Santa Ana is a trek, but if you’re a fan of indie design and supporting local artists, it might be a trip worth making this Sunday.  From 11-5, the owners of the awesome vintage store, The Road Less Traveled, are hosting a craft fair featuring the work of lots of local artisans — all with an eco-friendly twist.  If the photos from past events are any indication, the selection looks amazing and there will also be yummy food and fun music.  This would be a great opportunity to get started with your holiday shopping, so get some cash from the ATM and drive down south.

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WHAT: Patchwork Indie Arts and Crafts Festival
WHEN: Sunday, November 15 from 11-5
WHERE: 2202 North Main Street
$$$: Looks are free

This Saturday, The Bigfoot Lodge’s little sister, Bigfoot West over on Venice Blvd. is getting into the holiday spirit and hosting a Rocktoberfest all afternoon. The event boasts “bands, brats, and Octoberfest beer”, with live music, BBQ from Uncle Creepo (whaaa?), & a bunch of tasty beers like Beck’s Oktoberfest, Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale, Hoffbrau Munchen, Spaten Oktoberfest, Hacker-Pschorr, & Weihenstephaner. I haven’t been to this space yet, but from the looks of it, it’s still got it’s kitschy decor that draws an audience from all around to the Eastside location. Definitely a step in the right direction compared to their Stinker’s endeavor… eh.
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WHAT: Rocktoberfest
WHEN: Saturday, October 17th @ 12pm-8pm
WHERE: Bigfoot West
$$$: Free entry

Okay, I think the title of this post pretty much says it all.  You want to go already, right?  In case you’re not convinced, here are a few more mouthwatering details:  For six hours on Sunday, October 11, the Pasadena Center will be overrun with more than 16,000 square feet of gourmet chocolate and wine.  That’s more than a third of an acre of chocolate.  And you don’t have to just stare longingly at the chocolate and wine; you can actually taste it (not sure if you can lick it off models in the flyers, but let’s not get greedy).

There’s only one problem with this chocolate nirvana: I work on Sundays.  So that means one of you loyal BoredLA readers needs to go and bring back some delicious goodies for me.  I’ll call it my commission for turning you on to the event in the first place.

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WHAT: Los Angeles Chocolate Salon
WHERE: Pasadena Center
WHEN: Sunday, October 11 from 11-5
$$$: $20 presale, $25 day of

Gold Dust, a monthly country night at Footsies, is officially the pre-party for Saturday’s awesome, free Eagle Rock music fest. All girl DJs will spin classic rock/country/southern rock all night brought by music blogs When You Awake and Halcyon Magazine. Tonight is special because Eagle Rock Fest DJs will be there, including Leslie of Leslie and the Badgers and Ashley Jex, who is serving as MC of the festival. So check it out to prepare for this weekend’s festivities, which if you aren’t planning on going you totally should. In a few months I’m sure you’ll be glad you saw No Age, Happy Hollows, Pocahaunted, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, etc for FREE right here on their home turf.

WHAT: Pre-Party/Gold Dust
WHEN: TONIGHT, Thurs. Oct. 1
WHERE: Footsies 2640 N. Figueroa
$$$: no cover

The equinox has passed, summer has officially burned into fall, and that means it’s time for another seasonal massive rave. And since the nights are now longer than the days, it may be to your advantage to try a nocturnal lifestyle.

This weekend brings us the Nocturnal Festival, a large scale festival-style rave that offers six stages of music, as well as rides, art installations, and other goodies specifically designed to blow your mind a little bit. The whole thing is outdoors, inconveniently located in beautiful San Bernadino, at the NOS Events Center. It’s in its fifteenth year, so you know these guys can throw a party. Strange to think that they were doing this crazy stuff all the way back in 1995, when I was just learning how to write in cursive.

Well if you can make the trek, my bet is that it will be worth it. After all, everyone knows the prettiest rave girls go to the raviest raves. If my father wasn’t coming into town this weekend I might consider joining you, but I’m not sure he would necessarily approve of the things we occasionally do when the sun goes down.

