Best Things to Do in SoCal and LA This Month: August 2026
Summer of Shakespeare
Independent Shakespeare Co. returns to Griffith Park with The Comedy of Errors. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, and enjoy one of Southern California's most beloved free theater traditions at the historic Old Zoo in Griffith Park under the stars. This new staging adds an original musical score and a multicultural twist. Performances run Wednesday through Sunday through September 6.
4800 Crystal Springs Drive
Not your conventional art fair
Torrance Art Museum hosts TRYST 2026, an international gathering dedicated to artist-run spaces, collectives and independent arts organizations. This free three-day event transforms Del Amo Crossing into a vibrant hub of contemporary art, bringing together grassroots organizations from around the globe for exhibitions, performances, and artist talks that celebrate experimentation over convention.
3320 Civic Center Drive
Fabric is a counter-monument
Fowler Museum presents Textiles as Monuments, an exhibit featuring contemporary artists Suchitra Mattai, Jagdeep Raina, and Swapnaa Tamhane, who transform fabric into powerful acts of remembrance. Through intricate textile installations, the exhibition honors communities and stories often overlooked by traditional monuments. Celebrate the exhibition's opening with a first look at the new work along with a conversation with the artists and curator Syona Puliady.
308 Charles E Young Dr N
Find your summer soundtrack
For more than 70 years, the Fiesta Music Festival has transformed downtown San Clemente into a lively celebration of creativity and coastal charm. Stroll the closed streets of Avenida Del Mar as two stages of live music fill the air while local artists and makers fill the festival with handcrafted goods, artisanal treats, and family-friendly fun. This beloved Orange County tradition is the perfect way to soak up the spirit of summer.
Eat your way through the 626
Inspired by the bustling open-air markets of Asia, the 626 Night Market is a three-night festival in Santa Anita Park with hundreds of food vendors serving everything from viral street food creations to beloved regional specialties. Alongside local artists, makers, live entertainment, and interactive experiences, it’s a delicious celebration of the numerous diverse cultures that make Southern California “amazing.”
285 W Huntington Drive
Art of the stitch
Celebrate the artistry and tradition of quilting at the Bowers Museum Quilt Fair where colorful textiles and skilled craftsmanship take center stage. This family-friendly event brings together local quilting guilds and artists for a day of demonstrations, workshops, and displays showcasing the rich history and evolving art of quilting. Held in connection with the museum's featured exhibition, The American Quilt: Cloth and Commerce, the fair is the perfect complement to a day of textile-inspired discovery.
2002 North Main Street
See a photo show
LA Artcore presents f8 Group Photography Show, an exhibition featuring photographers whose work spans tintypes, street, documentary, architecture, and abstract. Set inside one of Downtown’s longest-running nonprofit contemporary art spaces, the exhibition explores the many ways photography captures the way we see Los Angeles from a fresh perspective.
120 Judge John Aiso St
MLB and mythology
Track 16 Gallery presents Graven Images to the Major Deities, a new exhibition by artist John Collins. In the second installment of Collins’s Moonlight Graham, the artist follows the MLB baseball season from opening day to the World Series and every day chooses a play from one of the games to paint with brushwork and ink washes on paper. Blurring mythology with hero worship, the detailed images invite viewers to consider symbols and stories that shape our beliefs.
1206 Maple Ave
Suite 100
History of queer zines
The Los Angeles Central Library hosts The Emergence of the Queer Zine in Los Angeles, an illustrated presentation on the evolution of queer zines. Presented by the Mattazine Society, the program traces queer zines from early publications on the gay rights movement and science fiction fan-zines to the punk rock era. Pulled from private collections and ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, DIY gets the museum treatment.
630 W 5th St
Adventure at Big Bear Lake
Swim the bear at Big Bear Lakefest, a weekend celebration that showcases the natural beauty of one of Southern California’s favorite alpine destinations. Set along the shores of Big Bear Lake, the festival features swim, kayak, and paddleboard races, live music, family-friendly activities, and local vendors. A perfect blend of mountain recreation and scenic adventure far away from the lights of the big city.
41216 Park Ave