2026 is shaping up to be a milestone year for Los Angeles. Global sports tournaments, major concerts, and citywide festivals are turning the calendar into one of the most packed in recent memory. For travelers planning around 2026 Los Angeles events, this is the year to be strategic about when you visit and what you see between headline moments.
With so much happening, the challenge is fitting in the essentials between games, shows, and festivals. Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and the landmarks you’ve seen on screen for years are often just as memorable as the main event, especially when time is limited.
That’s where the Half Day Best of LA Tour fits perfectly. It’s designed to give you a smart, efficient overview of Los Angeles in one half day, making it easy to experience the city’s most iconic landmarks while leaving plenty of room in your schedule for concerts, festivals, and sports events.
Book your Half Day Best of LA Tour here to make the most of your 2026 Los Angeles trip:
1. Dine LA Restaurant Week (January 23–February 6)
Dine LA Restaurant Week is one of the easiest ways to experience Los Angeles through food. For two weeks, hundreds of restaurants across the city offer specially priced lunch and dinner menus, making it possible to try popular spots without the usual commitment.
Participating restaurants are spread across Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, DTLA, and Hollywood, which makes it easy to pair sightseeing during the day with dining reservations at night. Because the event runs for multiple weeks, it fits well into busy itineraries and early-year travel plans.
The full list of participating restaurants, menus, and reservation details is available through Discover Los Angeles, which hosts the official Dine LA Restaurant Week guide.
2. Grammy Awards (February 1)
The Grammy Awards turn downtown Los Angeles into the center of the music world for one night each year. Artists, industry insiders, and fans descend on the city for the ceremony, while pre- and post-Grammy events, showcases, and private parties fill the days leading up to the show.
Even if you’re not attending the awards themselves, Grammy week brings a noticeable energy to DTLA, with live music events and industry buzz happening across nearby venues.
It’s also one of the best times to take our Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Celebrity Homes Open-Air Tour. Grammy week brings more activity to the neighborhoods celebrities frequent, and our guides know where to look while showing you LA’s most iconic streets.
3. NBA All-Star Weekend (February 13–15)
NBA All-Star Weekend brings one of the biggest Los Angeles sports moments of the year back to the city, with events centered around the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The NBA All-Star Game takes place on Sunday, February 15, while the full weekend includes fan experiences, skills competitions, and league events spread across Los Angeles.
With basketball fans, players, and media in town, this weekend adds serious energy to the city and ranks among the top Los Angeles events on the 2026 calendar. It’s also a great time to explore LA beyond the arena, especially if you’re looking for things to do in Los Angeles between games and events.
Tickets and official schedules for NBA All-Star Weekend can be found through the NBA’s website as details are finalized.
4. LA Marathon (March 8)
The LA Marathon is a signature Los Angeles event that brings runners and spectators together from across the globe. The 26.2-mile course takes runners through some of the city’s most recognizable neighborhoods, traditionally stretching from Dodger Stadium through Hollywood, West Hollywood, and toward Century City, with thousands of spectators lining the streets.
Along the route, live DJs, drum lines, and local performers turn the race into a citywide celebration that’s just as exciting for spectators as it is for runners. Even if you’re not racing, marathon weekend offers a unique way to experience Los Angeles from street level and is a standout moment on the Los Angeles event calendar.
Race details, course maps, and spectator information are available through the official LA Marathon website.
5. Academy Awards, The Oscars (March 15)
The Academy Awards mark the pinnacle of awards season in Los Angeles, with Hollywood transforming for one of the most watched opening nights in entertainment. The ceremony takes place at the Dolby Theatre, where red carpet arrivals, media coverage, and industry events draw global attention to the heart of Hollywood.
In the days surrounding the Oscars, the city buzzes with screenings, parties, and private events across Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood. Even without tickets to the show, this is one of the most exciting times to be in LA, especially for visitors interested in film history and pop culture. It’s also closely tied to awards season momentum that begins earlier in the year with events like the Golden Globes.
Official ceremony details and broadcast information are released by the Academy closer to the event date.
6. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (April 10–12 and April 17–19)
Coachella is one of the most talked-about music festivals in the world and a major draw for visitors planning spring trips to Southern California. Held over two weekends in Indio, about a two-hour drive from Los Angeles, the festival features a massive lineup of artists, large-scale art installations, and a desert setting that’s become iconic.
