The Best Labor Day Weekend Events in Los Angeles

Now in its fourth year, LA Fleet Week® is a multi-day celebration of our nation’s Sea Services held on the LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles. Taking place over Labor Day Weekend and free to the public, the event features public ship tours, live entertainment, military displays, aircraft flyovers, kids’ STEM Expo, Conquer the Bridge Labor Day Walk/Run, 5-on-5 Basketball Tournament, a new Obstacle Course, and the Galley Wars culinary competition judged by Chef Robert Irvine. For the complete schedule, visit the LA Fleet Week website.

Movie fans can enjoy outdoor movies across L.A. throughout Labor Day Weekend. Rooftop Cinema Club offers two locations - LEVEL in Downtown L.A. is screening "Bohemian Rhapsody" on Friday, Aug. 30; "Selena" (Saturday, Aug. 31), and "Tommy" (Sunday, Sept. 1). Rooftop Cinema's Hollywood venue, Neuehouse is screening "Grease Sing-Along" (Aug. 30), "La La Land" (Aug. 31) and "Mean Girls" on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 2).

Other screenings: Street Food Cinema - "Dirty Dancing" at Glendale Central Park (Aug. 31) and "Return of the Jedi" at Victory Park in Pasadena (Aug. 31); Eat|See|Hear - "The Shining" at The Autry (Aug. 31); Cinespia - "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (Aug. 31) and "When Harry Met Sally" (Sept. 1) at Hollywood Forever; and Melrose Rooftop Theatre - "Mr & Mrs Smith" (Sept. 1) and "Bring It On" (Sept. 2) at E.P. & L.P.

A summer favorite now in its 15th year, The Music Center’s Dance DTLA is an evening of dance under the stars. Each Friday night features a different dance genre and beginner dance lessons led by top L.A. dance instructors alongside a live band or DJ.

Celebrate the grand reopening of Music Center Plaza with the final Dance DTLA of 2019! Taking place on Friday, August 30, this special edition of Dance DTLA features the wonderful dancing style of Cumbia and will have extended hours till midnight.

On Saturday, August 31, The Music Center is partnering with Los Angeles-based LA Commons and the Los Angeles Master Chorale for a community celebration of the Plaza. Complete with singing, music, dance and visual art, the Plaza for All Celebration will invite Angelenos to commemorate and embrace the new public space as the county’s "plaza for all." Taking place from 4:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m., the free event will include a public procession featuring performers and members of the many communities that comprise all five districts of Los Angeles County. The celebration will commence at Grand Park and culminate at The Music Center Plaza with the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s annual Big Sing 2019, a giant community sing-along. Food will be available for purchase from local food trucks.

Everyone is welcome as The Music Center Plaza becomes a free, fun casual hangout during Labor Day Weekend. On Sunday, September 1 the newly renovated space will host the Splish Splash Plaza Bash - a giant, fun backyard party filled with free games and activities, splashing in The Music Center fountain, great food and more. Watch the Los Angeles Dodgers live on giant LED screens, enjoy backyard bites from Abernethy’s first five emerging chefs, play mini-golf, and listen to Drag Queen Story Hour. The Splish Splash Plaza Bash is taking place from noon to 6:00 p.m.

The USC Trojans will kick off the 2019 college football season with an inter-conference home game against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. This will be the first game the Trojans will play in the newly renovated United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which announced the completion of the $315-million project at a gala ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 15. USC-Fresno State is scheduled to start at 7:30pm Pacific.

According to ESPN, LAFC is "cruising toward MLS' best regular-season record and the top seed in the playoffs." LAFC wraps up its three-game homestand on Sunday, September 1 when it hosts Minnesota United FC at Banc of California Stadium. The match is scheduled for 7:30pm PT. The Black & Gold continued its dominant 2019 season, extending the club's home unbeaten streak to 13 matches after a 3-3 tie against crosstown rivals, the LA Galaxy last Sunday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers kick off a six-game home stand at Dodger Stadium with a Labor Day game against the Colorado Rockies. Promotional highlights during the home stand include Hello Kitty Night with exclusive Hello Kitty blanket (Tuesday, Sept. 3) and a Tommy Lasorda Bobblehead (Sept. 4).

Continuing a beloved LA concert tradition, John Williams: Maestro of the Movies features the legendary Academy Award-winning composer conducting many of his greatest moments of cinematic music magic at the Hollywood Bowl. A selection of clips will be featured on the big screen.

For 35 years, choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar’s company Urban Bush Women has given expression to the vitality and boldness of African American women. Taking place at Ford Theatres on Friday, August 30, Hair & Other Stories is a multidisciplinary experience that blends dance-theatre with conversations that challenge existing American values and celebrate our choices around “who we be” and “how we do.” Choreographed by Urban Bush Women Associate Artistic Directors Chanon Judson and Samantha Speis in collaboration with the company, Hair & Other Stories features new music compositions by The Illustrious Blacks (Manchildblack and Monstah Black) with stage direction by Raelle Myrick-Hodges.

