What’s Happening Highlights: May 19-23

Get the weekly newsletter!

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED! The Cinematheque Will Rock – Fraggle Style

The American Cinematheque salutes one of the most iconic American talents of the last 100 years with its Jim Henson Family Day event. Henson, who died on May 16, 1990, was the puppet master behind Sesame Street characters, the Muppets, Fraggle Rock and more. In the Egyptian Theatre’s outdoor courtyard, there will be family activities as well as visits from Henson characters. Inside the cinema, you can watch A Better World: Living In Harmony, a program of environmentally-oriented Henson Studio shorts as well as screenings of Henson shows like Sid The Science Kid and Dinosaur Train. Tickets cost $11 for adults and $9 for students.
When: 10 a.m. Sat. May 22
Where: Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood  Blvd., L.A.
Contact: 323-466-FILM, www.fandango.com/egyptiantheatre_aaofx/theaterpage

Have a Ball

The Pali Blues Soccer Club, which has won back-to-back USL W-League championships, kicks off its new season in a very special way – but the players need your help. At halftime of their exhibition game versus Santa Clarita, the team will attempt to break the current world record of 627 people keeping a ball off the ground “soccer style” for 10 seconds straight. It’s a little different way to get your kicks on a Saturday night. More than just an attempt to set a world record, the Blues also will be collecting soccer balls to donate to needy children. Tickets cost $15.
When: 6 p.m. Sat., May 22
Where: Pacific Palisades Stadium-by-the-Sea, 15777 Bowdoin St., Pacific Palisades
Contact: 310-264-4649, www.beat627.com

The Pops Are Tops In Pasadena

The Pasadena POPS celebrates the start of its “Music Under The Stars” series with a special free concert. The POPS’ program, which features an appearance from vocalist Dennis McNeil, includes selections from the Star Wars Suite, Lion King and Pink Panther as well as the works of Duke Ellington and Igor Stravinsky. There will also be performances by Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and The Donald Brinegar Singers, plus the Kidspace folks will have activities for the children.
When: 5:30 p.m. Sat., May 22
Where: Pasadena City Hall-Centennial Square, Holly St. and Garfield Ave., Pasadena
Contact: 626-793-7172, www.PasadenaSymphony-Pops.org

Parent Talk

The Skirball Cultural Center is hosting a parenting seminar entitled “Secure Attachment: Helping Your Child Get the Best Start in Life.” Find workshops hosted by experts, including keynote speaker Sir Richard Bowlby, president for the Centre for Child Mental Health in the U.K., and Mary Hartzell, M.Ed., co-author of Parenting from the Inside Out. Admission is $60 and includes lunch. L.A. Parent readers can use promo code 99666 to receive $10 off.
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., June 5
Where: Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A.
Contact: 310-440-4651, www.skirball.org

What’s Happening Highlights: May 12-16

Get the weekly newsletter!

Bugs And Butterflies

This weekend, the Natural History Museum will be all about bugs and butterflies. The museum will be hosting its 24th annual Bug Fair. More than 60 vendors will be showcasing their collections of crawling critters and various museum experts will be on hand sharing their entomological acumen. Outside the museum, you can stroll through the Pavilion of Wings and have up-close encounters with beautiful butterflies. Museum admission is $9 for adults, $6.50 for youths 13-17 and $2 for children 5-12, while the Pavilion of Wings’ admission is $3 for adults, $2 for youths and $1 for children.
When: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun. May 15-16
Where: Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Blvd., L.A.
Contact: 213-763-DINO, www.nhm.org

Hip To the Hops

As a way of celebrating their current exhibit, “FROGS: A Chorus of Colors,” Anaheim’s MUZEO is throwing a special “All Things Frogs” event on Saturday. It will be a day of froggy crafts, face-painting, games and prizes as well as a checking out the Froggy Tatoo Parlor. Visitors can also watch live reptile and amphibian presentations. As an added bonus, if you pay for one child’s admission ($9 for kids 12 and younger), you will receive an adult general admission for free.
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., May 15
Where: MUZEO, 241 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim
Contact: 714-95-MUZEO, www.muzeo.org

Big Fun In Little Tokyo

Saturday is the 27th annual Children’s Day Celebration, which takes place at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Downtown L.A.’s Little Tokyo. The day begins with some athletic activities: a Chibi-K: Kids Fun Run (for 4- to 12-year-olds) takes off at 8 a.m. It is followed by a San Tai San 3 on 3 basketball tournament at 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., it’s the free Asian Pacific Arts & Crafts Faire, featuring an array of vendors as well as Pan-Asian performers. You can also sign up for some of the cultural workshops happening during the day too. The workshops cost $25-$30 and the Run costs $25 and pre-registration is recommended (the basketball tournament is already closed for registration but spectators can still enjoy the action).
When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat., May 15
Where: Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., L.A.
Contact: 213-628-2725 ext. 128, www.jaccc.org

What’s Happening Highlights: May 5-9

Get the weekly newsletter!

