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Best Things to Do in SoCal This Week: November 24-30, 2025

Everyday objects become monuments

The Broad unveils the most expansive Robert Therrien exhibition ever, a sweeping tribute to the late artist whose playful manipulations of scale and everyday objects have enchanted audiences for decades. Robert Therrien: This is a Story gathers more than 120 works spanning fifty years to reveal the evolution of Therrien’s distinctive visual language. From towering tables, chairs, and stacks of plates to intimate drawings of snowmen, birds, and chapels, many works on view have never been shown in a museum before.

Robert Therrien: This is a Story - Opening
The Broad
221 S. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Saturday, November 22, 10:00 AM
$15

A Jolly Holly Hollywood Christmas Parade

Now in its dazzling 93rd year, The Hollywood Christmas Parade kicks off with actor Luke Wilson as the Grand Marshall. This beloved tradition transforms Hollywood Boulevard into a festive wonderland filled with movie cars, dazzling equestrians, larger-than-life character balloons, colorful floats, and specialty acts along with Santa and his reindeer. Grab a spot along the route and let one of LA’s most iconic parades start the holiday season.

The Hollywood Christmas Parade
TCL Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
Sunday, November 30, 4:00 PM
Free

Reset and get creatively centered

Rooted in the Dzogchen lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, this gathering is an invitation to step outside your habitual mind and into a deeper mode of creative presence. Participants explore the subtle dance of non-duality within daily life, learning to release old narratives that block fresh artistic expression. For artists seeking renewal and a more awakened relationship with their craft, this is a chance to experience meditation as both spiritual path and creative catalyst.

Dzogchen-LA Meditation
18th Street Arts Center
1639 18th St
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Tuesday, November 25, 7:00 PM
Free

The Nutcracker dances with marionette strings

Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s beloved 1969 marionette adaptation of The Nutcracker returns to the Sierra Madre Playhouse, offering a holiday experience that’s equal parts nostalgia and pure enchantment. Featuring more than 100 meticulously handcrafted puppets including Clara, the Nutcracker, the Rat King, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and a host of Bob Baker’s signature whimsical characters, this production transforms the classic ballet into a vibrant, puppet-filled spectacle. Perfect for families and anyone craving a dose of vintage holiday wonder.

Bob Baker’s Nutcracker
Sierra Madre Playhouse
87 W Sierra Madre Blvd
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
Sunday, November 30, 8:00 AM
$25

Light up the bay with fire and lights

Start your holiday season seaside as Newport Dunes ignites its beloved Fire & Lights Festival, transforming the waterfront into a glowing winter wonderland. Opening night features the first official Lighting of the Bay with hundreds of shimmering lights dancing across the water alongside fire-dancing performances, giant inflatables, a holiday movie under the stars, and cozy fire pits perfect for roasting s’mores. With its mix of sparkling spectacle and beachy warmth, this free family-friendly celebration is one of Orange County’s most magical ways to welcome the holidays.

35th Annual Lighting of the Bay and Fire & Lights Festival – Opening Night
Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina
1131 Back Bay Dr
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Friday, November 28, 4:00 PM
Free

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