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WHAT: Massive rave
WHEN: This Saturday, September 26th 5pm-4am
WHERE: NOS Events Center, San Bernadino
$$$: 60

This Sunday is the 25th Abbot Kinney Festival where over 100,000 people will most likely be eating, drinking, and partying. There will be plenty for the kiddies as well as the adults, with rides, live music, and of course, a big green influence in all areas. This region is known for it’s environmental awareness, and the festival is sure to reflect that. They’ve even got bicycle valet stations set up for the event! All of your favorite local spots will be involved in the festival, with doors wide open for guests to check out art, eat their food, and buy cool clothes. Escape the heat and head to the coast for a fun Sunday festival!
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WHAT: Abbot Kinney Festival
WHEN: Sunday, September 27th @ 10am-6pm
WHERE: Abbot Kinney Blvd.
$$$: Free

Does the phrase “Ooh La La” conjure up images of hot french girls in sexy outfits dancing to amazing french dance music reminiscent of Daft Punk? Well it should, because OohLaLA Fest this Wed.-Fri. is all about the French music scene, dance beats included. The first night, at The Music Box at the Henry Fonda, will feature Sebastian Tellier, Gonzales, and folk duo Cocoon. Thursday features lounge/Cabernet cover tune maestros Nouvelle Vague doing a tribute to 80’s film soundtracks and Emilie Simon (pictured). Friday you’ll be able to get your dance right with some of the leading DJs from France’s “dance touch” scene, as in the scene that spawned Daft Punk. I wonder if Cocorosie is going to make an appearance since they’re playing the Music Box tomorrow night? Either way French people are, like, way ahead of the curve, so you should probably check this out if you’re a music/dance aficionado.

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WHAT: OohLaLA fest presented by KCRW/GoldenVoice
WHEN: Wed, Thurs, Fri Sept. 23-25 7pm
WHERE: The Music Box @ Henry Fonda
$$$: 25/day; 65/3-day pass

Next weekend, Long Beach is going to be overrun with pirates and shellfish.  You heard me right: pirates and shellfish.  It’s the Lobster Festival at the Port of Los Angeles.  Everything about the festival sounds ridiculously amazing.  In addition to daily pirate raids and more lobster than you could ever hope to eat (over 15 tons, if we’re getting specific), there will also be a Kiss cover band made up entirely of midgets and a parade of dogs dressed like crustaceans.  Seriously, what’s not to love?

Oh, and for you veg-heads out there worried that LobFest will suck because you don’t eat animals, fear not.  If you go to the salad bar at Ports ‘O Call Restaurant, you get into Lobster Festival free with your receipt.  Sounds good to me!

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WHAT: Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival
WHEN: September 18-20
WHERE: Port of Los Angeles
$$$: $7 admission with the coupon you print out on their website, $17 for a lobster meal

If you’ve tried Greek food, you already understand why Greek Fest is going to be so delicious.  If not, you’re in for a happy surprise.  If you head over to the Santa Sofia Cathedral on September 11th, 12th, or 13th, you’ll be in for some great Greek dancing and music and mind blowing Greek food.  Yum!

The best night to go is Zorba Night on Friday.  Not only will you be able to get in for free, but you can join guest hosts Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson at the Zorba Happy Hour starting at 5 PM.  I’m not quite sure what that means (or if Hanks and Wilson will even be there), but it sounds promising.  Also, you’ll get to meet a bunch of living statues, which look pretty crazy — like ancient versions of the gold man on Venice Beach.

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WHAT: L.A. Greek Festival
WHEN: September 11, 12, and 13
WHERE: Santa Sofia Cathedral
$$$: Free on Friday, $5 Saturday and Sunday

Back when I lived in the Midwest, county fairs were the thing to do.  Funnel cakes, livestock, and carnival rides?  No better way to pass the hot summer days.  LA’s county fair might not have the same old country charm, but it’ll still be a rootin’ tootin’ good time.

Oh God, I just said rootin’ tootin’.  Sorry.

Anyway, the LA County Fair starts this weekend and goes on for the next month.  For Labor Day weekend only, if you get there between 10 AM and 1 PM, admission is only a dollar.  You’ll still have to pay for parking and everything once you get in there, but it sounds like a pretty good way to spend a day to me.

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WHAT: LA County Fair
WHEN: September 5-October 4
WHERE: LA County Fairplex
$$$: $10 for parking plus $1-$17 for admission

Summer wouldn’t be complete without F Yeah Fest, and seeing as fall is rapidly approaching you might want to catch the summer train one last time for an awesome downtown music festival. The line-up this year is pretty badass- Black Lips, Tim and Eric, No Age, Avi Buffalo, Waves, Mika Miko, Woods, Peanut Butter Wolf, Dan Deacon- just to name a few. Better yet, the festival is to save our state parks, and in fact takes place at the Los Angeles State Historic Park on Spring St. downtown (near Chinatown). Tickets are $20 for the September 5th festival, which starts at 1pm, and $1 will be donated to Homeboy Industries and Harvest of Hope Foundation for Migrant Farm Workers. So come out and end your summer on a high note before all the bullshit begins (or continues if you’re in the working world) and do a lot of good by supporting local musicians, state parks, and migrant farm workers! If you take the metro to the Chinatown station and keep your ticket you can bring it to any drink station at the festival for free water. Most of all- have fun! I know I will ’cause I scored free tickets off KXLU! I know you’re jealous.

