Southern California

Weekend: Renaissance Pleasure Faire Opens

Don your queenly outfit and join the royal procession to Irwindale.

The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire Opens: Snapping a photo with Good Queen Bess, cheering on the jesters and madrigal performers, or joining a special theme weekend (pirates, time travelers) are just some of the merry options open to visitors to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale. As, of course, is the eating of turkey legs. It's an every-weekend kind of thing, from April 8 through May 21, and donning your tights, boots, or fancy-pants ruff is part of the party.

Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach: Sure, all of the very (very) fast action'll be on the closed-to-traffic, open-to-race-cars streets of downtown LBC, but there are tons of to-dos off the track, from concerts (hello, Billy Idol and Billy Gibbons) to the Lifestyle Expo to Mickey and the Road Racers Pit Stop, "an interactive family experience." Marvel at the speed and power of the racers, then take in some tunes or eats, April 7 through 9.

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SoCal Corgi Beach Day: Southern California positively barks with interesting canine gatherings, but this meet-up of hundreds of corgis — let us repeat that, hundreds of corgis — tends to get a lot of love, and attention, from even the non-corgi contingent. The date is Saturday, April 8 (rain had been in the early forecast, but no longer), the theme is tiki (oh yes it is), and the cuteness will abound at Huntington Dog Beach.

Harry Potter Roller Skating Night: While the wizards of the Potter universe can move quite quickly — thank a host of spells for that, and their trusty, Quidditch-ready broomsticks — the wizards visiting Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale on Saturday, April 8 will sail thanks to the wheels beneath their feet. People will dress-up, tunes from the films will play, and other magical doings will burble up throughout the evening, like a delightful enchanted potion.

Broke LA Music & Arts Festival: All of the huge, clear-your-calendar warm-weather music festivals are just ahead, the kind of sound extravaganzas that can take some saving, some driving, and some sleeping over. But this in-town party keeps it way affordable, and keeps it to just a day. Make downtown for multiple stages, multiple acts, dog adoptions, and food truck action. The date? You can get your fest-y fill, for just $25 at the door, on Saturday, April 8. 

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