Top Things to Do in SoCal This Week: August 25-31, 2025
100 Years of Japanese American Car Culture
Dive into a century-spanning story as author Oliver Wang explores the vibrant relationship between Japanese American communities in L.A. and their deep-rooted connection to car culture in Cruising J-Town. Co-presented by Angel City Press, look foward to a compelling evening of history, personal narratives, and thought-provoking conversation that shines a light on this often-hidden legacy. Whether you’re passionate about culture, cars, or community, this event promises a journey filled with heart and discovery.
100 N Central Ave
Peep Bowers Museum’s Newest Treasures
Be one of the first to peep inside the vault at "First Look: New Acquisitions at Bowers Museum." Featuring a rotating mix of nearly 3,300 recently acquired treasures from tribal masks and stunning textiles to cutting-edge sculpture, you’ll wander through a wildly diverse collection shaped by generous donors from around the globe.
2002 North Main Street
Craft Your Own Resin Cactus Sculpture
Unleash your inner artist with some desert flair at OC Parks’ “Nature Creativity: Cactus Sculpture with Resin.” Channel your adventurous side at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park’s Nix Nature Center where you'll uncover the quirky resilience of cacti and then craft your very own cactus-inspired resin sculpture to take home. Open to ages 12+, this free, hands-on event is perfect for teens and teens-at-heart. Remember to bring closed-toe shoes, sun protection, plenty of water, and your imagination.
18751 Laguna Canyon Road
Discover California’s Hidden Heritage
Step into California’s hidden histories with “California Eden: Heritage Landscapes of the Golden State,” a captivating talk by Dr. Christine Edstrom O’Hara at Rancho Los Alamitos. Drawing from the newly released book, Dr. O’Hara explores the Golden State through the lens of cultural landscapes shaped by Indigenous communities, Spanish colonizers, settlers, and visionaries whose designs still ripple across the land. From the elegance of Green Gables estate to the quiet beauty of Japanese American gardens in San Diego, these stories reveal both the creativity and fragility of landscapes too often overlooked. Insightful, richly layered, and rooted in preservation, this lecture invites audiences to see California’s environment not just as scenery, but as a living archive of culture, memory, and design.
6400 East Bixby Hill Road
Feel the Rhythm of L.A. at the Leimert Park Jazz Festival
A vibrant celebration of jazz, culture, and community in the heart of South L.A., the Leimert Park Jazz Festival is a full day of world-class live jazz performances, thought-provoking panel conversations, and an outdoor art exhibition featuring local talent. The festival also brings together food vendors serving up delicious bites, family-friendly activities, and an art competition that showcases the creativity of emerging and established artists. More than a music festival, it’s a joyful gathering that honors Leimert Park’s legacy as a cultural hub while uplifting the next generation of creatives.
3650 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd