Weekend Weather

The latest National Weather Service forecast, issued early Thursday, October 22, looks favorable:

Thursday's showers should be gone before the weekend. Saturday looks especially pleasant for outdoor festivals, while Sunday will be warmer. Evenings will cool into the 50s and low 60s.

1. Grand Ave Arts: All Access

Saturday, October 24 | 11 AM–4 PM
Downtown Los Angeles | FREE

Fourteen of Downtown's leading cultural institutions are participating in a five-hour celebration of art, music, architecture, literature, and performance.

Grand Ave Arts: All Access celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

Highlights include instrument demonstrations at the Colburn School, artmaking at The Broad, puppetry workshops at MOCA, and a preview of programming from Refik Anadol's DATALAND.

The event also coincides with the opening celebration of Día de los Muertos at Gloria Molina Grand Park.

Why it made The 10%: This is a chance to discover several of L.A.'s major cultural institutions in a single afternoon, with unusual access and no admission charge.

Weather and booking: Saturday's sunny, mid-70s weather should be ideal for walking between venues. Admission is free; RSVP is encouraged.

2. Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever

Saturday, October 24 | Noon–Midnight
Hollywood Forever Cemetery | Approximately $30–$41

One of Los Angeles' most visually extraordinary annual cultural celebrations returns for its 27th edition.

Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever combines elaborate memorial altars, ceremonial processions, traditional dancing, visual art, food vendors, and live music.

This year's musical lineup includes DannyLux, Trish Toledo, Tropa Magica, and Los Shadows.

The cemetery itself becomes an enormous outdoor exhibition dedicated to remembrance and community.

Why it made The 10%: Few Los Angeles events combine cultural authenticity, visual spectacle, food, and live music quite like this one. The illuminated altars after sunset are especially memorable.

Booking note: Tickets are sold for three arrival windows: noon–4 PM, 4–7 PM, and 7–11 PM. Guests may remain after their entry window. Advance booking is strongly recommended, and evening admission is particularly popular.

3. Spookysburg: A Halloween Food Market

Sunday, October 25 | 10 AM–4 PM
ROW DTLA, Arts District | FREE admission

KCRW and Smorgasburg Los Angeles are collaborating on a special Halloween edition of the popular Sunday market.

More than 60 food and beverage vendors will be joined by DJs, costume competitions, creative workshops, a costume swap, and other activities.

KCRW DJs Tyler “Boogie” Boudreaux and LUXXURY provide the music.

The event also coincides with a visit from the Japanese Kewpie food truck tour, which is promoting its mayonnaise with complimentary food samples.

Why it made The 10%: Smorgasburg is already a strong destination for discovering independent food businesses. The KCRW collaboration adds enough unusual programming to make this Sunday particularly interesting.

Weather and booking: Free admission. Sunday may reach 80°F, so earlier is better. Food is purchased separately, and complimentary samples are subject to availability.

Booking note: The $55 price excludes beverages, tax, and gratuity. Reservations are required, with strict cancellation terms after October 20. I cannot confirm remaining special-event seats, so check the booking page before including it in the published guide.

4. Día de los Muertos Festival & Concert at Mercado La Paloma

Sunday, October 25 | Noon–5 PM | FREE
3655 S. Grand Avenue

This may actually be my favorite replacement.

Mercado La Paloma hosts live music, folklórico, Aztec dancers, altars, visual art, artisan workshops, face painting, and food from the Mercado’s vendors. Programming includes Patricia Alcaraz, Maqueos Music Philharmonic, Nueva Antequera, Los Chinelos de Morelos, and more.

Why it made The 10%: It is neighborhood-rooted rather than spectacle-driven. Food, music, art, and cultural tradition all occupy the same space.

Good to know: Admission is free. It also gives readers an excellent Sunday alternative to the much larger Hollywood Forever celebration.

5. Frizzi2Fulci at Zebulon

Sunday, October 25 | Evening | Ticketed
Frogtown

Italian composer Fabio Frizzi, best known for his scores for director Lucio Fulci, brings his Frizzi2Fulci project to Zebulon—live music built around the wonderfully strange world of classic Italian horror cinema.

Why it made The 10%: This is precisely the kind of odd, specific event the feature should uncover. Italian horror scores performed live on the Sunday before Halloween? Yes.

Good to know: Buy ahead if this appeals to you; niche events like this can have a very committed audience.

The Splurge

Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins

Friday, October 23, 7:30 PM; Saturday, October 24, 7:30 PM; Sunday, October 25, 2 PM
Ahmanson Theatre, Downtown | $39–$132

This is one of the weekend's most significant performing-arts events.

Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins brings together dancers from some of the world's leading ballet companies for three different programs celebrating choreographer Jerome Robbins.

Curated by New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck, the festival features artists from New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and other major companies.

The performances are accompanied by live chamber music.

Why it's the Splurge: This is the Los Angeles premiere and the only U.S. engagement of the production during the 2026–27 season.

Robbins was equally comfortable in classical ballet and musical theater. His work helped define the movement vocabulary of West Side Story, among many other productions.

For someone interested in the relationship between music, dance, and storytelling, this is a rare opportunity.

Booking note: The Music Center's official ticketing page lists seats beginning at $39, including fees, with availability varying by performance and section. Sunday also includes a 1 PM pre-performance discussion.

Worth the Drive

L.A. Times Food Bowl

Friday & Saturday, October 23–24 | Barker Hangar, Santa Monica | roughly $149–$171 GA

Friday centers on the live reveal of the 101 Best Restaurants in L.A., while Saturday’s Saturday Night Flavor brings unlimited food and drink from dozens of Southern California restaurants, chef demonstrations, cookbook signings, and music. GA tickets currently run about $171 Friday and $149 Saturday, including fees.

Why it’s Worth the Drive: This has become one of the major annual gatherings of the L.A. food world. It’s not promoting one competing business; it’s documenting the city’s food culture.