WHAT: F Yeah Fest
WHEN: Saturday Sept. 5th 1pm
WHERE: Los Angeles State Historic Park (downtown)
$$$: 20

If you’ve been around the blog long enough, you’ve probably figured out that aside from crafting, two of my favorite things are movies and bikes.  Which is why I’m so psyched for the Bicycle Film Festival.  The whole shebang travels all over the world showing movies about bikes and it’ll be in LA from August 26-30.  Even if you can’t make it to one of the many screenings at LA Independent, be sure to make time Sunday afternoon to stop by the bike capital of LA: Melrose and Heliotrope for the bicycle street party.

You can check out the full schedule at the event’s website, but I’m especially excited about the Fun Bike Shorts program on August 28th.  And, in the meantime, here are links to two of my favorite bike videos to tide you over.

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WHAT: Bicycle Film Festival
WHEN: August 26-30
WHERE: Center for the Arts, LA Independent and Melrose & Heliotrope
$$$: $30 for a pass or $10/screening

My WRIT340 professor topless.

I used to bag groceries at Whole Foods, so I know a thing or two about the yearly ritual of the Burning Man. The dirty hippies and irresponsible parents that frequented the store would come to the counter with huge jugs of water and bags stuffed with almonds and quinoa. “Camping trip?” I’d inquire.

Burning Man, for those of you too wrapped up in your corporate finance jobs to associate even mildly with the counterculture, is a festival that occurs annually in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, calling fifty thousand aging spiritualists and drug addicts to participate in an “experiment in radical self-expression and temporary community.” Temporary, of course, because in the end much of it burns to the ground.

The modern day reboot of the Bacchanalian orgies of the Ancient World, the festival is known by outsiders for its rampant drug use, hedonism, and idol worship, although I’ve heard people who’ve gone describe it as “pretty chill”.

I think I’m just bitter because I can’t afford an event that has theoretically outlawed money. The economy is gift based. Anyone wanna gift a ticket in Ratscratch’s direction? But the event truly has spawned a unique and complex culture, complete with it’s own celebrities, legends, mores, laws, and customs, and you should probably check it out before PepsiCo buys it all next year.

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WHAT: Burning Man festival of fire and sin (this year’s theme is “Evolution”, blasphemers)
WHEN: August 31st – Septemper 7th
WHERE: Black Rock City (not yet built), Northern Nevada Desert
$$$: 300 (but it’s, like twice as long as Coachella)

It’s that time of the year again, and although there was a bit of controversy regarding permits and such, it IS happening and it is happening this weekend! With several stages of live music (with headliners Conor Obsert & The Mystic Valley Band and Built to Spill), DJs, vendors galore, games, prizes, and delicious food, what do you have to do this weekend that more exciting than this? The weather has been great for a nice stroll around a festival, and hopefully it stays that way because standing on asphalt in the blistering heat isn’t fun. And if you’re into people watching, this is so the place to do it. Really, really interesting people usually frequent this fest. Anyway, hope you have fun, I will probably be roaming around the food stalls deciding what delicious festival food I want to eat!!! You can get your advance tickets at Tsunami Coffee House for $15!
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WHAT: Sunset Junction Street Fair
WHEN: Saturday, August 22nd & Sunday, August 23rd
WHERE: Sunset Junction
$$$: $15 per day/$20 at the door

Okay, so it’s still a week away, but watermelon is delicious and I’m excited.  Next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is the Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival.  Just one dollar gets you delicious free watermelon, music and dance performances, and so-strange-they’re-great watermelon carving displays.  Oh, and everyone who comes to the festival can enter into a raffle to win cash prizes.  Cool.

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WHAT: Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival
WHEN: Friday, Saturday and Sunday August 14th-16th
WHERE: Sunland Park
$$$: $1 entry

I want to date a vampire so bad.

I’ve seen Twilight. I watch True Blood. I know what’s up. Vampires are hot and sexy, and they thirst for my blood. And you know what, I’m ready to let them get it.