On Saturday, August 31, five time GRAMMY®-winning curator Lalah Hathaway presents Future x Sounds LA, an opportunity to celebrate and unite the city's creative community through live performances, collaborations and deep conversations. During this one-night-only music marathon, Lalah will shift the spotlight and share the stage with DJ Battlecat, Gwen Bunn, Justus West and Anna Wise -- some of the brightest talents in LA.

For more than half a century, cinephiles have gathered over Labor Day Weekend to celebrate the movies at the annual Cinecon Classic Film Festival. Taking place Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 29 - Sept. 2, Cinecon 55 welcomes archivists, authors, collectors and film fans to enjoy five days of classic film screenings, special programs, and celebrity guests. Cinecon is dedicated to showcasing unusual films that are rarely given public screenings. Full Festival Passes ($249) and Single-Day Tickets ($50-60) are now on sale at Eventbrite.

Screenings take place at the Egyptian Theatre. The host hotel for Cinecon 54 is the Loews Hollywood Hotel, located on Highland Avenue just a five-minute walk from the Egyptian. Cinecon's famous Memorabilia Show, one of the best movie memorabilia markets in the country, will take place at the hotel's third floor along with book signings. Dealers from across the country and around the world will sell original items that span the history of film, from silent era classics through today's hottest blockbusters.

Now in its third year, Made in LA is a Labor Day Weekend festival that celebrates the best of Los Angeles arts and culture. Taking place Saturday and Sunday, August 31 - September 1 at Golden Road Brewing in Atwater Village, Made in LA features headliners Cold War Kids (Saturday) and Phantom Planet (Sunday), along with Donavon Frankenreiter, Lemaitre, Pell, Lauren Ruth Ward, Jasper Jones and more. The festival also features food trucks, art installations and vendors, and of course, plenty of Golden Road beer.

Tickets are on sale at the Made in LA website. The Two-Day Pass is $40 and includes one beer each day. The Saturday or Sunday Pass is $25 and includes one beer.

Fiesta Hermosa takes place Saturday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day of Labor Day weekend. The annual festival is located in Downtown Hermosa Beach on Pier Plaza, Hermosa Avenue and lower Pier Avenue. Described as the ”largest arts & crafts fair in Southern California,” more than 300 artists and crafters are featured, including painters, photographers, ceramicists, jewelers, sculptors, and handcrafters.

There are two stages of live music: the Main Stage features top tribute bands, while the Charity Beer & Wine Garden showcases alternative, reggae, classic rock, '80s and '90s music. Enjoy acoustic performances in front of the Java Man Coffee House. The Food Court offers 18 global cuisines, from roasted corn to Thai, Greek, Mexican, tri-tip sandwiches and BBQ sausages. The Kiddie Carnival features a 30-foot slide, mechanical rides, rock climbing, bungee jump, and games for kids from 3 to 10 years old. Pony rides, a petting zoo, and face painters are sure to delight the little ones.

Opening at the Fairplex on Friday, August 30, the LA County Fair Goes Pop with a celebration of decades of cultural phenomena. From art to clothes to technology and toys, the Fair takes a deep dive into Pop Culture, with a spotlight on LA's influence. Guests can stroll giant iconic LA art installations or dance at a modern day Studio 54 at the Silent Disco; trek through memory lane with toys from years past at Toytopia, including a giant Etch-A-Sketch and life-sized Monopoly game; experience an explosion of pigmentation as the Flower & Garden Pavilion bursts in Pops of Color; and play among the collision of technology and pop culture in Popnology 2.0, where science fiction becomes science fact. New for 2019, each weekend will include a music festival – Fusion Fest – on the infield featuring the diversity of LA County.

The popular $6.50 Value Menu is back and admission prices will not increase. Weekday admission remains the same as 2018: $14 for adults (ages 13+), $8 for children (ages 6-12) and $10 for seniors (ages 60+); weekend admission is $20 for adults, $12 for children and $15 for seniors. Children ages 5 and younger are always free. Plus, the Fair will celebrate specially priced community days for LA County and Inland Empire residents.

Perennial Fair favorites include the carnival, the End of Summer Concert Series, farm animals, food, shopping and more. All attractions, except for the Carnival and reserved seats to concerts, are included with the price of admission. For tickets and concert schedule, visit the LA County Fair website.

The famed Mount Wilson Observatory hosts a concert series on the first Sunday of the month from May through October. Each Sunday features two afternoon performances (3 p.m. and 5 p.m.) inside the 100-inch telescope dome. Tickets are $50 for each performance.

On September 1, Mount Wilson presents Travels with Two Cellos: Barrière - Sonata for two cellos; Boccherini - Sonata for two cellos; Bach - Chaconne (arrangement for two cellos); Offenbach - Duet for two cellos; McCreary - "The Professor and the Madman" soundtrack, world premiere arrangement by the Emmy Award-winning composer. Eric Byers and Cécilia Tsan, cellos.