A Mom-umental Event

Celebrate Mother’s Day in the bucolic splendor of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, which will host its 12th annual Momentum Place. It’s an eye-opening afternoon of modern dance, acrobatics, juggling and performance art that is all said to be family friendly as well. The performers from the Dream World Cirque, Eye of Newt Circus and the Art Nouveau Dancers are scheduled to appear. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for students and $10 for kids 12 and younger. Picnickers are welcome and cushions are recommended for the bench seating at this outdoor amphitheatre.
When: 2 p.m., Sun., May 9
Where: Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga
Contact: 310-455-2322, www.theatricum.com

A Shakti Saturday

This weekend marks the conclusion of the 24th Street Theatre’s Saturday Explorer Series. In case you haven’t been traveling along with the theatrical explorers, the Series has made stops in Mexico, Brazil and the world of hip-hop. They will wrap up their cultural globe-trotting with a performance by the Shakti Dance Company. This L.A.-based troupe will share the sounds and dances of India, particularly the traditional Bharata Natyam style. Tickets cost $5.
When: 1 p.m. Sat., May 8
Where: 24th Street Theatre, 1117 W. 24th St., L.A.
Contact: 213-745-6516, theatre@24thstreet.org

All Aboard For National Train Day

Saturday’s National Train Day will be celebrated with a free festival takes place in downtown Los Angeles at Union Station, quite naturally. You can check out displays of train equipment, model trains and various Amtrak exhibits.  The special Railroad Bracero exhibit will showcase Hispanic contributions to the American railroad system. Whether you love riding the rails or not, you can certainly enjoy a performance by the USC marching band as well as Playhouse Disney favorites Choo-Choo Soul (appropriately enough).
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., May 8
Where: Union Station, 800 North Alameda St., L.A.
Contact: www.nationaltrainday.com

What’s Happening Highlights: April 28-May 2

Viva Los Niños

This weekend, the Día del Niños Festival returns to the Aquarium of the Pacific. This Children’s Day celebration is so big that it needs two days. The fifth annual festival features an array of performances from local youths that reflect a globe-spanning selection of cultures. There will be West African drum and dance, hula and Tahitian dance, Mexican folkloric dance and a youth mariachi, traditional Japanese dance, an international children’s choir and more. Kids also can participate in painting an ocean mural and do other arts & crafts. Aquarium admission is $23.95 for adults and $11.95 children 3-11; however, for this special children’s event, a free kid’s admission coupon (valid with a regular adult admission) can be found on the aquarium’s site.
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun., May 1 and 2
Where: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Contact: 562-590-3100, www.aquariumofpacific.org

Game On

Popular board games will “come to life” at the Nickelodeon Animation Studios on Sunday.  The second annual Game Day will feature giant versions of your favorite board games. It’s a chance to meet Dora or SpongeBob, dance to music, create arts and crafts, decorate cupcakes, mingle with celebrities and more. It’s all to benefit the Lollipop Theater Network, a nonprofit organization that brings movie magic to hospitalized kids across the country through special group and bedside screenings. Adult tickets cost $200 and $75 for children 3-13.
When: noon-4 p.m. Sun., May 2
Where: Nickelodeon Animation Studios, 231 W. Olive Ave., Burbank
Contact: http://lollipopgameday2010.eventbrite.com/

From Pasadena To Pakistan

The Pacific Asia Museum hosts a special afternoon saluting the people and culture of Pakistan. This free family festival features live music, hands-on crafts, dance, demonstrations and more. You can color you own miniature artwork, taste Pakistani cuisine and listen to bhangra music. It’s a terrific, and fun opportunity to learn about Pakistani culture as well as the museum. If you come early enough, you can hear Sunny Stevenson tell tales from Pakistan during the Silk Road Storytime from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
When: noon-4 p.m., Sun. May 2
Where: Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena
Contact: 626-449-2742, pacificasiamuseum.org

Cheap Sweet Treat

This Wednesday night, Baskin-Robbins around the Southland will be serving up ice cream for a charitable cause. The fourth annual 31 Cent Scoop Night raises money and awareness for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, an organization that honors fallen fire fighters and helps their families. The iconic ice cream stores are offering 2.5 oz. scoops of ice creams for only 31 cents (with a three scoop limit), and Baskin-Robbins will donate $100,000 to the charity. You might even meet one of your local firefighters scooping ice cream for you.
When: 5-10 p.m. Wednesday, April 28
Where: All Baskin-Robbins locations
Contact: www.baskinrobbins.com/31cent

What’s Happening Highlights: April 14-18

Get the weekly newsletter by signing up here.

Enter the (Golden) Dragon

The Golden Dragon Acrobats combine traditional Chinese artistry with modern-day showmanship. The troupe has been impressing American audiences with thrilling stunts and captivating contortions since 1978. Entitled “Cirque D’Or,” the Golden Dragon family-friendly show mixes acrobatics with music, dance, sports and martial arts to create an amazing celebration of Chinese culture and history. Tickets run from $26-$50.
When: 8 p.m. Fri., April 16; 2 and 8 p.m. April 17; 3 p.m. April 18
Where: Cerritos Center For the Performing Arts, 12799 Center Court Dr., Cerritos
Contact: 562-467-8818, www.cerritoscenter.com

Everyone In the Pool

Swim With Mike is a fundraising swim-athon that is also something of a pool party. It started 30 years ago to help All-American collegiate swimmer Mike Nyeholt, who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident. So much money was raised at the first swim-athon that a Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund was started at USC. While there is no fee to participate, swimmers can raise money through donations. Also check out the silent auction and an all-day raffle along with live music, a barbecue and a Kids’ Corner. Swimmers of all ages and abilities are invited to dive into this charity event.
When: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., April 17
Where: McDonald’s Swim Stadium, USC, W. 34th and McClintock Ave., L.A.
Contact: www.swimwithmike.org

Earth Day Extra

We included a number of Earth Day activities in our April issue, but one that came in too late for print is the South L.A. Earth Day Festival. The California Greenworks has organized SouthLA EarthFest to help to inform residents (particularly those in South L.A.) about environmentally safe and sustainable products and services that all go with its “Think Green Go Green” motto. There will be an environmental film festival, live music, a healthy lifestyles pavilion, a children eco artwork and storytelling area and more. This year, too, the free festival has teamed up with the Red Cross to help victims in Chile and Haiti, so bring medical supplies, new shoes, clothing or financial contributions to donate.
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., April 17
Where: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr., L.A.
Contact: www.southlaearthfest.org, www.californiagreenworks.org