Marvelous Online And IRL Things To Do This Weekend: Oct. 9
Laugh along at two virtual comedy festivals and a weekend of stand-up. Watch Halloween-themed flicks at the drive-ins. Celebrate the cinema of 1962. Support National Coming Out Day by lacing up for a virtual run or relaxing at a screening of But I’m a Cheerleader. Hang with the cast of Dazed and Confused as they reunite for a good cause. And finally, don’t forget to check out our Ways To Celebrate Halloween In SoCal In The Middle Of A Pandemic.
Through Friday, Oct. 16
Virtual Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest
The city of Palmdale hosts a canine costume contest on the Yellen Dog Park Facebook page. Submit photos of your four-legged BFFs in their best outfits. One winner will be selected in the following categories: most “pawsome,” most creative, funniest and most spooktacular, superhero and best Disney character. Top dogs will receive a Halloween-themed goodie basket filled with toys and treats. The deadline for costume picture entries is Oct. 16. Approved entrants will be presented in a virtual parade on Halloween.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9 – Sunday, Oct. 11; 7 – 10 p.m.
Magic Asphalt
Magic Castle Parking Lot
7001 Franklin Ave., Hollywood
This COVID-safe, stand-up comedy show takes place biweekly, and you can watch a lineup of comics all weekend long from the safety of your car. Performers include Josh Wolf, Preacher Lawson, Jamie Kennedy, Dean Delrey, Jodi Miller, Audrey Stewart, Tony Hinchcliffe, Christina Parzsitzky, Justin Martindale, Sarah Tiana, Kennelia, Erica Rhodes, Joe Praino, Josh Adam Meyers and Justine Marino. Cocktails will be available on-site but food must be ordered in advance. Guests will need to remain in their cars during the show and wear a mask if they want to use the for-emergencies-only bathroom.
COST: $125 per car (up to five people); MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9; 7:30 p.m.
The Moth Virtual StorySLAM — Home
LACMA teams with The Moth for a storytelling night inspired by Do Ho Suh’s 348 West 22nd Street (2011-15), a large-scale artwork that examines the ideas of home, personal history and memory. The night’s participants will share five-minute stories on the theme of home.
COST: $8 – $10; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9 – Sunday, Oct. 11; 7:30 p.m.
Starlight Drive In Movies
Brea Mall
1065 Brea Mall, Brea
Starlight shows Halloween flicks all month long. This weekend’s screenings include Ghostbusters on Friday night, Goosebumps on Saturday night and Edward Scissorhands on Sunday.
COST: $35 per car; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9
Yellow Rose
Written and directed by Diane Paragas, this festival favorite tells the story of a Filipina teen from a small Texas town who pursues her dreams of becoming a country music performer.
COST: Varies; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9 – Friday, Oct. 16; 7 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Not Real Art 2020
Helms Bakery District
8745 Washington Blvd., Culver City
Watch public art projections at Helms Bakery and a virtual gallery exhibition featuring the recipients of the 2020 Not Real Art Grant. They are Jacqueline Valenzuela, Gershon Kreimer, Kiara Aileen Machado, Miki Yokoyama, Paloma Montoya and Tijera S. Williams. The virtual exhibition takes place at NotRealArt.com starting on Oct. 8 and runs for three months.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9 – Sunday, Oct. 11
Secret Movie Club: Parking Lot Cinema
Glendale Sears Parking Lot
211 West California Ave., Glendale
SMC has a great lineup of two Halloween-themed features this weekend starting Friday with Trick R Treat (2007) at 7:15 p.m. and George Romero’s Creepshow (1982) at 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, the films are IT Chapter One (2017) at 7:15 p.m. followed by Brian de Palma’s Carrie (1976) at 10:15 p.m. On Sunday at 7 p.m., there’s a family-friendly screening of Hocus Pocus (1993).
COST: $23 – $37; MORE INFO
Fridays through Nov. 6; noon
Docent Tour Series
The Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard gives viewers an insider’s look at some of its most interesting vehicles on its YouTube channel. Each 20-minute episode focuses on a specific car. This week (Oct. 9), the museum spotlights its 1929 Bugatti Type 43/44.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9; 6 p.m. PDT
An Evening Conversation with Marla Gibbs and Angela Gibbs
The next installment of The Robey Theatre Company’s conversations (via Zoom) features a mother and daughter pair. Marla Gibbs, best known for her stint on The Jeffersons and 227, is joined by her daughter Angela, an actor-writer-director-producer, and founder of Crossroads Arts Academy Theatre in Leimert Park. They’ll discuss the state of the theater and racial justice along with an audience Q&A.
COST: Suggested donation $10; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9 – Saturday, Oct. 10; 2:15 p.m. – 8 p.m. PST
Just For Laughs Festival
The venerated Montreal comedy fest goes virtual this year, featuring more than 100 artists including Hannah Gadsby, Jo Koy, Howie Mandel, Kenya Barris, Sarah Cooper, Amber Ruffin, Tituss Burgess, Nicole Byer, Trixie Mattel, Kevin Hart, Judd Apatow and Chelsea Handler. Events will be available as video on demand (VOD) until midnight on Oct. 11.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Friday, Oct. 9; noon – midnight PST
Original Sound Virtual Cannabis & Arts Festival
Hazy L.A. presents a day of curated music acts including Levitation Room, Dr. Fresch, The Blank Tapes, Wenzday, MackandGold, Weapons Of Mass Creation and The Bash Dogs.The day also features art, giveaways and legal cannabis education while fundraising for In Place of War, a nonprofit that uses creativity in places of conflict to enable positive change.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Saturday, Oct. 10; 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Denisse Ariana Pérez
The Fowler Museum teams with UCLA’s Disrupt student design association to present a lecture series that helps break down barriers in the arts. Pérez has an image series that addresses the fluidity of male identity. She challenges viewers by finding the vulnerabilities in subjects and their environments.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Saturday, Oct. 10; 3 – 6 p.m. PDT
Cinema ’62 A-Go-Go
Vitagraph Films 360 is a cool virtual experience that celebrates the release of the book Cinema ’62: The Greatest Year at the Movies. Tune in for a variety show of yesteryear with guests, discussions, music and dancing. Hosts/authors Michael McClellan and Stephen Farber look back at the year through film, culture and politics, and guests are invited to participate by dressing in their finest outfits, circa 1962.
