Classes are in full swing and midterms are already creeping on the horizon. It can be easy to get caught up in studying and forget the world outside of Starbucks. For the rare days off where you do get a chance to venture off campus, here’s a funky list of some of the coolest stuff happening in the LA area this season.
1. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: For a fun, outdoor day trip, head over to Lancaster, CA to check out the beautiful poppy fields the state park has to offer. Visit the park between mid-March and mid-April for the possibility of seeing a super bloom due to the recent rain.
2. Descanso Garden Cherry Blossom Festival: From March 4th to March 5th, the Descanso Gardens will be celebrating Japanese culture with different crafts, traditional cuisine, performances and of course, Cherry Blossom trees.
Photo courtesy of IMcreator.com
3. ArtNight Pasadena: On March 10th, Pasadena’s museums and performance venues will be opened free to the public, complete with food trucks to set the mood.
4. Grand Park Downtown Bookfest: If you’re a book lover such as myself, this is your dream day. On March 11th, this downtown park will have a free, all-day literary festival with many reading and art related activities.
5. LA Festival of Colors: Also on March 11th, this event inspired by the traditional Indian holiday Holi will be a perfect way to welcome spring through traditional music and a lot of colors to throw at your friends as well as strangers.
6. Smorgasburg LA: Every Sunday, a market focused around delicious bites is held by some of the city’s up and coming food stars. Paradise is real.
Photo courtesy of IMcreator.com
7. First Fridays Natural History Museum: From now until May, the first Friday of every month at the Natural History Museum will have late night DJs, performers and science talks. What could be better?
8. Harry Potter Roller Skating Night: On April 8th, Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale will be hosting a Harry Potter themed night. Make sure to come dressed in your Hogwarts best!
9. Check out the music scene: From concerts like the Weeknd to Idina Menzel, as well as many clubs with free local music residency nights, find your groove and search what you’re into to see what deals you can find this spring.
10. Celebrate your body: From 5k’s to biking races to free yoga, LA’s springtime is full of ways to share your favorite ways to exercise with like-minded people.
11. Make your own Spring LA Bucket List! Timeout.com is a great place to start to find underground events as well as popular go-to’s, but many websites have awesome things to do that will keep your mind off finals, even if it’s just for a day.