It’s Easter weekend, so most of the one-day events are clustered on Saturday this week. There are several all-weekend events, however, so there are still plenty of choices if you’d like to be out and about on Sunday.
First up, on Saturday, you can start your weekend in civic (and garden!) education mode with a “Lawn Be Gone” workshop sponsored by LADWP, SELVA, Surfrider and the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance. The session, which includes information on turf removal, sheet mulching and building a rain garden, starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. at 3981 Roxton Ave., 90008. It’s free, but registration is required at the above link. LADWP customers who attend will receive a $250 EcoGardens discount coupon good towards a sustainable landscaping project and free water saving devices. Bring your own hat, gloves, water, lunch and sunscreen. Closed toed shoes are required.
Still in civic mode, for those who may have missed earlier information sessions on ReCodeLA, the city’s effort to revise its zoning codes, there will be another open house on Saturday morning, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center, 3916 S. Western Ave. The event features an overview presentation at the beginning of the session, with a repeat later in the morning, along with information stations where you can get details about various aspects of ReCodeLA, ask questions, and let city representatives know what you think of their plans so far.
Moving on to other kinds of entertainment, the American Cinematheque and Los Angeles Public Library are building a fun afternoon around food and film, with “To Live and Dine in L.A.”. It starts at 12:30 p.m., at the Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theater, in Hollywood, with a Mildred-Pierce-themed lunch of fried chicken and pie (provided by Alex Peyton Events and Nickel Diner). Then comes a 2 p.m. discussion with Josh Kun and Sherry Yard. Kun, a professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, will use menus from the Los Angeles Public Library’s collection to discuss the rich history of food and restaurants in Los Angeles, with a particular focus on women and the Art Deco era. Yard, a James Beard Award winning chef, restaurateur and author, will speak about the history of pastries in Los Angeles. All of this will be followed by a screening of the 1945 classic film “Mildred Pierce,” featuring Joan Crawford’s iconic performance in a story about housewife’s rise in the restaurant business in Los Angeles and her demanding daughter who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. See link above for food and movie ticket information.
For those who prefer even more cartoonish characters and performances, there’s WonderCon, the sister event to San Diego’s massive annual ComicCon, which will be in residence all weekend (Friday-Sunday), at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Scheduled events include exhibits, gaming tournaments, costume competitions, merchandise sales, film screenings, fan gatherings, and much more…so much more, in fact, that the show has its own cell phone app. Download it or see the above links for all the relevant details.
In a related vein, and probably of interest to many of the same fans, check out the Weird SciFi 3D show, running Friday and Saturday nights at the historic Bob Baker Marionette Theater. The event, by the Captured Aural Phantasy Theater, includes “performances of classic sci-fi stories, in the vein of the legendary “Weird Science” comic books (from the 1950s), along with music, sound effects, cosmic acts and other thrills.” It’s billed by the producers as “what would happen if Garrison Keilor, John Waters and Stan Lee all hooked up after a night of hard partying.” Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the show starts at 8. 3D glasses provided.
Not comics or sci-fi, but also somewhat in the pop/kitch category, is the second Cat Art Show at the Think Tank Gallery in downtown L.A. The first event, in 2014, was a surprise hit, according to the event’s website, drawing thousands of visitors. This year’s sequel features “more than 70 globally-recognized artists including Mark Ryden, Norman Reedus, (“The Walking Dead”) Marion Peck, Travis Lampe, Walter Chandoha, Mick Rock, Adam Wallacavage, and Kat Von D, among others.” Artwork is available for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will go to Kitten Rescue. The show opened on Thursday; Friday, Saturday and Sunday hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; admission is free.
Finally, we wouldn’t leave you without at least a few big Easter-themed events, suitable for the whole family.
First, there’s the L.A. Zoo’s Big Bunny’s Spring Fling, open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual celebration features “a bounty of EGG-citing activities,” including photos with Big Bunny himself, as well as opportunities to pet and learn about rabbits in the “Pet a Fuzzy Bunny” Patch, enjoy live performances of Kiddle Karoo’s Easter Adventure and Amazing Dave’s Comedy & Magic Show, follow the clues in Big Bunny’s Egg-cellent Adventure search, collect Big Bunny treats (while supplies last), strike a pose in the Easter basket photo op, enjoy strolling entertainers throughout the Zoo and get into the springtime spirit with bunny-themed crafts and face painting.
For an even bigger event, a bit further away, try the City of Pasadena’s gigantic Egg Bowl, which turns the Rose Bowl football stadium into a mega-egg field as children “hip-hop their way…through more than 60,000 eggs in search of the ever so lucky GOLDEN EGG!” The event takes place on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and features, in addition to three egg hunts (at 11:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.) a “VIP Bunny Brunch,” and live entertainment throughout the day. Brunch tickets are $20; the egg hunts are free (baskets available for $3 each). See the link above for full schedule, details and ticket information.
And if you prefer an egg hunt on Easter itself, the New City Church of LA is hosting its 8th Annual Easter Fest at downtown’s Grand Park on Sunday, from 2-5 p.m. There will be egg hunts (based on age groups) with 14,000 eggs, as well as “multiple bounce houses, facepainting, arts and crafts, games, drinks, popcorn, music and more.” Tickets are $5 per person, or $20 per family, available at the link above. A portion of the proceeds goes to ministries in Skid Row helping homeless families and children.
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