PlayMap Picks
Seven anchors for September 25–27: Huntington’s moon festival, Libros at Central Library, Pasadena chalk, a free marina Hocus Pocus, Water for Elephants for ages 8+, Baja Splash at the aquarium, and Sunday puppets at Hollyhock House.
Date: Fri Sep 25, Sat Sep 26 & Sun Sep 27, 6:30 PM
Area: The Huntington — Chinese Garden, San Marino
Price: Members $35, public $40, youth 4–11 $10, children under 4 free
Best for: Families who want a ticketed evening in the Chinese Garden — lanterns and moon-festival programming, not a free park picnic.
Why we picked it: It runs all three nights, so you can move it if Saturday’s Libros day runs long. Official Huntington listing; under 4 is free.
Parent tip: This is after dinner, not a nap-window outing. Buy tickets before you promise it. San Marino evenings cool off — bring a layer. Strollers on garden paths are workable; the crowd is the variable.
Date: Sat Sep 26
Area: Central Library, Downtown
Price: Free
Best for: Book kids who want a free Saturday inside a landmark library instead of another parking-lot festival.
Why we picked it: One of the few downtown Saturdays that is actually about reading, with a real building if the marine layer burns off.
Parent tip: Time is not listed on the card — open the listing and the library page before you leave. Downtown Saturday parking is the hard part; Metro to Pershing Square or Civic Center is the easier move.
Date: Sat Sep 26 & Sun Sep 27, 10 AM
Area: Brookside Park, next to Kidspace Children’s Museum
Price: Free
Best for: Families who want outdoor art they can leave when legs quit, with a playground-adjacent backup.
Why we picked it: Two days, free, and Kidspace is right there if chalk dust loses to a membership day.
Parent tip: Sun and pavement. Hats, water, and a stroller that can handle grass. A second listing also sits on the Kidspace campus — same festival, don’t double-book it as two events.
Date: Sat Sep 26, 8 PM
Area: Burton Chace Park, Marina del Rey
Price: Free
Best for: Families who want a free outdoor movie by the water and whose kids already know the Sanderson sisters.
Why we picked it: Same lawn series as earlier this month, now the Halloween-adjacent pick. No ticket booth.
Parent tip: Festival seating — blankets or low chairs. 8 PM on the water is cold. Preview it if your kid is under 6; this is campy witches, not Luca. Friday’s Luca in Brentwood ends earlier.
Date: Through Sun Sep 27 (typical showtimes include Sunday 1 PM and 6:30 PM)
Area: Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Price: Ticketed
Best for: Ages 8+ who can sit a full Broadway tour. Not a toddler outing.
Why we picked it: The Los Angeles run ends Sunday. Official listing: Broadway in Hollywood. Children under 5 are not admitted.
Parent tip: Sunday matinee beats a late show if Monday is school. Confirm the exact performance on
broadwayinhollywood.com before you leave.
Date: Sat Sep 26, 9 AM
Area: Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
Price: Included with general admission (about $49.95 adult, $34.95 ages 3–11; under 3 free). Reservations required.
Best for: Harbor families who already have aquarium tickets and want a cultural program on top, not a walk-up fair.
Why we picked it: Morning start, indoor-outdoor campus, and a real reservation so you are not guessing at the door.
Parent tip: Buy or reserve before Saturday. This is a full aquarium day, not a 45-minute stop on the way to the chalk festival.
Date: Sun Sep 27, 9 AM (Fiesta set at 9:30 AM)
Area: Hollyhock House, Barnsdall Art Park
Price: Free
Best for: East Hollywood families who want puppets on a lawn and a short outing before lunch.
Why we picked it: Free, early, and outdoors without a festival street closure. Two listings (9 AM and the 9:30 Fiesta) — pick one.
Parent tip: Barnsdall’s hill parking is tight on Sundays. Bring a blanket. Leave when the set ends; don’t stack it with an 8 PM movie the night before if naps are already gone.
