Mid-City / Downtown / Hollywood
Saturday anchors Echo Park's Lotus Festival, the free Central Library Centennial Festival downtown, Grand Performances at California Plaza, NHM dinosaurs, and evening Shakespeare in Griffith Park — Sunday adds Smorgasburg at ROW DTLA.
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, All day
Where: Echo Park Lake
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
The 45th Lotus Festival is one of LA's favorite summer traditions — culture, community, and fun against blooming lotus flowers at Echo Park Lake (July 11–12, 2026). This year hono…
When: Sat Jul 11, 10 AM–4:30 PM
Where: Central Library, 630 W. 5th Street, Downtown LA
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Downtown families who want a free all-day indoor/outdoor birthday party for Central Library — puppets, crafts, music, and the world's largest pop-up book.
Celebrate Central Library's 100th birthday with free programs all day: Bob Baker marionettes outdoors, kids crafts and storytimes, music in Maguire Gardens, and the world's largest pop-up book exhibit in the Rotunda. RSVP free on Eventbrite; Metro is easier than parking.
When: Sat Jul 11, All day
Where: Travel Town Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Train-loving toddlers and preschoolers who want a free Griffith Park train museum morning.
July 11th - Saturday - Tours given throughout the day from 10:30AM to 3:00PM
When: Sat Jul 11, All day
Where: Travel Town Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Train-loving toddlers and preschoolers who want a free Griffith Park train museum morning.
July 11th - Saturday 10:00AM to 2:00PM
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 9:30 AM–9:30 AM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: See nhm.org for ticket details
Best for: Families who want whale-and-ocean exhibits with AC at NHM — good Museum Row morning anchor.
Through life-size orca replicas and dynamic installations, explore the powerful connections between orcas, people, and the oceans we share.
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 9:30 AM–9:30 AM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: See nhm.org for ticket details
Best for: Families stacking NHM exhibit halls with dinosaurs or films the same day.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dioramas, NHM is restoring and reopening a diorama hall that has been closed for decades. There, visitors will experience immersive new i…
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 9:30 AM–9:30 AM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: See nhm.org for ticket details
Best for: Families stacking NHM exhibit halls with dinosaurs or films the same day.
Experience our newest exhibition showcasing some of the rarest and most spectacular mineral specimens ever discovered. Unearthed reveals the beauty of minerals and crystals in the…
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 10:30 AM–10:30 AM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: See nhm.org for ticket details
Best for: Caregivers with ages 3–5 who want a short outdoor storytime before museum galleries.
Join Museum Educators for an interactive storytime in the Nature Gardens for caregivers and children ages 0–5. This Saturday, April 18, join Cindy Stansbury of the J Los Angeles (…
When: Sat Jul 11, 11 AM–11 AM
Where: LACMA
Ages: All Ages
Price: Varies
Best for: Families who want drop-in art-making at LACMA without a ticketed workshop.
The whole family is invited to explore the joy of art-making at the Boone Children's Gallery, located inside the W.M...
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 11 AM–1:45 PM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: See nhm.org for ticket details
Best for: Families who need a reliable indoor NHM backup when Saturday heat spikes — museum admission required.
Join us on an adventurous journey, set between the Utah Badlands and Los Angeles at the Natural History Museum, where playful dinosaurs come to life in an exciting live puppet per…
When: Sat Jul 11, 11 AM–8 PM
Where: Autry Lawn, Autry Museum of the American West
Ages: Ages 3+
Price: $22 Kids Ages 3-12/$27-31 Adult GA/$59 VIP
Best for: Families with school-age kids who can handle food-festival crowds and a ticketed Autry lawn crawl.
We're Celebrating National French Fry Day 2026 properly at the Los Angeles French Fry Festival! 🚚 Curated Food Truck French Fry Vendors serving their best: Shoestring Fries, Stea…
When: Sat Jul 11, 12 PM–12 PM
Where: LACMA
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Families who want a free LACMA art workshop midday — check age notes on the listing.
Join a free, drop-in intergenerational art workshops inspired by the exhibition From MacArthur Park, with Love, featuring work by Charles White Visual Arts LACMA Magnet student ar…
When: Sat Jul 11, 12 PM–1 PM
Where: Petersen Automotive Museum
Ages: Children
Price: Free with museum admission
Best for: Car-curious kids who want a hands-on museum lab with admission.
The Petersen Labs workshop series is a hands-on experience created for curious middle schoolers ages 11–14. Taking place once a month from June through August, each session explor…
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 12 PM–4:15 PM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: See nhm.org for ticket details
Best for: Families who want a cool indoor film break between NHM galleries.
