Los Angeles Lotus Festival at Echo Park Lake

With a backdrop of blooming lotus flowers, you’re in for a weekend of spectacular sights, sounds (and scents) at the 44th Lotus Festival. Celebrate South Korean culture as you watch entertaining performances and taste a selection of street food and traditional dishes — make sure to save room for a sweet treat! Eager for some friendly competition? Gather a team and row to victory in the Dragon Boat race across Echo Park Lake. The real magic begins at dusk when you’ll make your most whimsical wishes and light up the night sky with floating lanterns. Let your wildest dreams come true and flourish among the flowers. 

Try to keep up with the punchlines and plot twists as Omid Singh’s Comedy Mafia takes over the Comedy Store’s Belly Room. Seven of LA’s slickest comics square off in a high-stakes mix of improv, strategy, and shady shenanigans. It’s a comedy cage match where wit wins, lies fly, and only the craftiest crack-up artist claims victory.

San Pedro Pride is back with a rave-style celebration of unity, joy, and community spirit. Dance your way through epic DJ sets, wander a vibrant market of local gems, and bring the whole fam for face painting, crafts, and games. And when the lights go down, stay for an after-party that'll drip in drag and glitter. This year’s theme, Hand in Hand, says it all: we're stronger together, side by side.

At VHS Dreams, get a glimpse of Ghanaian DIY movie posters that tie together a kaleidoscopic collection of hand-painted film art, “reeling” with surreal flair and charm. Created on recycled flour sacks and fueled by intuition and exaggeration, these one-of-a-kind works reimagine global blockbusters through the eyes of master artists.

Once home to lions, tigers, and bears (oh my), catch sights of abandoned zoo enclosures on your next hiking adventure. Starting at the old merry-go-round, this 2.5-mile easy walking loop is fun for the whole family — even the pups. The trail gets busy on weekends, so start early and stay hydrated, it’s a zoo out there!