Many visitors choose to stay in Los Angeles and make Coachella a day trip or short overnight experience, pairing festival days with sightseeing in the city. It’s a standout moment on the 2026 Los Angeles event calendar and a popular anchor for trips built around concerts and festivals.
Lineups, schedules, and ticket information are released through the official Coachella website closer to the event.
7. LA Times Festival of Books (April 18–19)
The LA Times Festival of Books is the largest book festival in the United States and one of the most popular cultural events in Los Angeles each spring. Held on the USC campus, the event brings together authors, publishers, and readers for two days of panels, signings, and conversations spanning literature, film, food, and pop culture.
With hundreds of exhibitors and appearances from well-known writers and public figures, it’s easy to explore at your own pace. Free admission and a central location make it a strong addition to a weekend itinerary, especially for visitors looking for things to do in Los Angeles beyond concerts and sports.
Event schedules, author appearances, and program updates are published through the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books website.
8. Stagecoach Country Music Festival (April 24–26)
Stagecoach is Southern California’s largest country music festival and takes place in Indio, just one weekend after Coachella. Known for its laid-back atmosphere and strong lineup of country and Americana artists, it attracts fans from across the U.S. looking for a different festival vibe.
Many visitors pair Stagecoach with time in Los Angeles, making it easy to enjoy both live music in the desert and sightseeing in the city. Artist lineups, schedules, and ticket options are available through the official Stagecoach website.
9. Fiesta Broadway (April 26)
Fiesta Broadway is one of the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States and a longtime favorite among Angelenos. Held in downtown Los Angeles, the event brings together live music, cultural performances, food vendors, and family-friendly activities for a full day of celebration.
The festival typically takes over several blocks in DTLA, creating a lively street-party atmosphere that’s easy to explore on foot. With free admission and a central location, Fiesta Broadway is a great option for visitors looking for outdoor events in Los Angeles during spring.
10. LA County Fair (May 7–31)
The LA County Fair is a month-long celebration held at the Fairplex in Pomona and remains one of the most popular spring events in Los Angeles County. With themed exhibits, rides, concerts, and an ever-changing lineup of food vendors, it’s a classic mix of entertainment for all ages.
Because it runs for several weeks, the fair is easy to fit into a longer trip or weekend stay. Dates, concert schedules, and ticket options are published through the official LA County Fair website.
In town for a major LA event? Don’t leave without seeing the city itself. Our Half Day Best of LA Tour fits perfectly between concerts, festivals, and sports events.
11. California Strawberry Festival (May 16–17)
The California Strawberry Festival is a longtime spring favorite held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, just north of Los Angeles. The two-day festival celebrates the region’s strawberry harvest with food vendors serving strawberry-themed dishes, live music, cooking demos, and family-friendly activities.
It’s an easy add-on for visitors spending time in LA who want a short coastal day trip and something a little different from city sightseeing. Festival schedules, food vendors, and ticket information are available through California Strawberry Festival.
12. WeHo Pride and LA Pride (June 5–7 and June 14)
WeHo Pride and LA Pride are two of the most recognizable Pride celebrations in the country and major summer events in Los Angeles. WeHo Pride takes place in West Hollywood with concerts, parties, and community events throughout the weekend, while the LA Pride Parade follows on June 14 along Hollywood Boulevard.
Together, these celebrations draw visitors from around the world and bring a vibrant, citywide energy to Hollywood and surrounding neighborhoods. Event schedules, parade routes, and ticketed events are published through the official WeHo Pride and LA Pride websites.
13. FIFA World Cup 2026 in Los Angeles (June 11–July 19)
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the largest sporting event to ever come to Los Angeles, and it will reshape the city for more than a month. Matches will be hosted at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, placing Los Angeles at the center of the global tournament and firmly on the world stage.
Beyond the matches themselves, World Cup energy will spread across the city with fan zones, watch parties, and exhibitions tied to the tournament. Areas like DTLA, Santa Monica, and the South Bay are expected to host celebrations, making this one of the most dynamic upcoming events in Los Angeles. With international visitors arriving daily, this period will feel different from any other time in LA.
Because of the scale of the tournament, planning ahead is essential. Match tickets, fan experiences, and official programming details are released through FIFA’s World Cup channels, and visitors are encouraged to secure accommodations and transportation early.
14. Anime Expo (July 2–5)
Anime Expo is North America’s largest anime convention and a major summer draw in Los Angeles. Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in DTLA, the four-day event brings together fans, creators, and studios for panels, premieres, gaming, and large-scale exhibitions.
