As a college student, I love the word FREE. If there is free food, free goodies, free events, I will be there. If you are a college student attending university in Los Angeles, here are my top three free events happening in Los Angeles that you should check out.
If you’re a music lover or just a lover of finding something to do next Friday night, then LACMA Jazz Nights is for you. These Jazz Nights are held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, a beautiful museum to attend on its own if you have an extra thirty dollars to spend. If you don’t then these Jazz nights happen every Friday, running from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. There is plaza seating and lawn space, if you want to secure the prime spots, I would recommend showing an hour or two earlier to set up your blankets, chairs, get some food and set a picnic that’s picturesque! Expect to listen to local and international jazz artists, good vibes, and maybe meet new people. The LACMA also has the infamous photoshoot spot called Urban Lights, a bunch of lampposts that form the perfect background for your next instagram post! If this sounds like a fun time to you, October will be the last month to attend these events so get your free jazz on before it’s gone.
Speaking of museums, The Griffith Observatory hosts a free Star-Gazing Party that is held once a month on a Saturday from 2:00 pm through 9:45 pm! It’s an amazing collaboration between observatory teams and local telescopes groups bringing the Los Angeles community a chance to peek up at the constellations above us. This is a great way to meet new people, talk to amateur astronomers, and you can’t beat the view the Observatory has to offer. For more information, click here: https://griffithobservatory.lacity.gov/visit/calendar/star-parties/
Finally, we have the Getty Villa. Personally as an LA local, the Getty Villa is one of my favorite places to visit with its beautiful gardens, art, and architecture. It’s also a great place to take pictures and update that feed. This educational center and art museum is located in Malibu, open from 10:00am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Sunday. The Getty also hosts free workshops, tours, talks, conferences, films/performances, and art making. My personal favorite is Getty Drawing Days where you can sketch live, costumed models, which is so fun to do! However, the Drawing Days events have ended on June 28 of this year but keep an eye open for next summer if you’re around. Want to know which free events they will be holding this year?, click here: https://www.getty.edu/calendar/
Being a college student in LA doesn’t mean you have to spend over a hundred every weekend just to get out of your dorm. My experience in this city has been full of wonderful creative experiences and I haven’t had to break the bank completely. From live music to star gazing or exploring beautiful art, LA can be broke college student approved! So grab your friends, put together a cute outfit, pack a picnic, and go explore the city in a budget-friendly way and thank me later.