SPECIAL EVENTS 2024
THE HOLLYWOOD REEL INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL Screens new feature films, documentaries, shorts and videos by emerging filmmakers. Feb. 21-Mar. 1 at multiple venues and locations in Los Angeles hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com
SKYLINE FESTIVAL This is a festival dedicated to underground dance music, street and digital art. Feb 24-25 at Expo Park in downtown Los Angeles skylinefest.com
LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS Meet hundreds of literary lights and browse the booths at one of the largest book festivals in the country. April 20-21 at USC events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks
BEACHLIFE FESTIVAL This celebration of music, art, and Southern California beachlife culture takes place on four stages with over 50 bands. May 3-5 at Redondo Beach beachlifefestival.com
LAWINEFEST Take part in a beautiful day at the harbor with wine tasting, craft beer, ciders, great food, live music and a lot more. Enjoy the party atmosphere while talking with winery owners and winemakers about the different wines and the grapes. June 1-2 at Harry Bridges Memorial Park, Long Beach lawinefest.com
LOTUS FESTIVAL This annual fête celebrates the Asian-american community in Los Angeles. Enjoy live music, food, dance and dragon boat races set against a backdrop of blooming lotus flowerbeds. July 13-14 at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles facebook.com/lotusfestivalla
MIDSUMMER SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Featuring Measure for Measure, presented by Ophelia’s Jump Productions, in co-production with Pomona College. Beautiful lawns surrounding the theatre are perfect for BYOB picnicking; local restaurants offer picnic specials in town to bring to the show. A “Green Show” featuring local musicians and performers begins at 7 p.m. each night, show at 8 p.m., July 11, 13, 19, 21 at the Sontag Greek Theatre, Claremont opheliasjump.org
The entertainment industry is an integral part of the local economy, annually contributing $47 billion to the region. For decades, the name Hollywood has been synonymous with the movie business, but today most studios have moved into neighboring suburbs such as Burbank and Culver City.
Some of the better-known areas in LA County aren’t even cities but rather districts or neighborhoods within Los Angeles, such as Hollywood, Silver Lake and Venice. In
contrast, Beverly Hills, home to the most expensive residences in the world, and West Hollywood, a welcoming oasis to a diverse community of gays, Russians and musicians, are cities but are completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles.
Over seventy miles of beaches run along Los Angeles County’s southwest border. Malibu, an exclusive seaside community, has some of the most alluring stretches of sand in the area. To the north, hikers and mountain climbers explore trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. To the east, the San Gabriel Mountains rise up to more than 10,000 feet above sea level.
City & Town
Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the nation at close to 4 million people, dominates the county. Writer Dorothy Parker once quipped, “Los Angeles is 72 suburbs in search of a city.” Now, LA’S several hundred neighborhoods form a rich cultural stew. Meander around Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the Art and Fashion Districts, the Latino enclaves around Echo Park, Hollywood’s Laurel Canyon, Little Armenia, Thai Town or Melrose District where hipsters shop.
When in LA, do as the celebs do. Go shopping at cool indie shops featuring local labels and fashionable imports along Venice’s Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Need an outfit for an awards show? Head over to Decades on Melrose Avenue, a vintage couture store where many stylists choose red-carpet gowns for their star clients.
Hungry? Eat at The Griddle Cafe, a Sunset Boulevard institution known for its gigantic pancakes. Or chow down on a creatively topped hot dog (some named for celebrities) at Pink’s famous corner stand at Melrose and La Brea avenues. Watch a Lakers or Clippers pro basketball game, or an LA Kings NHL hockey game, at the Crypto.com Arena to see stars, both on the
HOLLYWOOD BOWL,
LA BASIN
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.
HOLLYWOOD.