In the Commons Theater, see T. REX 3D which animates the life of T. Rex, including NHM’s own Thomas the T. Rex, in this all-new, family-friendly film. Narrated by Sam Neill of Jur…
When: Sat Jul 11, 12 PM–7 PM
Where: Echo Park Lake
Ages: Children
Price: Free
Best for: Families who want a shorter Lotus Festival window (noon–7 PM) without committing to the full all-day schedule.
The 45th Los Angeles Lotus Festival will celebrate the people and culture of Sri Lanka. The event will feature live cultural dance and entertainment, artisanal vendors, boutiques,…
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 12 PM–9 PM
Where: Echo Park Lake
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Families stacking Echo Park festival energy with food vendors and live culture — same lake loop as the main Lotus Festival listing.
Celebrate 45 years of light, culture, and community at the Lotus Festival! This vibrant celebration honors Sri Lanka this year and features music, dance, cultural performances, dr…
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 12:45 PM–3:30 PM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: See nhm.org for ticket details
Best for: Families who want a cool indoor film break between NHM galleries.
Discover the largest and least explored habitat on earth. From the coastal shallows to deeper, more mysterious worlds, we reveal the untold stories of the oceans' most astonishing…
When: Sat Jul 11, 2 PM–3:30 PM
Where: California Plaza
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Downtown families who want free California Plaza music — evening sets run late for little ones.
The Art of the Crossfade DAY 2 The Art of the Crossfade DAY 2 will build upon Friday night’s lecture, exploring the DJ crossfader as an analogy for cultural intersection. Saturday…
J. PERIOD and Josh Kun Present: The Art of the Crossfade (Live Mixtape)
When: Sat Jul 11, 6 PM–10 PM
Where: California Plaza
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Downtown families who want free California Plaza music — evening sets run late for little ones.
The Art of the Crossfade DAY 2 will build upon Friday night’s lecture, exploring the DJ crossfader as an analogy for cultural intersection.
When: Sat Jul 11 & Sun Jul 12, 7 PM–9:30 PM
Where: Old Zoo in Griffith Park
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Families with older kids and teens who can sit through a full outdoor play — skip with restless toddlers.
Brutal and surprisingly funny, Indie Shakes’ premiere of Shakespeare's most daring political thriller examines the cycles of power and the flawed people who are called to lead. Fr…
When: Sat Jul 11, 7:30 PM–9 PM
Where: Omnihouse LA
Ages: All Ages
Price: $30.00
Best for: Creative older kids/teens who can handle a ticketed evening workshop — not toddler-friendly.
🎶 Omnihouse LA – Creative Night July 11, 2026 | 7:30-9:00PM Step into Omnihouse LA, a creative hub where art, music, and culture come together. Hosted by Alyssa Joy, this paint n…
When: Sun Jul 12, 7 AM–1 PM
Where: ROW DTLA
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Families who want early Sunday food-market energy at ROW DTLA before Smorgasburg heat and lines.
⚽️ INTRODUCING: THE WORLD GRUB ⚽️ Smorgasburg LA’s ultimate celebration of soccer, street food, and global culture is HERE and ready for kickoff starting Sunday, June 14. Match-da…
When: Sun Jul 12, 7 AM–1 PM
Where: ROW DTLA
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Families who want a sweet Sunday morning stop at ROW DTLA — easy to pair with World Grub.
🍦 Smorgasburg LA presents: Ice Cream Alley 🍦 Sundays July 5 through September 6, join us as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Ice Cream Alley—our summertime showcase of the b…
When: Sun Jul 12, 8 AM–11 AM
Where: Echo Park Lake
Ages: All Ages
Price: Registration Required
Best for: Active families who want a Sunday morning 5K before the Lotus Festival crowds peak.
Join the Lotus Flower 5K Run/Walk at historic Echo Park. This fun, all-abilities run includes a premium T-shirt, commemorative bib, die-cast finisher medal, and access to the refr…
When: Sun Jul 12, 11 AM–3 PM
Where: Natural History Museum
Ages: All Ages
Price: Free
Best for: Families who want whale-and-ocean exhibits with AC at NHM — good Museum Row morning anchor.
Join us in welcoming the latest traveling exhibition, Orcas: Our Shared Future . Get up close to Museum collections, take part in hands-on activities, and connect with local organ…
Andell Family Sundays: Outdoor Art
When: Sun Jul 12, 12:30 PM–12:30 PM
Where: LACMA
Ages: All Ages
Price: Varies
Best for: Sunday families who want outdoor art at LACMA after a Museum Row morning.
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When: Sun Jul 12, 2 PM–2 PM
Where: LACMA
Ages: All Ages
Price: free NexGenLA membership for kids and teens 17 and under.
Best for: Families who want a short docent-led museum tour with kids 17 and under (NexGenLA).
Join a LACMA docent for a 30-minute, interactive family tour of outdoor sculptures and highlights from our Modern Art Galleries. These tours meet outdoors on the on the W.M. Keck …