Museum of Ice Cream Opens: If you've ever wondered why certain items and themes tend to dominate art-minded institutions rather than, say, a popular dessert, wonder no longer: A cold, scoopable treat is getting its much-deserved day in the sun. Or, rather, the Arts District, which is where the installation-offbeat happening will shower the whimsy upon visitors, like a spoonful of sprinkles, through Monday, May 29. You'll need a ticket to see the oversize gummy bears, the minty planting house, the swing that looks like a Neapolitan ice cream sandwich, and, of course, the now-famous sprinkles pool.
Earth Day: Festivals, special happenings, and the celebrated Santa Barbara festivity are all on the planet-love schedule on April 22, with a number of goings-on occuring all weekend long. It's still National Park Week, too, and fee-charging parks will be free to enter on April 22 and 23. LA Sanitation is hosting a to-do in Exposition Park on April 22, with lots of info on recycling and sustainable practices, while the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach will spotlight "hands-on learning demonstrations" at its annual Earth Day Celebration.
LA Times Festival of Books: The USC-based lit-tacular draws a bevy of book-amazing authors — Margaret Atwood will be at the 2017 lark, and Mary Roach and Laini Taylor, too — and bevies of fans eager to sit in on a panel, peruse the book-packed booths, and meet other lovers of a particular genre or author or series. The admission? It's free. The dates? Make for the campus on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23. Over 150,000 attendees are expected, so arrive early on your chosen day, if possible.
Dapper Day: Line it all up on the bed right now: Your bowtie, your tweed vest, your 1920s sunglasses, your plaid suit, and bingo! You're ready to step out, in timeless style, at The Happiest Place on Earth. The annual dress-up-at-Disneyland day is back, on Sunday, April 23, and thousands will show up to stroll about in elegant, cunning, or stand-out fashions of yore, from any time period (or even the current one). You'll need to buy admission to the theme park, do note, and also keep in mind that the Dapper Day Expo is pn, all weekend long, at the Disneyland Hotel.
Record Store Day: It's the 10th anniversary for this love-on-your-local-hang holiday, and one that is continually summoning the good sounds, the good vibes, and the good places that stock an array of vintage, modern, unusual, and captivating sounds. Several stores will have bands in-house, playing live, as well as special to-dos and giveaways. It all depends on where you want to land, lover of melodies, lyrics, and form, so find out what your go-to shop is up to on Saturday, April 22.