Memorial Day = the start of summer. We don’t make the rules. If you’re staying local for the holiday weekend this year, you’re in luck because Los Angeles will be bursting at the seams with fun events and festivals for everyone to enjoy. From delish food tastings along Main Street in Santa Monica to a buzzing beachside festival in the South Bay to a bohemian celebration of the arts in Topanga, here’s the most epic events happening in LA on Memorial Day Weekend. Take your pick, mark your calendars and kick off summer with a bang.
MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street
Saturday, May 27 | 1pm-5pm
Looking for Saturday plans? You’ve come to the right place. For one day only, Main Street in Santa Monica will be transformed into an interactive Monopoly board game. Yes, you read that right. Except instead of classic Monopoly money, you’ll get MAINopoly dollars that you can put toward food tastings from the street’s best restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops and more. It’s an all-ages extravaganza that’s sure to spice up any Saturday afternoon.
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Fiesta Hermosa
May 27-29 | 11am-9pm
Nothing says summer like the South Bay. Over Memorial Day Weekend, Hermosa Beach hosts its crowd-favorite Fiesta Hermosa, featuring everything from art to food, music, carnival rides and beyond. Right along the ocean, Hermosa and Pier Avenue become one bustling beachside party with seemingly endless stalls and vendors, while musicians take to the stage directly on the sand. Be sure to bring a bottle of wine and a beach chair for this classic pre-summer event.
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JazzReggae Festival
Monday, May 29 | 11am-7pm
If you like jazz, and you like reggae, let’s just say you’ll be a big fan of JazzReggae. Pretty self-explanatory, huh? At UCLA, this student-run festival will take place on Memorial Day itself and feature an array of both emerging and legendary artists. And when we say legendary, we mean it. Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Stephen Marlet and so many more have performed here, so you’re guaranteed a good time.
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LA Fleet Week
May 24-29
Get nautical this Memorial Day and head south to San Pedro to celebrate LA Fleet Week. The annual, multi-day event is a celebration of our nation’s ‘sea services,’ complete with an array of events and activations, including active duty ship tours, live entertainment, aircraft flyovers, a culinary cook-off between Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Army teams, and more. Best of all, the whole weekend is free.
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Photo Courtesy of Discover LA
Topanga Days Country Fair
May 27-29 | 10am-7pm daily
Up north in Topanga, discover a bohemian celebration of music, food, arts and nature during this three-day festival fundraiser. Tucked away in the canyon, Topanga Days is essentially the West Coast version of Woodstock, featuring an epic music lineup that’s complemented by a morning parade, afternoon games like diaper derby and sack races, and delish vendors including Mimi’s Coffee, Savage Tacos and more.
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Dodger’s Game
Monday, May 29 | 6:10pm
Hit it out of the park this Memorial Day and catch the Dodgers v. Washington Nationals game at Dodger Stadium. The game starts at 6:10pm, which means you’ll get an epic sunset to enjoy with your Dodger Dog. You’ll also find special merch that honors our armed forces, so be sure to shop and show your support!
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Photo Courtesy of Pitching in the Community
LA County Fair
Open Through May 29 | 11am-11pm daily
Now through Memorial Day, the historic and undeniably iconic LA County Fair has set up shop in Pomona with endless activations that’ll please everyone in the family. While the event was first staged as an agricultural fair in 1921, it’s evolved into a fun-filled destination with modern acrobats, concerts, wine tastings and more, all with a farm-friendly focus.
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Skybar Pool Party
May 26-29
Set atop the glamorous Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood, SkyBar is the place to be this Memorial Day Weekend. They’re hosting an array of epic pool parties throughout the weekend, closing it out on Monday, May 29 with “Made in Tulum,” bringing the exotic, hip vibes of Tulum to WeHo.
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Photo Courtesy of NOX
Outdoor Movie with Cinespia -OR- Rooftop Cinema Club
May 26-29
Catch a movie under the stars over Memorial Day Weekend by snagging a ticket to Cinespia at the LA Historic Park or Rooftop Cinema Club in DTLA. If you go the Cinespia route, you can choose from Mrs. Doubtfire (May 26) and 10 Things I Hate About You (May 27), but if you’d prefer a sky-high setting, Rooftop Cinema Club is showing everything from Cruel Intentions to Pitch Perfect and The Breakfast Club.
CINESPIA / ROOFTOP CINEMA CLUB