Outside the lines
Hollywood insiders, hot air balloons, Harry Potter, avant-garde transportation and a hairy competition are all part of next weekend’s festivities.
Burbank
Peek behind the magic curtain as animation professionals converge at the eighth CTN Animation Expo. Nearly 100 small panels and workshops can give budding filmmakers a chance to hear from pros about Pixar, Disney, storytelling, authenticity, collaboration and virtual reality. When: Nov. 17-19 Cost, info: From $10. Children ages 10-13 must be with an adult; children younger than 10 are not permitted. No dogs. (818) 827-7138, ctnanimationexpo.com
Cathedral City
Sit back and admire as hot air balloons waft over the desert at the fourth Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival. The morning launch sites change each day so visitors get different views of as many as 35 airships floating around the Coachella Valley. When: Nov. 17-19 Cost, info: Free, but fees for some activities. Family-friendly. No dogs. (760) 321-5154, hotairballoonfest.com
Los Angeles
Don’t forget your magic wand for the Watson Adventure’s Wizard School Scavenger Hunt at the Getty Center. It’s not a traditional scavenger hunt; instead, it focuses on searching for art that echoes characters, places and objects in the Harry Potter books. When: Nov. 18 Cost, info: Adults, $19 plus fees; children ages 10-17, $17 plus fees. Not recommended for children younger than 10. No dogs. (877) 946-4868, lat.ms/LAscavengerhunt
Irvine
It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad hair day because the fifth DUBS Was Here Beard and Moustache Competition is your chance to make your hair stand on end. Categories include styled mustache, long beard and freestyle beard. When: Nov. 18 Cost, info: Adult spectator, $10; competitor, $20. 21 and older because event is at a brewery. No dogs. (714) 623-5115, dubswashere.com
Los Angeles
Want to check out the latest inventions for traveling through cities? The LACoMotion Mobility Festival in the Arts District lets visitors look at, touch and ride cool new vehicles and all manner of innovative transportation. Guests can also attend talks and panels about these ingenious devices. When: Nov. 18 and 19 Cost, info: Free. Familyfriendly. No dogs. lat.ms/lacomotion
Hollywood
What would the internet look like in person? That’s the goal of Vulture Festival LA: to bring “witty, in-depth, critical coverage found on the web to life.” More than a dozen sessions and conversations with movie, TV and web stars, including Sofia Coppola, Sarah Silverman and Lena Dunham, are scheduled. When: Nov. 18 and 19 Cost, info: From free to $150. Older children OK for some events. No dogs. (212) 508-0700, vulture festival.com/la