Free Fun in LA - December 2013

It's holiday time and that means lots of celebrations: Kwanzaa, tree lighting, tree decorating, festivals and toy drives, plus holiday concerts and film screenings--yippee! Have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

FESTIVALS AND OTHER EVENTS

12/1 (Sun):  It's a Kwan zaa Bonanza (Target Free Sundays), 1pm-5pm, California African American Museum in Downtown LA, More info

**BLOG PICK!!  12/6 (Fri):  Alhambra's First Friday and Tree Lighting Ceremony (live bands, face painting, vendors, more), 5pm-9pm, Renaissance Plaza in Alhambra, More info

Victorian Christmas Open House

12/7 (Sat):  Allendale Holiday Literary Festival and Tree Lighting, 4pm-6pm, Allendale Library and Park in Pasadena, More info

**BLOG PICK!!  12/7-12/8 (Sat-Sun):  Festival Navidenio en la Calle Ocho (Latin music festival, vendors and toy drive), 8th Street between Vermont Ave. and Irolo Street in Downtown LA, 12pm-10pm,  More info

**BLOG PICK!! Also, Victorian Christmas Open House, 11am-4pm, The Banning Museum in Wilmington, More info
 
12/8 (Sun): Winter Family Festival plus Radio Disney's Festival of Giving, 1-4pm, Beeman Park in Studio City, More info

12/11 (Wed): Holiday and Tree Decorating Party, 2:30pm-4pm, Villa Parke Library in Pasadena, More info

12/12 (Thurs):  Winter Wonderland Tree Decorating Party,  3:30pm, Lamanda Park in Pasadena, More info


12/13 (Fri):  Christmas Tree Lighting and Santa, 3pm-5pm, La Pintoresca Library and Park in Pasadena, More info

**BLOG PICK!!  12/14 (Sat):  Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade and Fireworks Display, 3pm, Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey, More info 

Also, Winter Holiday Festival 2013,  12pm-6pm, Pershing Square in Downtown LA, More info

Music Center Holiday Sing-Along

**BLOG PICK!!  12/15 (Sun): Taste of Tamales Food Festival, 10am-6pm, Placita Olvera in Downtown LA, More info

12/20 (Fri): The Music Center Holiday Sing-Along,  6:30pm, Music Center Plaza in Downtown LA, free tickets required, More info

12/21 (Sat):  Beach Winter Wonderland, 11am-4pm, Dockweiler Youth Center in El Segundo, $8 parking, More info

Also, Naples Holiday Boat Parade, 6pm, Naples Island in Long Beach, More info

**BLOG PICK!!  12/24 (Tues):  L.A County Holiday Celebration (live music & dance performances), 3pm-6pm, Music Center in Downtown LA, More info

12/27 (Fri):  Kwanzaa Celebration (music, stories and food), 11am-1pm, La Pintoresca Branch Library in Pasadena, More info

**BLOG PICK!!  12/31 (Tues):  New Year's Eve LA (live performances, food trucks, animated countdown, and more), 6pm-12:30pm, Grand Park in Downtown LA,  More info

FILM AND CINEMA 

12/1 (Sat):  42 film screening, 2pm, AV Library Community Room at Aliso Viejo Library in Aliso Viejo, More info

12/3 (Tues): The Palm Beach Story film screening, 1:30pm, Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, More info

12/5 (Thurs): Wilde film screening, 2pm, Tustin Branch Library in Tustin, More info

**BLOG PICK!!  Also, Silent Movie Screenings w/ Piano Accompaniment: A Dog's Life (w/ Charlie Chaplin) and Where the North Begins (Rin Tin Tin), 6pm, Peninsula Center Library in Rancho Palos Verdes, More info

12/7 (Sat): Monsters University animated film screening, 3pm, Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium at Main Library in Santa Monica, More info

Also, Monsoon Wedding film screening, 1pm, Meeting Room A at Central Library in Downtown LA, More info

12/8 (Sun):  The Muppet Christmas Carol film screening, 11am, Hammer Museum in Westwood, free tickets required, More info

12/10 (Tues): The Truman Show film screening, 1:30pm, Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, More info

12/12 (Thurs): Miracle on 34th Street (1994) film screening, 2pm, Tustin Branch Library in Tustin, More info

