Things to do

Things to do this weekend: Foodie fairs, big festivals, and dinosaurs galore

The LA County Fair heads into its last days, Fleet Week and Memorial Day take flight, and prehistoric play opens in Santa Ana.

Discovery Cube OC/Pacific Park/LA County Fair

What to Know

  • "Dino Quest" opens at the Discovery Cube OC on May 25
  • Memorial Day events are happening throughout the weekend; look for special Fleet Week ceremonies, too, on May 27
  • The Los Angeles Fair is twinkling through May 27 in Pomona

Los Angeles Fleet Week: Ship tours, brassy concerts, stirring speeches, and lots to do around town are hallmarks of this annual happening, which is centered at the LA Waterfront. That said, some events will take place miles from the water, like the U.S. Navy's walk across the 6th Street Bridge on Memorial Day, which is May 27. If you'd like to join a Battleship Iowa tour, there is a fee; booking in advance is recommended; for all other happening, begin here. Stirring flyovers, too, are central to the celebration; the schedule will tell you when to watch the skies.

Memorial Day: Southern California has so many meaningful celebrations when the day of honor and remembrance arrives. Forest Lawn locations will have programs that are open to the public on May 27; the Glendale Field of Honor, with its rows of flags, is a poignant tradition for many locals. The Canoga Park parade is also a major event — that's happening on May 27 — while the annual Flower Drop at the Palm Springs Air Museum will find thousands of red and white carnations drifting to the ground (visitors are invited to take one home).

Los Angeles County Fair: The Pomona party must bid us farewell on May 27, but there's still time to try all of the "how'd they make those" goodies, the fried and sweet treats that have outlandish appearances and oodles of fanciful flavor. Racing pigs, dance-ready concerts, wholesome craft competitions, and all sorts of animals to admire are also fan favorites, as are the spin-around, go-fast attractions. Celebrate "Stars, Stripes & Fun" before the everything-and-more-tacular concludes.

Dino Quest at Discovery Cube OC: Scaly, long-of-tail, big-of-teeth behemoths haven't roamed our region for eons, but some prehistoric critters are now setting up permanent shop at a much-loved educational museum. A fossil site — it's interactive — is part of the new exhibition, while a giant T-Rex animatronic will keep visitors agog, or at least saying "that's way cool." You can buy your ticket in advance for the sure-to-be-popular dino-centered offering, which begins to roar on May 25.

Festivals, BBQ, Sun, and Corgis, too: Fiesta Hermosa unfurls in Hermosa Beach from May 25-27. Topanga Days has so much live music and lots of wholesome games (think sack races). The Long Beach BBQ Festival sizzles on May 25 and the Smorgasburg LA BBQ Invitational summons hearty eaters to Santa Anita Park from May 25-27. And prancing at Santa Anita on May 26? It's the, oh our hearts, Summer Corgi Nationals.

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