What to Know
- May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena is offering free admission all month long; a May 18 celebration will honor the museum's beautiful new mural
- The Central Library will celebrate "AAPI Joy" on May 18 and Smorgasburg LA's AAPI Market returns on May 19 to the ROW DTLA open-air food market
Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month: Honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month happens throughout May, with several celebratory happenings taking place each weekend. A few ebullient events are just ahead, with a USC Pacific Asia Museum festivity on May 18 — it will pay tribute to the beautiful new mural on the museum's north side — and "AAPI Joy," a Central Library gathering; dance, storytelling, and Taiko drumming are part of the fun. Smorgasburg LA's popular AAPI Market is back on May 19 at ROW DTLA; entry is free to all three events.
"Hollywoodland" opens: A new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures looks back at the thrilling start of cinema in Southern California and "the predominantly Jewish filmmakers whose establishment of the American film studio system transformed Los Angeles into a global epicenter of cinema." "Hollywoodland: Jewish Founders and the Making of a Movie Capital" opens on May 19 at the Miracle Mile museum; several special events, such as readings and screenings, are on the exhibition's schedule.
California Strawberry Festival: The Golden State offers fruit lovers a bounty of juicy bashes, but, for sure, this Ventura whimsy is one of the biggest. It's the place where you can try out oodles of strawberry-topped treats — building your own shortcake is a popular pastime — and shop for items rocking strawberries. Rides, entertainment, and the chance to dress like a strawberry in public, and garner admiration, are also vibrant elements of the May 18-19 to-do.
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LA County Yarn Crawl: If you're not a knitter or crocheter, chances are you know and love one, or several talented textile artists. Knitting has been on the rise in recent years, with yarn shops serving as vital centers for the community. This three-day event loves upon those shops, which not only sell yarn but bring knitters together. A dozen SoCal stores are participating in the May 17-19 crawl, which includes drawings, deals, and uplifting opportunities to socialize.
Bug Fair: You know there is an insect close to wherever you are, wherever you are reading this, but finding oodles of insects in one fascinating place? That's the buzz-buzz scene at the Natural History Museum on May 18 and 19; bug fans, bug displays, bug talks, and bug everything will fly by the Exposition Park institution. The multi-legged merriment is included with your admission, but tickets can sell out in advance; get yours before buzzing on by the buggy bash.
