7 Exciting Things To Do & Eat Over Memorial Day Weekend

May Gray and June Gloom be damned, Memorial Day weekend is upon us and that means summer has unofficially commenced. We understand if holiday weekends generally mean recharging and laying horizontal on the couch for you, but in the event you’re looking to get out of the house, these are the LA events we’re most excited about. 

THE EVENTS

STAY UP LATE AT A NIGHT MARKET

This Saturday, May 28th, community-based non-profit, Mama LA, is throwing a night market in celebration of AAPI Heritage month. Running from 6pm-2am, the 21+ event will be held at The Berrics in East LA and will feature over 20 different food vendors ranging from Holy Basil to Bhanu’s Indian Cuisine—plus DJs, live music, and more. Tickets are $15 with a portion of proceeds going to Respect Your Elders, a non-profit organization feeding seniors in minority communities. 

FEAST ON SOME SEAFOOD

If summer and seafood are synonymous in your mind, we have some good news—the Long Beach Seafood Festival is back this Saturday, May 28th in downtown Long Beach. Running from 11am-7:30pm, the event will feature dozens of different food and beverage vendors, live bands and DJs, cooking demonstrations, games, beer gardens, and even a mechanical bull named Jorge. General adult admission is $21, but children under 12 get in for $8. 

DANCE ALL DAY

Resident DTLA, the excellent beer garden/live music venue in the Arts District, is hosting an all-day dance party/BBQ on Saturday, May 28th called The Carters. The 21+ event runs from 1-7pm and will feature all the Beyonce and Jay-Z bops you want, plus delicious grilled meat from the beer garden. Tickets are $15. 

HIT UP A CARNIVAL

What’s summer without getting slightly nauseous at a neighborhood street carnival? Go get your fix this weekend at Fiesta Hermosa. The massive event in the South Bay runs from Saturday, May 28th through Monday, May 30th and will feature three different live music stages, 250+ street vendors, a separate art and food fair, and of course, tons of carnival rides. Admission to the event is free. 

photo credit: Marie Buck

HANG OUT ON A PATIO

When all else fails, hanging outside with friends and a stiff drink is a great way to usher in summer. Check out one of the many great new patios in town, relax on a rooftop, or revisit one of LA’s many iconic outdoor dining spaces. 

GO TO THE CIRCUS

OK, not the actual circus—those are weird anyway. This circus is a secret queer one that’s Rocky Horror themed and features a variety of performers including burlesque, pole, drag, fire, and magic—as well as DJs and other vendors. The event is being held Friday, May 27th from 9pm-2am in DTLA and you must be 21+ to attend. Pre-sale tickets are $15 and $20 at the door. 

DO DINNER AND A SHOW

Silver Lake’s Casita Del Campo is one of the most important queer spaces in LA. And while an evening of margaritas and sizzling enchiladas on the upstairs patio is an essential way to ring in the summer, no night is complete without seeing a show downstairs, too. This weekend, 30 Minute Musicals is presenting their original Top Gun: The Musical, featuring both original music and hit songs from the ‘80s blockbuster. Tickets are $20.