Weekend Fun with LA Kids: Wee Rock, Dragonboats, and Soda Tasting, July 18 - 19

7/16/15 - By Toby B

Everyone seems to be loving Long Beach this weekend.  The dragonboatsLewis Carroll,  heck there's a whole festival built around loving Long Beach.  We like to think we got the trend started, with our post dropping some serious "We heart LB" vibes.

You know what else people love around here?  The movies, and everything to do with show biz. Besides having a nearly infinite number of ways to see movies this weekend, indoors, outdoors, timeless classics, or brand new releases,  we now have an unmatched studio tour, thanks to Warner Brothers, that takes you inside the movie- and television-making process like never before. Check this out: you can sit on the couch at Central Perk. (Stuff just got real.)

But don't stop there: we've got love to spread all over town.  Love for soda.  Love for the big top.  Love for pirates and reptiles and kid-centric music,  and love for music that will get you in the mood for love.  Love for our far away favorite Pluto,  whether or not we call it a planet.  And most of all, love for spending time with our kids, no matter what it is we end up doing.

Keep reading for our most lovey dovey picks for this weekend...

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

Orange County Fair - Costa Mesa
The OC Fair opens this week with everything from concerts and carnival rides to a cattle drive and Alaskan Racing Pigs. If it's not at the OC Fair - who are we kidding; you name it, it’s there!
 
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme- Ontario - Ontario
If you’ve ever dreamed of running away to join the circus, now’s your chance! With tigers BMX extreme, aerialists and the world’s youngest human cannonball, it’s spectacle taken to the Xtreme!

Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival - Long Beach
Marine Stadium hosts one of the largest dragon boat competitions in California, with traditional dance, hip hop, music, and martial arts performances.

The Golden Bird and The Dancing Princesses - Culver City
Free outdoor theatre for kids at Carlson Park! This year’s story is based on a Grimm Brothers tale. 

Deep Space/ Deep Sea Connection - Santa Monica
The Santa Monica Pier explores the connection between distant dwarf planet Pluto and our own deep seas.

Pirate Days Festival - Ventura
Aaarh!  Thar be pirates at Ventura Harbor Village!

Love Long Beach - Long Beach
This festival is filled with things to love about Long Beach.  (We’ve got a few more for you to consider!)

Warner Brothers Studio Tour Expansion Opening Weekend - Burbank
What LA deserves is an awesome behind-the-scenes look at how movies and television and television are made.  What LA is getting is a brand new awesome behind-the-scenes look at how movies and television and television are made, with the major expansion of the Warner Bros. Studio tour.
 
Reptile Days at Kidspace - Pasadena
Turtles, crocodiles, and snakes, oh my!  Kidspace gives the lowdown on these slithery, scaley, creepy crawly creatures!

Family Amphitheater Performances - West LA
The Skirball keeps the family entertainment coming.  This weekend:  Lawrence Lebo (blues/roots/jazz) on Saturday and Bonne Musique Zydeco on Sunday.

Inside Out (PG) with Light Show - Hollywood
The 3D multimedia dance & light show before the movie alone is worth the price of admission at the El Capitan! (But trust me, you’re going to want to stay for the movie, too!)

Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival 2015 - Griffith Park
As if the free performance of Romeo & Juliet weren’t enough, families can enjoy a free performance by Invertigo Dance Theatre before all performances this weekend.

Kiddee Matinees - Hollywood
Break out the tissues.  New Beverly Cinema screens the sentimental classic Old Yeller.

Old Pasadena Film Festival - Old Pasadena
Classic movies screen for free throughout Old Pasadena,  This weekend’s offerings include A Room with a View and Galaxy Quest on Friday, Juno and Creature from the Black Lagoon on Saturday and Strictly Ballroom on Sunday.

All Star Comedy Festival - El Segundo
Old Town Music Hall shows a quirky collection of sound and silent short comedies from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

SATURDAY JULY 18

Wee Rock! Kids Music Festival - Glendale
Who rocks?  Wee Rock! Favorite kid-friendly performers including Ryan Beatty and Rhythm Child. get kids movin’ and groovin’ at the Americana at Brand. (Plus there’s all kinds of other fun, like Design your own t-shirt and glitter tattoos).
 
Family Art Day at the Festival of Arts - Laguna Beach
Kids can get in the artistic spirit in this day filled with a marionette show, ceramics, face painting, hat making and a free lunch for kids.
 
