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Sunday
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Mostly sunny. Mild.
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75°F/
64°F
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Monday
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Mostly sunny. Cool.
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73°F/
62°F
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Tuesday
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A mixture of sun and clouds. Cool.
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72°F/
63°F
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EXPLORE L.A. | | | | | | | Los Angeles Times Festival of Books405 Hilgard Ave
Los Angeles,
CA
90095
213-237-2665 | | | | | Description: A delight for lovers of the written word, the Times Festival promises a weekend of conviviality and fun. Attendees thrill to meet their favorite authors and have books signed by them or to sit in on lectures and readings. Workshops also give people a chance to test their own abilities, and scores of booths provide information about publishing and literature. You can also buy new and used books and meet a host of other like-minded folks. The large event accommodates visitors of all interests and ages.
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| Los Angeles Pride Festival647 N San Vicente Blvd
West Hollywood,
CA
90069
| | | | | Description: Affirming the role and presence of gay men and women in LA, this lively series of events seeks to represent the diversity of the gay community and to give a voice to all. Held since 1970, LA Pride draws more than 100,000 people each year and features a fun-filled parade and lots of live shows and music. Various stages are devoted to R&B, country, Latin, and more, and special areas are set aside for children of gay and lesbian attendees and for gay people 24 and under. Lots of folks set up exhibits for a variety of goods and services, and an abundance of food and drink can easily be had.
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| 237 S San Pedro St
Los Angeles,
CA
90013
213-473-3030 | | | | | Description: A healthy festival that benefits a great cause, the Tofu Festival has steadily grown in popularity over the last decade. Sponsored by Little Tokyo Service Center, the two-day event features everyone's favorite firm soybean product prepared in a multitude of ways by celebrity chefs. (Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has made several appearances.) Additional attractions include a tofu-eating contest, live music (hip-hop duo Blackalicious has been a mainstay), dance exhibitions by community groups, and Taiko drumming.
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| African Marketplace and Cultural Faire5001 Rodeo Rd
Los Angeles,
CA
90016
323-290-3141 | | | | | Description: Established in 1986, this celebration honors the traditions, contributions, and community of the African diaspora, whose ancestors were dispersed from the continent in ages past. The expansive festival takes place over the course of three consecutive weekends and revels in music, dance, storytelling, and literature. Arts and crafts are highlighted, and a children's area provides plenty of opportunity for young ones to be enlightened. International foods and health screenings are also part of the happenings, which showcase cultures from Europe to South America and the US.
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| 1101 W McKinley Ave
Pomona,
CA
91768
909-623-3111 | | | | | Description: One of the nation's largest county fairs, this LA mainstay has been going strong since 1922. Northeast of the city on the county's far outskirts, the annual attraction draws more than a million visitors each year. They come for carnival rides, contests galore, livestock exhibitions, agriculture displays, and horse racing. They also take advantage of "it's-so-bad-it's-good" fair food, lots of people-watching, and a fantastic array of live concerts by folks like Lifehouse, Willie Nelson, The Doobie Brothers, and Violent Femmes.
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| Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood,
CA
90069
323-848-6503 | | | | | Description: What began as a small neighborhood celebration in 1987 has burgeoned into a huge extravaganza attracting nearly a half-million revelers each year. A portion of Santa Monica Boulevard is closed to accommodate all the costumed participants and onlookers, who can't get enough of the creativity, eccentricity, and spectacle. A costume contest is held, a queen is crowned, celebrities attend, and traditional festivities like pumpkin-carving and children's activities are sponsored. Of course, you'll also find plenty of food and performances by first-rate bands and vocalists.
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| Hollywood Christmas Parade6801 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
| | | | | Description: For 75 years, this holiday tradition has mesmerized folks watching in person and those catching the festivities over the airwaves. The evening event lasts more than two hours, traces a 3½-mile route, and is rife with celebrities from the film, TV, and music worlds. Included in the parade are marching bands, vintage cars, elaborate floats, Santa Claus himself, and a menagerie of horses, camels, and elephants. A million spectators catch sight of everything along the way, and millions more watch from home. If you go in person, set out early to find a good position, take public transportation, bring a cushion, and dress warmly temperatures can be chilly.
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| Festival Navideño en la Calle Ocho3305 W 8th St
Los Angeles,
CA
90005
213-388-8291 | | | | | Description: Naturally, this annual festival gives folks a reason to gather for fun and entertainment, but the Latin-themed event also has an altruistic purpose by making sure that disadvantaged children are given toys and gifts for the holiday season. More than 45,000 items are collected annually and then distributed the spectacle is singularly heartwarming. Adding to the merriment are musical performances, terrific food, carnival rides, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, clowns, and appearances by local celebrities. The event takes place on ten blocks from Eighth Avenue to Vermont.
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| Tournament of Roses Rose Bowl Parade430 W Colorado Blvd
Pasadena,
CA
| | | | | Description: If you plan to be in LA during the winter holiday season, this traditional event is definitely worth seeing in person. Television cannot do justice to the intricacies of today's floats, decorated with millions of flowers and tons of natural materials like leaves and bark. In fact, each individual float uses more flowers than the average florist will handle over the course of five years! The floats take nearly a year to construct, but the bulk of decorating is done after Christmas, and many of the flowers are attached to the floats in little vials of water to keep them fresh. Although reserved seating is available, you can stake out plenty of great spots along Colorado Boulevard starting at noon on the 31st. Expect crowds!
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| 100 Universal City Plz
Universal City,
CA
91608
310-444-5544 | | | | | Description: Drawing 25,000 runners each year and more than a million spectators, this large race is a prominent city event. Since 1986, it has tested the competitive mettle of people from around the world, who pass by the city's best-known landmarks and a host of parties and live entertainments along the way. The course has been adapted to be flatter and more downhill, and runners wear personalized bibs so that folks can cheer them on individually as well as corporately. Some runners also compete to benefit local charities.
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