Also, Remember the Night (1940 holiday romance w/ Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck), 2pm, Montana Avenue Branch Library in Santa Monica, More info

12/14 (Sat): Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure film screening, 2pm, AV Library Community Room at Aliso Viejo Library in Aliso Viejo, More info

 

**BLOG PICK!!  12/15 (Sun): La Sirga film screening (Columbian film) 2pm, Aliso Viejo Library in Aliso Viejo, More info

12/17 (Tues): Gus van Sant's Drugstore Cowboy (1970) film screening, 6:30pm, Montana Avenue Branch Library in Santa Monica, More info

12/19 (Thurs):  Red Tails (2012) film screening, 2pm, Tustin Branch Library in Tustin, More info

12/20 (Fri):  The Chorus film screening (multiple Academy-award nominated international film from France), 7pm, Rancho Santa Margarita Library, More info


12/26 (Thurs):  The Last Station (2010) film screening, 2pm, Tustin Branch Library in Tustin, More info

12/30 (Mon): Despicable Me 2 (2013) animated film screening, 3pm, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium at Main Library in Santa Monica, More info

12/31 (Tues):  The Great Gatsby film screening (2013 film w/ Leonardo di Caprio), 2pm, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium at Main Library in Santa Monica, More info

PERFORMING ARTS 

12/1 (Sun): Cellist Ruslan Biryukov and Pianist Armen Guzelimian in concert, 6pm, Bing Theater at LACMA in Miracle Mile District, More info

Also, "Russian Tableau" program by Claremont Symphony Orchestra, 3:30pm, Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College in Claremont, More info

12/5 (Thurs):  Ecos de Espana performance (Spanish classical/flamenco music and dance), 7pm, DRW Auditorium at Pasadena Central Library in Pasadena, More info

Pomona College Balinese Ensemble

12/6 (Fri):  Pomona College Choir in concert, 8pm, Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College in Claremont, encore performance on 12/8 @ 3pm, More info

Also, Sakai Flamenco (dance and musical ensemble) performance,7pm, Santa Fe Springs Library in Santa Fe Springs, More info

12/7 (Sat):  Benita Bike's DanceArt (interactive dance performance), 2pm, Lake View Terrace Library in Lake View Terrace, More info

12/8 (Sun):  UCLA Camarades in concert (string ensemble), 6pm, Bing Theater at LACMA in Miracle Mile District,  More info

12/9 (Mon): Pomona College Balinese Ensemble performance, Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College in Claremont, More info

12/12 (Thurs): Songs of the Season with the Lyric Chorus of SMC Emeritus College, 11am, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium at Main Library in Santa Monica, More info

12/13 (Fri): Lyric String Quartet in concert, 8pm, Harbor College in Wilmington, More info

Theatricum Botanicum

**BLOG PICK!!  Also, Theatricum Botanicum presents A Midsummer Night's Dream performance, 7:30pm, Antelope Valley College Performing Arts Center in Lancaster, free but reservations required, More info

12/14 (Sat):  Jewel City Flute Choir performance, 3pm, Rotunda at Central Library in Downtown LA, More info

Also, Staged reading of Ibsen's A Doll's House, 2pm, Great Hall at Plummer Park in West Hollywood, More info

12/15 (Sun):  The Capitol Ensemble in concert (classical music), 6pm, Bing Theater at LACMA in Miracle Mile District, More info

Also,  Lyric String Quartet performance, 3pm, Pacific Unitarian Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, More info

12/28:  Grammy Award-nominated Pop Ups performance, 2pm, Magnin Auditorium at Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, More info

12/29:  Multiple Parents' Choice Award-winning Jambo performance (journey through the roots of American music), 2pm, Magnin Auditorium at Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, More info

Monroe Hodder: Polyphonia

VISUAL AND GRAPHIC ARTS 

**BLOG PICK!!  thru 12/18: White Faux Taxidermy presents Wild Thing exhibit (various artists incorporate faux taxidermy into art works), PROJECT Gallery in Hollywood, More info

12/19 (Thurs): Venice Art Crawl, 6pm, various locations in Venice, More info

12/22 (Sun): Leimert Park ArtWalk, 1pm-8pm, Leimert Park in Leimert Park, More info

thru 1/4/2014:  Monroe Hodder: Polyphonia exhibit, George Billis Gallery Los Angeles in West LA, More info