COST: $13; MORE INFO
Through Saturday, Oct. 31
Pride Stride Virtual Run
Here’s a great reason to get off the couch. L.A. Pride and EnMotive hold an inaugural virtual run in cities nationwide in support of National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11). Choose between a 5K or 10K and run or walk the distance on the treadmill, sidewalk or trail. Just make sure to finish before the end of the month. All participants will receive a commemorative jacket, medal, fanny pack, wristbands and race bib.
COST: $40; MORE INFO
Saturday, Oct 10; 1 – 2:30 p.m. PDT
Common Ground Group Show
Nearly two dozen artists are taking part in a virtual group show that focuses on how we share the planet despite borders, political landscapes and cultural differences. Curated by Suvan Geer and Sandra Mueller, participating artists include Kim Abeles, Eloisa Guanlao, Ann Isolde, Sant Khalsa, Pamela J. Peters, Bonnie J. Smith/She Votes and Gail Werner. There’s an artist-curator online discussion on Saturday during the show’s opening.
COST: RSVP for discussion; MORE INFO
Saturday, Oct. 10; noon – 6 p.m. PDT
Pardcast-A-Thon
Jimmy Pardo and the Never Not Funny podcast hold their annual fundraiser to benefit Smile Train, a nonprofit that provides corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates. The livestream will feature 15+ surprise guests who are friends of the podcast. Funds will be raised during the show through online donations and auctions. This event has raised more than $1.3 million for Smile Train.
COST: FREE to watch, donations encouraged; MORE INFO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1GcyCWwrTA
Sunday, Oct. 11; 6:30 p.m. PDT
OUT Under the Stars: But I’m a Cheerleader
Parking Garage Rooftop
1400 Ivar Ave., Hollywood
The Los Angeles LGBT Center and Lionsgate hold a socially distanced movie night under the stars to celebrate National Coming Out Day on Sunday. The screening of the 1999 film, which stars Natasha Lyonne, Clea Duvall, Melanie Lynskey and RuPaul, serves as a benefit for the center’s programs. The screening is part drive-in and part outdoor seating.
COST: Tickets start at $25; MORE INFO
Sunday, Oct. 11 – Sunday, Oct. 18
The Palm Springs International Comedy Festival
In addition to performances, the virtual festival holds prize competitions in stand-up, improv, sketch, feature film, short film, TV pilot, web series, animation and music with the winners receiving awards and cash prizes. Judy Tenuta will receive the PSICF Lifetime Achievement Award while comedienne/actress Luenell (A Star Is Born, Dolemite Is My Name) will be honored with the PSICF Breakthrough Award.
COST: $10 (day pass), $40 all access; MORE INFO
Sunday, Oct. 11 at 4:30 p.m. PDT
Dazed and Confused Live Script Reading
The cast of Richard Linklater’s 1993 classic film reunites to raise money for voting initiatives in Texas benefitting March For Science and the Voto Latino Foundation. Special guests and original cast members, including Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Jason London, Joey Lauren Adams, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Rory Cochrane, Marissa Ribisi and Cole Hauser, participate in post-reading Q&A moderated by Patton Oswalt.
COST: By donation; MORE INFO
Dine & Drink Deals
Who doesn’t miss going out to eat or stopping by a bar for a drink? Here are a few options from restaurants and bars as we work our way back toward normal.
- Golden Road celebrates Oktoberfest with a pop-up on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12, at 1300 Glendale Blvd., Echo Park. Teaming with retailer Quiet Life and designer Steven Harrington, fans 21+ can shop a capsule collection, take home a six-pack of Golden Road’s new Oktoberfest Bier, Brotzeit boxes filled with pretzels and other treats. Pre-orders only.
- October is National Pizza Month and chef Evan Funke recently opened Fingers Crossed in Hollywood, specializing in traditional Roman pizza and pasta. Open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday, Fingers Crossed offers classics like margherita ($18) alongside the popular fiori de zucca ($26), which uses creamy buffalo mozzarella, squash blossoms, burrata and anchovies.
- Openaire at the LINE LA in K-town reopened on Wednesday with an expanded al fresco dining experience and new dishes. Josiah Citrin’s menu includes steamed buns with red kuri squash, fontina cheese and Calabrian chili jam; and ahi tuna tartare with avocado, cucumber and yuzu. The restaurant is open for dinner only, with brunch available on Saturday and Sunday.
- The food court at Mitsuwa Del Amo in Torrance is now open for outdoor dining. Restaurants include Hamada-Ya bakery, Misasa, MoDo Hawaii donuts, Santouka ramen and Yamacho Hasegawa.
- Executive Chef Jeffrey Williams of The Everly Hotel in Hollywood opened Yaki-Q, a yakitori inspired pop-up with cocktails, skewers and salads.It runs through the month of October on the hotel’s 5th floor sundeck.