What to Know
Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire Opens: So you've spent all winter polishing your crown, embroidering your ruff, perfecting your bow skills, and practicing your madrigals? This is your moment: Ren Faire opens on April 9 for a multi-weekend run in Irwindale. Royal sightings, ye olde vendors, archery, jousting, jesting, and all sorts of fanciful antics will be afoot at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area. Good to know? Parking is limited this year, in order to protect some nesting owls, so do arrive early, if you can.
Bob Baker Day: If we're longing to see a marionette cavort and caper, we know we can head to a magical Highland Park theater, where the famous Bob Baker marionettes reside. But on a special spring day, the string-rocking sweeties leave their historical home for LA State Historic Park, all to romp, rollick, and meet the public. Entry is free, loads of special and sparkly happenings will be afoot, and cool cameos will rule (Disney legend Bob Gurr is stopping by, as is Bozo the Clown). Check out the full 'n frolicsome line-up for the uplifting froofrafra, happening April 9.
Brewery Artwalk: Complimentary, super-creative events do abound around Southern California, but one of the biggies, a happening that's been delighting for decades, is this delight. It takes place at the colossal artist-awesome colony, just off the 5, and visitors are welcome to roam from gallery to gallery, all to take an up-close look at the residents' recent works. Those works might be paintings, sculptures, installations, and beyond: There are dozens and dozens of spots to explore. Admission? As always, this art-fun gift to the community is free. Also nice? The Artwalk is artwalking all weekend long.
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Animal Amazingness: Earth Month events are blooming all around our region, with "Wild for the Planet," the multi-week celebration at the LA Zoo, happening now. An upcycling activity, a Condor Station, and other nature-connecting to-dos are on the roster. There's a new baby at the Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita, if you want to "awww" over the cutie, but do book your tour spot ahead of time. And at Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark? "Springtime on the Farm" is now open, as is the Animal Center, which is brimming with adorable critters, including some newborns. Make sure to get your weekend ticket to Underwood ahead of time.
Dinosaur Encounters: Living, as we do, in 2022, we can be fairly confident that some colossal carnivore, the size of an ancient predator, isn't going to stomp, stomp, stomp into our lives. But sometimes? We do have an encounter with a dinosaur, if we're in the right place at the right time. A popular program, featuring dinosaur puppets, is returning to the Natural History Museum, starting on April 8. But wait: These aren't the sort of puppets that a person wears on their hands; rather, these scaly wonders are life-size, and move, dino-like, to the delight of visitors. Find out more, dino devotees, now.
