Celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks and festivals. Discover the magic of mushrooms on First Fridays. Attend the massive Anime Expo.

Friday, July 1: 5 p.m.

First Fridays: Mushroom Magic
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
900, boul. exhibitions, exhibition grounds
Science, music and cocktails collide in NHM’s popular series. This month’s talks are themed “From Seeds to Psychedelics,” examining the clinical applications of psilocybin and the benefits shrooms can bring to everyday life. Music by Vegyn and DJ Wyldeflower.
COST: $20 (non-members); MORE INFORMATION

Friday, July 1: 9:30 p.m.

Abba Night
boarder
1652 N Cherokee Avenue, Hollywood
Club Decades presents a classic disco party with a dance party and a live concert experience inspired by Studio 54 and the music of the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Blondie, Chic, Grace Jones, Diana Ross, Evelyn Champagne King, Earth Wind & Fire, along with many others. Watch live performances by up-and-coming artists Devon Thompson and Hannah Hughes. 18+.
COST: $15 – $20; MORE INFORMATION

Friday July 1 – Monday July 4

Anime Fair
Los Angeles Convention Center
201 S. Figueroa St., Downtown LA
North America’s largest anime and manga convention returns to showcase Japanese art and culture. The exhibit features film and television screenings, workshops, art, games, karaoke, a fashion show, comics, cosplay, and live musical performances.
COST: $50 – $160; MORE INFORMATION

Friday July 1 – Sunday July 31

Ultra Cinematheque 70: The American Cinematheque 70mm Festival
Aero Theater
1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica
The American Cinematheque salutes the golden age of 70mm cinema – from 1955 to 1970 – and presents newly minted 70mm prints from Universal. Movies include The Master, Malcolm X, Vertigo, Starman, Spartacusand Howard the duck. This weekend, find Stanley Kubrick 2001: A Space Odysseyy (1968) and Ron Fricke Baraka (1992).
COST: $10 – $15; MORE INFORMATION

Saturday July 2 – Monday July 4; 9 p.m.

Cinespia + Fireworks
Hollywood Eternal Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood
This weekend’s film lineup at the iconic Hollywood cemetery will featureThe fast and the furious (Saturday), purple rain (Sunday), and Ferris Bueller’s day off (Monday). Picnic on the lawn and stay for the after-show fireworks.
COST: $45 / $20 parking; MORE INFORMATION

Saturday July 2: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Jared’s Epic Blaster Battle
Sofia Stadium
1001 Stadium Drive, Inglewood
The world’s biggest Nerf battle is coming to LA for the first time, for one night only. Bring your very own toy blaster (foam darts) to the family battle on the SoFi Stadium field, which will be complete with inflatable obstacle courses.
COST: $41.99 admission; MORE INFORMATION

Saturday July 2 – Monday July 4

Steve Martin and Martin Short
hollywood bowl
2301 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood
The annual 4th of July Bowl fireworks spectacular features comedy and music with Steve Martin and Martin Short, joined by the LA Phil.
COST: Tickets start at $27; MORE INFORMATION

Sunday July 2: 3 p.m.

Fight Betty Fight: A Betty Benefit Show
The primordial
2708 Cesar E. Chavez Ave East, Boyle Heights
This all-ages benefit show is for guitarist Betty Cisneros of punk quartet Go Betty Go, who has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The evening will feature music from Go Betty Go, with guitarist from Two Tens Adam Bones replacing Cisneros. Guests include The Dollyrots and Johnny Madcap and The Distractions, with an acoustic set from Bad Cop/Bad Cop’s Linh Le & Jennie Cotterill. Hosted by HazyChaos with Emily Valentine. 100% of proceeds go to Cisneros medical needs and expenses.
COST: $20; MORE INFORMATION

Sunday July 3: 7:30 p.m.

4K comedy
Virgil
4519 Santa Monica Blvd., East Hollywood
Enjoy a comedy night featuring Kurt Metzger, Steph Tolev, Mekki Leeper, Maddie Wiener, Danny Sellers, Jonathan Giles and Sasha Boggs.
COST: $10 – $15; MORE INFORMATION

Sunday July 4: 3 p.m.

AmericaFest
pink bowl
1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena
Celebrate the fourth with a day of tailgating, a live performance by Drake Milligan, a motorcycle stunt show and fireworks at 9 p.m.
COST: Tickets start at $20 (children 5 and under are free to enter), parking starts at $45-$55; MORE INFORMATION

Other places to catch fireworks around SoCal:

Monday, July 4: 4 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

4th of July Block Party
Big park
200 N. Grand Ave., Downtown LA
Attendees can bring picnics (or take advantage of the many food trucks and vendors), dance to the music, and dance the night away. End the evening watching DTLA’s biggest fireworks display, launched from the roof of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Musical performances by Afro Funke’, Ethio Cali, Quitapenas and others.
COST: FREE admission; MORE INFORMATION

Until Monday July 4

Huntington Beach Pier Festival
Pacific Coast Road. and Main Street, Huntington Beach
4th of July family festivities at the Huntington Beach Pier include the Pier Plaza Festival, a carnival, entertainment, vendors, food trucks, the Surf City 5K, a beer and wine garden and breathtaking views of the fire pit. ‘artifice.
COST: FREE admission; MORE INFORMATION

Until Monday July 4

LA’s Black Pride
Various places
The annual celebration of the black LGBTQ+ community includes a weekend of parties and events taking place at The Chapel at the Abbey, Catch One, Rocco’s WeHo and Neuehouse Hollywood.
COST: Many FREE events with RSVP; MORE INFORMATION

Monday, July 4: 10 p.m.