Cosplay is a huge part of the experience, with thousands of attendees filling the convention center and surrounding downtown streets in costume. Even if you’re not attending every panel, Anime Expo adds a lively, pop-culture energy to downtown and is one of the most visible upcoming events in Los Angeles during the summer.
Schedules, badges, and programming details are shared through Anime Expo.
15. Warped Tour Returns (July 25–26)
Warped Tour returns to Southern California with a nostalgic lineup focused on punk, alternative, and rock music. The two-day festival takes place in Long Beach, drawing longtime fans and a new generation looking to experience one of the most recognizable touring festivals of the 2000s.
With its coastal setting and summer timing, Warped Tour pairs well with a Los Angeles stay, especially for visitors interested in concerts and live music beyond the city center. Tour dates, lineups, and ticket options are released through Warped Tour’s official announcements.
16. Emmy Awards (September 14)
The Emmy Awards bring television’s biggest night to downtown Los Angeles, with industry attention centered around LA Live near Crypto.com Arena. While the ceremony itself is a closed event, the surrounding area buzzes with premieres, after-parties, and media activity that spill into DTLA throughout the week.
For visitors, Emmy week adds a polished awards-season energy to the city and pairs well with sightseeing, dining, and live shows nearby. Broadcast details, nominee announcements, and official event updates are released by the Television Academy as the date approaches.
17. Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Opens in Exposition Park (September 22)
The opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is one of the most anticipated cultural moments in Los Angeles. Located in Exposition Park near USC, the museum features galleries and exhibition spaces dedicated to visual storytelling across film, illustration, photography, and design.
With its scale and location, the museum adds a major new stop to Los Angeles’ cultural landscape and pairs well with nearby attractions and events in the area. Opening information, exhibitions, and ticket details are shared by the Lucas Museum ahead of its debut.
18. LA Comic Con (September, Date TBA)
LA Comic Con is one of the largest pop culture conventions in Southern California and takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in DTLA. The multi-day event brings together fans of comics, film, TV, gaming, and animation for panels, exhibitions, and meet-and-greets with celebrity guests.
Cosplay is a major part of the experience, with attendees filling the convention center floor and nearby streets in costume throughout the weekend. Even for visitors who don’t attend full days inside, Comic Con adds a high-energy atmosphere downtown and stands out among fall events in Los Angeles.
Event schedules, guest announcements, and ticket details are released by LA Comic Con as plans are finalized.
19. WeHo Halloween Carnaval on Santa Monica Boulevard (October 31)
WeHo Halloween Carnaval is one of the largest Halloween street celebrations in the world and a longtime favorite among Angelenos. Held along Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, the event draws thousands of costumed attendees for live DJs, pop-up performances, food vendors, and a high-energy nighttime atmosphere.
With free admission and a central location near Hollywood and Beverly Hills, it’s an easy event to experience even if you’re only in LA for a short stay. Street closures, performance zones, and safety details are shared by the City of West Hollywood ahead of Halloween night.
20. Grand Park’s NYE LA (December 31)
Grand Park’s NYE LA is Los Angeles’ largest free New Year’s Eve celebration and a popular way to ring in the new year downtown. The event features live music, art installations, food trucks, and a midnight countdown, with early evening programming that’s family-friendly and a lively atmosphere later in the night.
Located near DTLA landmarks and transit hubs, NYE LA is easy to pair with other holiday activities around the city. Event schedules, performance lineups, and access information are released by Grand Park as the celebration approaches, making it a strong finale to the Los Angeles event calendar.
See More of LA Between Events With Hollywood Bus Tours
With so many major events happening throughout 2026, Los Angeles will be busier and more exciting than ever. While you’re in LA, don’t miss the chance to experience the city’s iconic neighborhoods, views, and culture while you’re here.
Our Half Day Best of LA Tour is an easy way to experience Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and other must-see areas without overloading your schedule. It’s designed for visitors who want a smart, efficient overview of the city while still leaving plenty of time for the events that brought them to LA.
If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of celebrity life along the way, our Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Celebrity Homes Open-Air Tour adds another layer to the experience. Led by local guides who know these neighborhoods inside and out, it’s a fun, informed way to explore the streets that shape Los Angeles’ entertainment culture.
If you’re planning a 2026 trip around Los Angeles events, book your tour early and make time to see the city beyond the schedule.
