This Labor Day weekend, Southern California finds itself in that familiar, in-between state as summer’s warmth begins to yield to the first whispers of fall—and, perhaps surprisingly, Halloween. The calendar is packed, offering a range of options from stadium-filling concerts to classic theater, but an offshore hurricane might bring rain on Sunday, so it’s wise to double-check plans before heading out.
Music fans have plenty to choose from. K-pop sensation BTS is making a four-night stop at SoFi Stadium, embarking on a world tour after a four-year hiatus. Across town, Guns N' Roses returns to the Rose Bowl after more than 30 years, with Ice Cube joining the lineup. Axl Rose and Slash are expected to deliver a nearly three-hour set, complete with costume changes, backup dancers, and pyro-filled finales.
For a different musical experience, the Hollywood Bowl continues its season with the annual Maestro of the Movies tribute to John Williams’s scores. David Newman will conduct the L.A. Phil through iconic film scores, accompanied by movie clips and a crowd-wide sea of lightsabers, celebrating the nonagenarian composer. High above the city, the Mount Wilson Observatory is hosting its monthly concert series inside the dome of the 100-inch Hooker telescope, once the world’s largest. Curated by Cécilia Tsan, these classical and jazz performances offer a unique setting, with tickets at $65 including exhibit access. Limited seating means advance purchase is recommended, and attendees should note the 53 steps required to reach the dome and the 12-and-up age restriction. KCRW is also capping off its summer concert slate with events like a block party in the NoHo Arts District, featuring singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin and DJs Peanut Butter Wolf, and a guest DJ duo Wooden Wisdom at the Autry Museum.
The cultural calendar also features new exhibitions and last chances. At the Grammy Museum, the Sublime exhibition is departing, making way for “Olivia Rodrigo: the cure unraveled.” This new exhibition, running through February 22, 2027, offers an exclusive look at the handcrafted sets, costumes, props, stop-motion animatronics, and original artwork from Rodrigo’s music video for “the cure,” a single from her album “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.” An expanded career-retrospective version is slated for later this fall. Meanwhile, the California Science Center is hosting its “Mummies of the World” exhibition for its final week. Film enthusiasts can explore a five-day program of rare and unusual fare at a lesser-known cinephile festival, celebrating over six decades of showing classic titles rarely encountered. Held at the Nuart Theatre in West L.A., the festival includes Q&As with special guests, such as Barbara Eden.
For those looking for outdoor drama, the Getty Villa’s Outdoor Classical Theater series continues its 20th fall season in its ancient-Greece-style amphitheater. The Latino Theater Company is presenting Sophocles’s Antigone, reimagined in Tenochtitlan, Mexico, and incorporating Aztec mythology. Concessions like esquites and tamales will be available to enjoy with the ocean breeze. This weekend also marks the last chance to catch the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival and the Pageant of the Masters, as these alfresco series begin to wind down.
And while summer may be fading, Halloween events are already rising. Universal Studios Hollywood has transformed for Halloween Horror Nights, which kicks off this week and runs on select evenings through November 1. This year’s attractions include haunted houses dedicated to “Stranger Things 5,” “Hellraiser,” “Evil Dead Burn,” and Ozzy Osbourne. A new “Sinners” attraction transports guests to a 1930s Mississippi club to survive encounters with vampires. The Studio Tour, rebranded as the Terror Tram, will feature Art the Clown dressed as Santa Claus. For a more family-friendly take on spooky season, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater is bringing back its Hallowe’en Spooktacular for a two-month run. This refurbished “boo-sical revue” features over 100 silly and spooky puppets, now including a Día de los Muertos sequence. Starting in October, each show will include a costume parade, encouraging attendees to dress up.
Community celebrations are also on the schedule. The Hermosa Beach Fiesta, a biannual event held over Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, typically features an arts festival, food fair, and live music. The layout has been streamlined with a makers mercado and food fair along Hermosa and Pier Avenues, live music at the beach, and a mini carnival inland. A 21-plus beer and wine garden near the beach offers its own music lineup for a $10 daily cover. Entry to the main fiesta is free, though vendors and games have their own costs. The gated Garden area is not dog-friendly, nor is the beach, but dogs are welcome in other parts of the Fiesta. The next event is scheduled for Saturday through Monday, September 5, 6 and 7, 2026, running from 11 am to 7 pm on the weekend and 11 am to 6 pm on Monday.
With so much happening across Southern California, residents have a wide array of choices. Just be sure to keep an eye on Sunday's forecast and confirm any plans before heading out to enjoy the last major holiday weekend of summer.
