friendly event on Sunday, check out the “Kid-a-Palooza – Purim Style” event at the Westside Jewish Community Center, 5870 W. Olympic Blvd. from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will be carnival games, face painting, art projects and more, and you can meet the staff of the WJCC’s J Camp. It’s all free (with food available for purchase) and open to the community…and costumes are encouraged!
And finally on Sunday, also for the whole family, you could check out “Hanging Gardens with Ivan Lopez,” a CraftLab Family Workshop at the Craft Contemporary, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Artist and educator Ivan Lopez will show participants how to create a hanging string garden inspired by kokedama, the Japanese art of growing hanging plants in fiber-wrapped moss balls. Sign up at the link above. It’s just $7 for children, $10 for adults…and free for museum members.
Have a great weekend!