Payday Fest LA
Virgil
4519 Santa Monica Blvd., East Hollywood
El Prez hosts an evening of performances by up-and-coming underground rap acts from around the country. The lineup includes: Love, J.Addo, Money Smoove, dvnthony, Tay Da Crown, King Phil, Pastel papi, Bo Moneyy, Kilo Tae and Profit$, with DJ Deezy on the decks.
COST: FREE – $10; MORE INFORMATION

Explore the lavender fields of Cherry Valley in Riverside County.

(Sagesolar, licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Outdoor choice

Lavender Festival at Farm 123
There is still a month left for the Lavender Party at Highland Springs Ranch & Inn in Cherry Valley (Riverside County). Walk the winding paths of organic lavender fields, take horse-drawn hay wagon tours, sample lavender-inspired dishes and listen to live music. Before heading home, visit the market for lavender honey, balsamic vinegar, essential oils, fresh bouquets, plants, toys and plush items. The festival is closed on Tuesdays. Admission: $6-$12.

Display choice

CatVideoFest 2022
The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana screens the best cat videos selected from countless hours of submissions, sourced animation, music videos, and the internet. The CatVideoFest is a community experience that’s only available in theaters – it raises money for local cat charities, animal welfare organizations and shelters. CatVideoFest screens at Frida on Saturday July 2 and Sunday July 3 at 2:30 p.m.

Irv’s Burgers is back and will open in West Hollywood on July 1.

Food and beverage offers

Check out the 411 on restaurants, bars and food events in SoCal this week:

• Historical Irv Burgers officially reopens to the public on Friday, July 1 in West Hollywood. The original roadside burger stand was founded in 1946, serving travelers along Route 66 until 2018. Now current owner Lawrence Longo is permanently reopening the burger joint, not too far from its original location at 7998 Santa Monica Blvd. The menu features old favorites like the double cheeseburger and pastrami sandwiches on paper plates, with new dishes like Irv’s Dog, Tuna Melt, Chili Cheese Fries and Bday Cookie Milkshake.
• Chef Tony He of Sea Harbor Seafood in Rosemead opened his second Chef Tony Dim Sum location in downtown Pasadena last week. (The Arcadia outpost took over Din Tai Fung’s former location last year.) Chef Tony’s Dim Sum dishes reflect Guangdong’s Cantonese cuisine, with a menu including dishes such as meatballs prawns and pork, sliced ​​Chinese broccoli with black truffle sauce, prawn balls with gold leaf squid ink, and a lava salted egg yolk sticky rice ball .
• The Pasadena location of the Pie Hole celebrates the 4th of July holiday a little earlier. Starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 3, the first 100 guests receive a free slice of their choice of Apple Pie, Vegan Tart Cherry, or Vegan Blueberry Pecan Pie. The Pasadena store will also randomly reward customers with Palomino Party passes for the Rose Bowl event on Saturday, July 9.
• Delicatessen and sandwich shop Fat Sal – the home of colossal sandwiches and loaded fries – opens its sixth location in Los Angeles on Friday, July 1. The beachfront location is located at 37 Washington Blvd., Marina Del Rey.
• On Monday, July 4 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Sugar Palm at the Viceroy in Santa Monica is hosting a BBQ by the pool with local bourbon and draft beer tastings, plus food specialties like ribs, the Poolside Burger, a Cabana Dawg, and complimentary sides of potato salad and corn on the cob with the purchase of a main course. Also available: “The Dad Bod” cocktail, made with bacon-washed Jack Daniels, charcoal, and habanero-infused black ice.
• From July 1 to 4, Tacos de Trejo (Santa Monica location) serves holiday meals with nachos, beer, friends and family fun. Before the fireworks, treat your party to bottomless nachos ($18 for up to 4 people) made with beans, cheese, jalapeños, chipotle cream and pico de gallo, plus buckets of beer ($30). The regular menu will also be available.
• Brooklyn Avenue Pizza Co. in Boyle Heights is launching two new “Firecracker” flavors for the 4th of July, available in quantities of 3, 6 or 12 at $6, $11 or $20 (to take out and on site), including habanero wings with a habanero pepper and Calabrian honey dry seasoning and sriracha wings made with a sriracha honey glaze, garnished with sesame and basil.