Thursday, July 11, 2013

Have a FREE Summer, LA!

One of our favorite things about Los Angeles summers is that there are so many free things to do!  It's a great way to head out with family and friends to experience some of Los Angeles' best offerings and discover gems throughout the greater LA area.

Free Summer Concerts and Performances

Grand Performances is one of our summer favorites, always offering not only an eclectic mix of outdoor entertainment, but a great venue for emerging voices and ideas.  This summer is no exception with guests like Las Cafeteras, Uncaberet, children-friendly Bob Baker Marionettes, Mucca Pazza,  Rufus and Friends with Black Light All Stars, Songs in the Key of L.A. with Ozomatli and Friends, Lux Boreal, and many more.

The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors offer a number of free events including Marina del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park featuring a wide-range of musical styles and talented artists like Taylor Dayne, Poncho Sanchez, and Rose Royce.  Make sure to also check out their listings for their Farmers' Market, Walking Club, Craft Classes, Yoga Classes, and more! 

Head out to Grand Park for their series of free events including Out of Office concerts.  There are also exercise boot camps, a speaker series, a farmers' market, and outdoor movie nights.

Free Shakespeare - Lots of Free Shakespeare

One of our free summer favorites is Shakespeare by the Sea.  This summer's productions include King John and All's Well That Ends Well and they have performances in various locations in Los Angeles! They advise you to "pack a picnic, a blanket and beach chair, and settle in under the stars for a night of classic entertainment".  Although admission is free, they also appreciate and accept donations. 

If you need to be a little bit closer in-land and enjoy one of our favorite parks, check out the Independent Shakespeare Co. as they perform at Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival at the Old Zoo.  Productions include Macbeth and As You Like It, as well as Oliver Goldmith's She Stoops to Conquer.

If you still need more Shakespeare for your summer or a little twist to the traditional, Rogue Artists Ensemble offers HYPERBOLE: bard where they recreate a collection of Shakespeare's most famous scenes with clowning, masked movement, puppets, and original music.

Free Exhibitions

Check out the Free Museum Days on MuseumsLA.org!  It's a very handy PDF. 

Here are a few places that offer free events not only this summer, but year-round.  You may want to stop by the California African American Museum for their exhibitions on Afrodescendientes, the Art of Manuel Mendive, and their Target Sunday events.  The Hammer Museum offers free events year-round including film series, book clubs, and courses.  The Fowler Museum at UCLA presents free events and exhibitions related to global arts, cultural artifacts, kid activities, and concerts.

For your free art fixe, you may want to stop by the Torrance Art Museum, LA Artcore at Union Center for the Arts, and the Vincent Price Art Museum of East Los Angeles College.            

In addition to summer reading programs and events year round, Los Angeles libraries are also often home to interesting exhibitions that highlight historical artifacts.  Currently at the Los Angeles Central Library, Songs in the Key of L.A. features 46 historic sheet music covers from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.  ALOUD and Grand Performances are offering events related to the exhibition as well. Meanwhile, the Pasadena Central Library is home to Another Trip in Baseball's Time Machine: Photography at the Field of Dreams featuring photography and baseball. 

These are just a handful of free ideas this summer.  There are plenty more! You can look for free events on the ExperienceLA calendar now and year-round, but please make sure to read the event description for full details!   

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor



1 comment:

Jacquelyn said...

This is perfect for newcomers to the area. Thanks for sharing!

Jacquelyn | Happy Little Bird