Los Angeles Labor Day
Los Angeles is the quintessential city of the Endless Summer, so even though Labor Day means the unofficial end of soaking up rays and enjoying the ocean breeze for many, LA will be going strong with music, art and food festivals throughout the holiday weekend.
If vacationing or shopping has put a bit of a strain on your wallet this summer, don’t worry – with LA’s Big Summer Sleepover, you can rack up impressive savings on everything from flights to nights on the town. Many of LA’s Labor Day events and festivals also let you celebrate on the cheap (or even for free), so you won’t break the bank this holiday.
Totally ’80s at the Hollywood Bowl
Sept. 2
Fireworks aren’t needed this year for the explosion of quirky, colorful outfits and catchy pop lyrics at the ultimate ’80s-style dance party in LA. This Labor Day, the Hollywood Bowl will be the little old place where you can get together – with the B-52s, The Human League, The Fixx and Berlin. Find tickets to relive the best decade of pop music at Totally ’80s.
Los Angeles Times and Food & Wine’s The Taste
Sept. 2-5
Two widely popular gastronomic festivals from last year join forces to present an unprecedented food and wine event: The Taste. The citywide festival spans Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Downtown, with appearances from celebrity chefs such as Giada de Laurentis from Food Network’s Giada at Home and Bravo’s Top Chef winner Michael Voltaggio, who opens his restaurant, ink, in LA this year. The four-day event embraces all that is epicurean – from “Beer and Burgers” to “The Art of Mixing” to “Food Noir” – guaranteed to satisfy any LA foodie or wine lover.
The Sweet & Hot Music Festival
Sept. 2-5
Dubbed the finest jazz party/jazz festival combination, the 16th annual Sweet & Hot Music Festival showcases the golden age of American popular music at the Marriott Los Angeles Airport hotel . Jazz isn’t the only music you’ll hear at the four-day festival, as more than 50 musicians and groups will be there to perform ragtime, blues, show tunes, big band and more. Among the highlights are scheduled performances by the Mills Brothers and Ernestine Anderson.
City of Los Angeles Birthday Celebration
Sept. 3
What better way to spend the holiday than celebrating the 230th birthday of the City of Angels on Sept. 3rd? The annual “Los Pobladores – Walk to Los Angeles” is an early morning re-enactment of the nine-mile walk from the San Gabriel Mission to found El Pueblo de Los Angeles at what is now Olvera Street, where you’ll find live music, food and artist booths. This year, there will also be a mass and procession from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Fiesta Hermosa
Sept. 3-5
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Fiesta Hermosa, the giant beachside community event where people flock to browse and shop the wares of more than 270 painters, photographers, ceramicists, jewelers, sculptors and crafters. Also worth the trip are two stages of live music, a food court with 18 different kinds of ethnic eateries, a Charity Beer & Wine Garden with local microbrews from Union Cattle Company, and a Kiddie Carnival.
L.A. County Fair
Sept. 3 – Oct. 5
North America’s largest county fair returns on Sept. 3rd, when the L.A. County Fair takes over the Fairplex in Pomona. The L.A. County Fair has something for the whole family, including endless choices of food, beer and wine gardens, live music, rides, petting zoos, and much, much more. Check the official website often for the latest updates and concert info.
Long Beach Greek Festival
Sept. 3-5
Now in its 62nd year, the Long Beach Greek Festival is a cultural event of Olympian proportions! Just $3 admission gives you access to a full day of Greek food, live music and dancing, specialty shopping, cooking classes, and a carnival for the kids.
Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival
Sept. 3-5
The third annual Leimert Park Festival will provide entertainment and fun for the entire family, with a fashion show, activities for kids, a juried arts and crafts show, and an international food court. The free festival will also showcase music from jazz and blues to reggae, includingartists such as the Pan Afrikan People’s Arkestra, Wali Ali and Pharoah Sanders.
Conquer the Bridge Labor Day Run
Sept. 5
This Labor Day, take advantage of the closing of “San Pedro’s Golden Gate” and join the slew of runners that will fill the third-largest expansion bridge in California for the Conquer the Bridge Labor Day Run. You can compete for the best time (or just the t-shirt) as you race through San Pedro, including two trips over the picturesque Vincent Thomas Bridge, over the scenic 5.3-mile course.
Boddy’s Big Backyard
Sept. 5
Spend Labor Day at Descanso Gardens and experience Boddy’s Big Backyard, a party inspired by the ones hosted by founder E. Manchester Boddy in the 1930s and 1940s. Take a walk through the vast gardens, then enjoy special events like the “Teddy Bears’ Picnic” story time at the Rose Pavilion, and live American rock and bluegrass music performed by the Mobile Homeboys at the Under the Oaks Theater.End your day on the Main Lawn with a relaxing picnic or barbecue from Patina. The event is free with admission to Descanso Gardens.
Target Free Holidays at LACMA
Sept. 5
From noon until 8 p.m. this Labor Day, you can save some money by attending the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Target Free Holidays. Visitors of all ages get to explore nearly all of the museum’s exhibitions and installations for free, including photography in Weston’s Modernism, the last weekend of the Islamic art Gifts of the Sultan and the Buddha exhibit, The Way of the Elders.