The first ever Vampire-Con kicks off next weekend, with daytime festivites and contests for all the fake vampires and fang-bangers (because everyone knows real vampires can’t go out during the day) spiraling into a crazy “danse macabre” – Vampirella’s Ball. DJ Gary Calamar, music supervisor for True Blood, is even spinning a special set.

So if LoveBitten hasn’t been working out for you, you’re sure to find your perfect match there. But be careful, you might wake up with some pretty gnarly hickeys, or even worse, the deadliest yet coolest STD in the world: Vampirism.

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WHAT: Vampire convention and party
WHEN: August 14-16
WHERE: The Music Box at the Fonda
$$$: Day 15 / Night 30 / Combo 40

Don’t you wish a billion dollars would just appear right before your very eyes? Well, guess what? It’s possible. Just have your friend blindfold you, drive you to the LA Convention Center, walk inside, and then take off the blindfold! It’s the World’s Fair of Money, back for the first time since 1975! You’ll get to see real $100,000 bills, 1913 Liberty Head nickels, a $20 gold coin from the Gold Rush, and more. Ok, this probably only sounds cool to a few of us geeks out there, but if you’re a coin collector, you definitely want to try to get out to this. Especially when the tag line for the show is, “Discover your GOLDEN dreams”. Catchy. There’s always a chance you’ll catch an intricate heist planned by Clooney, Pitt, Brosnan, and co. Who knows?!
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WHAT: World’s Fair of Money
WHEN: Wednesday, August 5th – Sunday, August 9th
WHERE: LA Convention Center
$$$: $6

Saturday & Sunday, feast your eyes, and stomach, on the Long Beach Crawfish Festival. Not all of us can get the real deal in Louisiana, so the organizers created this festival 16 years ago just so we can experience this shellfish’s magic. To go along with the Cajun theme, there will be two stages of live music featuring the music of New Orleans. There will also be plenty of dancing and drinking, and most importantly, eating. Bristol Farms will be serving you a crawfish feast if you buy the $25 ticket. You can get $2 off your ticket at the door by printing out this coupon. However, last year the festival sold out, so get their early! Plus, the festival is only 3 blocks away from the last stop on the Metro Blue Line, so you won’t have to worry finding parking! Damn, I hate when writing up events makes me hungry.
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WHAT: Long Beach Crawfish Festival
WHEN: Saturday, August 1st & Sunday, August 2nd @ Noon-10PM
WHERE: Rainbow Lagoon, Long Beach
$$$: $13/$25 (feast+admission)

Saturday Aug. 8th Koreatown will be bursting with Korean BBQ madness (as if it isn’t already) for a giant festival brought by the Korean American Coalition and devoted to the beautiful thing that is barbecued meat. It’s free to get in, at a parking lot on 6th street, and the festival will showcase some of the best Korean BBQ joints in town, hand-picked by “experts,” aka enthusiasts. It’s co-sponsered by Yelp, so I’m sure there will be free schwag, an eating contest of a “mystery food” at 2pm, beer garden, and cook-off starting at 5pm. Judges will include Jonathon Gold (awesome) and Mayor Villaraigosa (hmm…). Come check it out for the delicious food and because Koreatown is the largest social enclave for Koreans in America! How cool is that?

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WHAT: Korean BBQ Festival and Cook-Off
WHEN: Saturday Aug. 8th, 12-8pm
WHERE : 3223 W 6th St, the parking lot @ the Summit on 6th
$$$: free + money for food vendors

This Sunday is going to be awesome. If you go to This is Tightrope’s event that is. Sort of a mini-festival of sorts, there will be 10 bands, including Avi Buffalo, Swing Party, Spring Chickens, Black Apples, Drug Wars, Cheetahsaurus, Intricate Machines, So Many Wizards, Hotel St. George, and Palm Yard….plus the Coolhaus ice cream truck, food from Territory BBQ, thai beer by Nahkon, fashion, arts & crafts, and more! It goes down from 1pm to 11pm in the holly ‘hood. $5 with RSVP to info@thisistightrope.com and entry before 3pm; $10 after. I’ll see you there; you know I can’t pass up territory bbq and ice cream sammies and avi buffalo.

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WHAT: Cage the Animals festival of sorts
WHEN: Sunday July 26th 1-11pm
WHERE: 1444 N. Highland, Hollywood
$$$: 5 w/ RSVP (info@thisistightrope.com)