Ring Around the Lotus - Echo Park
Who needs to ring around the rosie when you can ride around Echo Park Lake, (on a family-paced, training-wheel friendly ride)?

AMC Theatres Sensory Friendly Films - Multiple Locations
Select AMC Theatres screen Minions in a sensory-friendly environment.
 
Movie on the Lawn - Irvine
He may live in a pineapple under the sea, but this Saturday you can find him in Irvine. The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water screens at Orange County Great Park.

Safe Summer at The Shops at Montebello -  Montebello
At the Kidgits Safe Summer event, kids learn how to stay safe in the sun and in the water.

Glendale Galleria Summer Celebrations - Glendale
Glendale Galleria celebrates the season with fashion modeling, live music, retailer activities and giveaways and a kids’ sun visor craft.

Norton Simon Family Day - Pasadena
Cubist works at the Norton Simon serve as inspiration for your own cubist drawings.

Street Food CinemaPasadena
Oooh, ahhh, that's how it always starts. Then later there's running and screaming…Jurassic Park screens at Victory Park.

Redondo Beach Summer Music Festival - Redondo Beach
The Redondo Pier has the 562nd United States Air Force Band     

David Gray & Amos Lee - Hollywood
So, we like doing stuff for the kids and all, but don’t Mom and Dad deserve a date night?

Marina Del Rey Free Movie Nights - Marina del Rey
The marina is alive with The Sound of Music, as the classic film screens under the stars at  Burton Chace Park.
 
SUNDAY JULY 19

Free Kite Festival - Costa Mesa
Bring your own kite or make one at this free festival filled with workshops, demonstrations, and kite flying tricks and tips.
 
 "Around the World in 80 Sips” Summer Soda Tasting - Highland Park
Sufferin’ sarsaparilla!  You can sip on sodas from around the world at Galco’s Soda Pop Stop’s annual event.

Faery Hunt Family Series - Redondo Beach
The faeries introduce their newest indoor musical show: The Fairies Songbook, featuring old and new favorite songs.
 
Family Autism Morning-  La Habra
Family Autism Day affords children on the autism spectrum enjoy the La Habra Children's Museum at their own pace, in a comfortable and safe environment.
 
Hammer Kids: Close Encounters: Picture Perfect - Westwood
Families can to look closely at art, and consider what makes a picure perfect, in this Hammer Museum program

Children's Garden Workshops - Irvine
Kids can discover how to make healthy eating choices by learning the nutritional value of summer fruits and vegetables at Orange County Great Park
 
Artventure Sundays at MOLAA - Long Beach
Museum of Latin American Art: another great reason to visit Long Beach. 

Family Sunday/ Kids Run the Bases: Angels - Anaheim
The Angels play the Red Sox and kids run the bases at Angel Stadium.
 
Summer Art Sundays - Newport Beach
Bloomingdale’s Courtyard at Fashion Island gets all artsy with works from Festival of Arts’ artists, as well as a “live” statue from the famed Pageant of the Masters’ “tableaux vivants”.

Zimmer Sunday Family Programs - Mid-Wilshire
I scream, you scream, the Zimmer screams for ice cream!

And it wouldn’t be summer without the summer concerts:
 
Manhattan Beach Summer Concerts in the Park - Manhattan Beach
Blue Breeze Band blows into Polliwog Park Amphitheater.
 
South Pasadena Summer Concerts - South Pasadena
Swing on over to Garfield Park for Phat Cat Swingers.
 
Sizzlin' Summer Concert Series - Irvine
This week’s concert features Pacific Symphony, plus a classical guitar program and a musical playground for kids.
 
2015 Summer Concerts in the Park - Thousand Oaks
Justin Young performs at Conejo Community Center
 
2015 Music in the Park - Laguna Hills
Rapture!  Hollywood Blondie (a Blondie tribute band) performs in Bluebird Park
 
LevittLA Summer Concert Series - Children's Concerts in MacArthur Park - Downtown
Them kids got talent:  the free show at Levitt Pavilion spotlights Youth Talent.

Sierra Madre Concerts in the Park - Sierra Madre
We hope you will enjoy the show.  Beatles tribute band Sgt. Pepper plays  Memorial Park Bandshell.

Concerts on the Green - Woodland Hills
We don’t need no education to know that Which One’s Pink? is a Pink Floyd tribute band.

As always, there are many more activities listed on our Event Calendar, and if you didn't receive this info as a newsletter, you should sign up for our weekly events updates. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, we hope you have a terrific time!