Annual Events in Los Angeles, Month by Month

At a glance

• Where: Across Los Angeles: Downtown, Hollywood, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Venice, University Park and Griffith Park
• When: February through January; usual months are listed below, not this year's dates
• Cost: Mixed: several are free to attend, others sell tickets. Check each official site before you go
• Getting there: Many sit near LA Metro stops in Downtown, Little Tokyo, Chinatown and Hollywood

The big annual events in Los Angeles run from the Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown (usually February or March) to the Hollywood Christmas Parade and LA Zoo Lights (November and after). This guide gives the usual month for each, not this year's dates, and links the official site, because dates shift and some events change venue or format between editions.

Every event below is confirmed as a recurring Los Angeles event on an official or organizer page. We skipped any month where we couldn't verify something, so June and December don't appear as their own entries.

What are the biggest annual events in Los Angeles?

The best-known annual events in Los Angeles are the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon (March), the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (April), the Nisei Week Japanese Festival (August), the LA Auto Show (November) and the Hollywood Christmas Parade (late November). The rest of the calendar is just as good, and the street festivals and parades cost nothing to watch from the curb.

February

Golden Dragon Parade, Chinatown

The Golden Dragon Parade is Chinatown's Lunar New Year parade, usually held in February or March. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles organizes it, and the route starts at Hill Street and Temple Street, loops via Bernard Street onto North Broadway, and finishes at Broadway and Temple. The 127th edition, in February 2026, ran on a Saturday afternoon with lion and dragon dances. Come early for a curb spot, then eat your way around Chinatown. Details: Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles.

March

ASICS Los Angeles Marathon

The ASICS Los Angeles Marathon is a citywide race usually held in March. The official page bills the course as running from Stadium to the Stars, and registration for the next edition opens well ahead of race day. Even if you aren't running, plan around road closures if you're driving anywhere near the route. Details: lamarathon.com.

The Oscars at the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood

The Academy Awards ceremony takes place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, and the 98th Oscars were held there on March 15, 2026, so March is the usual month. You can't walk in without an invitation, but Hollywood Boulevard becomes the center of the film world that week. Details: oscars.org.

April

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, University Park

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is held on the University of Southern California campus in University Park, usually over a weekend in April; the 2026 edition ran April 18 and 19, according to USC Libraries. Expect author talks, readings and booths spread across the campus, and check the festival page for which conversations need tickets. Details: USC Libraries listing and the official festival page.

Fiesta Broadway, Downtown

Fiesta Broadway is a free Sunday street festival on Broadway in Downtown LA, usually on the last Sunday in April, ahead of Cinco de Mayo. The official site bills it as free to the public and lists live music, lucha libre, cultural performances and lowrider displays, and the 2026 edition ran 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Details: fiesta-broadway.com.

May

Cinco de Mayo at Olvera Street

Cinco de Mayo at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument takes place on and around May 5 on Olvera Street in Downtown. The Olvera Street events page lists live music, vendor booths, carnival rides, a beer garden and dancing, and says El Pueblo manages the festival. Specific dates are posted late, so check before you go. Details: Olvera Street events.

July

Hollywood Bowl July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular

The July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood is a three-night run, usually July 2 to 4, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a guest headliner that changes each year, and fireworks every night. Shows typically start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets sell through the Bowl and go fast. Details: hollywoodbowl.com.

August

Nisei Week Japanese Festival, Little Tokyo

The Nisei Week Japanese Festival is held in Little Tokyo in August and runs about nine days. The main events are the Coronation and Awards Celebration, the Grand Parade, the Plaza Festival at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC), and Ondo street dancing as the closing event. The 2027 festival is the 85th Nisei Week, so this Little Tokyo tradition has been running for generations. Details: niseiweek.org.

September

Abbot Kinney Festival, Venice

The Abbot Kinney Festival turns Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice into a street fair with music, food and a market, usually on a Sunday in late September. The organizers' site has Lineup, Eat and Drink, and Market sections. It hasn't run every single year, so confirm it's on before you plan around it. Use the official address below: the similar-looking abbotkinneyfestival.org domain no longer belongs to the event. Details: abbotkinneyfest.com.

October and early November

Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever

Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, is held on the last Saturday before November 2, so it lands in late October or the first days of November. The cemetery's page describes more than 100 community altars, a procession of Aztec ritual dancers and music on five stages. Details: Hollywood Forever.

November

LA Auto Show, Los Angeles Convention Center

The LA Auto Show is held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Downtown LA, usually in late November, with the 2026 show running November 20 to 29 through Thanksgiving weekend. The official site has typically offered a Family Four Pack on selected midweek days, and tickets are sold online in advance. Details: laautoshow.com.

Hollywood Christmas Parade

The Hollywood Christmas Parade rolls down Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, usually on a Sunday in late November or early December. The parade dates back to 1928, its official page says, and the 2026 edition on the Sunday after Thanksgiving was the 94th. Toys for Tots is its official main charity, so bringing a new unwrapped toy fits the spirit of the day. Details: thehollywoodchristmasparade.org.

Los Angeles Zoo Lights

Los Angeles Zoo Lights at the Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive in Griffith Park, typically runs on select evenings from late November into early January, with some nights dark, so check the calendar. The zoo describes nature-themed light displays of animals and plants, a carousel and a separately ticketed skating rink, with make-your-own s'mores, churros and hot cocoa on site. Most visitors spend 60 to 90 minutes. Details: lazoo.org.

How we chose

We started from the city's researched list of annual events and added others by searching, then checked each one against an official or organizer page. We kept only events held inside the city of Los Angeles that recur every year. We left out an event if we couldn't confirm it was still running, and we gave the usual month instead of exact dates because those change each year.

What's on each month? The year at a glance

• February or March: Golden Dragon Parade, Chinatown
• March: ASICS Los Angeles Marathon; Oscars at the Dolby Theatre
• April: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books; Fiesta Broadway
• May: Cinco de Mayo on Olvera Street
• July: Hollywood Bowl July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular
• August: Nisei Week Japanese Festival, Little Tokyo
• September: Abbot Kinney Festival, Venice
• Late October or early November: Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever
• November: LA Auto Show; Hollywood Christmas Parade; Zoo Lights (through early January)

For what's on right now, see the LA events calendar.

Practical tips

Leave the car at home for Downtown, Little Tokyo, Chinatown and Hollywood events and take LA Metro where you can, since parades close streets for hours. Most free street festivals have no tickets, so arrive early for a good spot. For ticketed events like the Hollywood Bowl and the Auto Show, buy only from the official site linked above.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest annual events in Los Angeles?

The best-known annual events in Los Angeles are the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon in March, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in April, the Nisei Week Japanese Festival in August, the LA Auto Show in November and the Hollywood Christmas Parade in late November or early December.

What annual events happen in Los Angeles in November?

In November, Los Angeles hosts the LA Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the Hollywood Christmas Parade on Hollywood Boulevard and the start of Los Angeles Zoo Lights in Griffith Park. Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever can also fall in the first days of the month.

Which Los Angeles annual events are free?

Fiesta Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles is free to the public, according to its official site. Street parades such as the Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown and the Hollywood Christmas Parade can be watched from the sidewalk along the route, though some parts of some events are ticketed, so check each official site.

When is the Nisei Week Japanese Festival?

The Nisei Week Japanese Festival is held in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles every August and runs about nine days. Exact dates are posted on niseiweek.org.

Where is the Hollywood Christmas Parade held?

The Hollywood Christmas Parade is held on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles. It is usually on a Sunday in late November or early December, and the official site is thehollywoodchristmasparade.org.