School and extra-curricular activities are back for many of us, but if you’re an Angeleno still yearning for far away places and find yourself with some weekend time to spare, there’s plenty of opportunities this month to visit and explore other cultures without traveling too far. Events and activities taking you to China, Japan, Africa, Greece, Thailand, and Norway are on the calendar. Check it out and see what your family might enjoy. I welcome news of events that I missed. Please share them in the comments.

* LABOR DAY WEEKEND, SEPTEMBER 5 & 6 & 7 *

The Undiscovered Chinatown Tour, Chinatown, Saturday, 10:30am-1pm. (Offered every first Saturday of the month). Visit a temple, an herbal shop, art galleries, antique stores, and more when guided to the unique treasures–not to mention great bargains–to be found in Chinatown. Wear comfortable walking shoes and be prepared to wind your way through a myriad of alleyways, plaza stalls, and classical courtyards to discover the charm of L.A.’s Chinatown. RSVP is required. Submit request online here.

Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival, Los Angeles, Saturday & Sunday & Monday, 10am-7pm. Visit historic Leimert Park Village and enjoy this free, family-friendly event with entertainment and activities for all ages. There will be jazz, blues, reggae, r&b, Afro-beat, traditional African drumming, spoken word, hip hop, comedy, a fashion show, and hair show. Special events will take place in the surrounding area after 7pm. Food vendors will be on hand offering a wide variety of options. The Village Marketplace will feature vendors, shops, and boutiques offering fine art and quality crafts and general merchandise.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 12 & 13 *

17th Annual L.A. Greek Festival, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Pico & Normandie, Friday to Sunday. The LA Greek Fest is your passport to Greece. Each day of festivities is a celebration of food, wine, dance, games, performances, and one-of-a-kind cultural experiences.

Mexican Independence Day, Olvera Street, Downtown LA, Saturday & Sunday, 10am-10pm. Celebrate Mexican Independence from Spain with popular and traditional entertainment, cultural activities, historic displays, food, artisan exhibits, and more. There will be an entertainment program on Wednesday, September 16, 2015.

 

Congo: Tribal Masks (Family Art Workshop), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Sunday, 10am-12pm. Participate in a free family art workshop in a real art studio. All materials are provided. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

 

Free Day at USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, every 2nd Sunday of the month. Established in 1971, the museum is one of few U.S. institutions dedicated to the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. The museum’s mission is to further intercultural understanding through the arts of Asia and the Pacific Islands. In addition to the permanent and special exhibitions, there is a special interactive family-friendly exhibition called Journeys: The Silk Road where visitors can explore the legendary trade route that linked Europe and Asia for more than a thousand years.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 19 & 20 *

Kids in the Courtyard: Make Your Map, Fowler Museum Courtyard, UCLA, Sunday, 1pm-4pm. Maps can guide us, tell a story, or make a statement. They can even transform the way we see the world. Map your world after admiring paintings in the exhibition, A:shiwi A:wan Ulohnanne—The Zuni World, and other examples of maps from across the globe.

Pasadena GreekFest, Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church, Pasadena, Saturday & Sunday. Enjoy performances of Greek folk dancing and music; talks on cuisine, history, and travel; and tastes of authentic Greek foods such as gyros, souvlaki, moussaka, and baklava. A special Kid’s Zone entertains kids with bouncy inflatables, rides, and carnival games.

 

Japan: Composite Animals Drawing (Family Art Workshop), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Sunday, 10am-12pm. Participate in a free family art workshop in a real art studio. All materials are provided. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

 

 

Thai Cultural Day, Barnsdall Art Park, Los Angeles, Sunday, 11am-5pm. This year the festival celebrates the culture of Northern Thailand. It will be a day of traditional dance, music, and art.

 

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 26 & 27 *

The Undiscovered Chinatown Tour, Chinatown, Saturday, 3pm-4:30pm. This tour was added to coincide with the Moon Festival which follows. Visit a temple, an herbal shop, art galleries, antique stores, and more when guided to the unique treasures–not to mention great bargains–to be found in Chinatown. Wear comfortable walking shoes and be prepared to wind your way through a myriad of alleyways, plaza stalls, and classical courtyards to discover the charm of L.A.’s Chinatown. RSVP is required. Submit request online here.

77th Annual Moon Festival, West and Central Plazas, Chinatown, Saturday, 5pm-11pm. Join in the festivities of this harvest festival celebrated by the Chinese dating back over 3,000 years. There will be artisans and an artisan market, music performances, children’s craft workshops, an outdoor kitchen stage, moon viewing with telescopes, and plenty of food trucks.

 

Vista Viking Festival, Vista (North San Diego County), Saturday & Sunday. Make your way to Vista to see, share, and sample all things Viking and Scandinavian. Spectators can enjoy a variety of entertainment all day long on two stages. In addition to fine musical performances and acts, there are also arts and crafts and games for children, delicious Nordic food throughout the grounds, fine spirits, Viking competitions (Fish Fling, Log Toss, Horn Blowing, and Battle Cry!), ax throwing, spear throwing, archery, and Viking villages and encampments. There will also be plenty of opportunities to peruse and purchase beautiful Nordic merchandise and arts and crafts, both handmade and imported.

Baja Splash Cultural Festival, Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, Saturday & Sunday. In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and Mexican Independence Day, the Aquarium of the Pacific will host its 14th annual Baja Splash Cultural Festival featuring live entertainment, crafts, educational programs, and ethnic cuisine. Mariachi music, Mexican folkloric and Aztec dance troupes, interactive mural painting, Salvadoran dance,  and Guatemalan performances are some featured programs.

 

China: Fall Festival Dream Motif (Family Art Workshop), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Sunday, 10am-12pm. Participate in a free family art workshop in a real art studio. All materials are provided. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

 

Kids in the Courtyard: Clay Day, Fowler Museum Courtyard, UCLA, Sunday, 1pm-4pm. Explore beautiful ceramics in Fowler in Focus: Encountering Ancient Colombia—A Journey through the Magdalena Valley and create imaginative figures and vessels out of clay.