If you weren’t able to travel as far and wide as you would have liked to this summer, then September is your chance to make up for it. Throughout the month, there are special festivals, exhibits, walking tours, and workshops that offer you the chance to explore cultures from all over the world right here in Los Angeles as well as visit new-to-you areas to broaden your horizons. And this Labor Day Weekend in particular there is an exceptional number of events to consider.

And for Scandinavian enthusiasts, there are two special Scandinavian festivals going on this month. Unfortunately, neither are in the local Los Angeles area, but both could make for interesting excursions out of town. During the weekend of September 15 to 17, Solvang in Santa Barbara County celebrates its Danish heritage with the 81st annual Solvang Danish Days festival. The following weekend, September 23 and 24, you can experience all things Viking and Scandinavian at the Vista Viking Festival in San Diego County.

How will you explore the richness of Los Angeles this month?

* LABOR DAY WEEKEND, SEPTEMBER 2 & 3 & 4 *

Orange International Street Fair, Orange, Orange County, Friday, 9/1, – Sunday, 9/3. Every Labor Day Weekend since 1973, the Orange International Street Fair in downtown Orange has been the place where friends, families, and neighbors get together to experience a wide variety of food, music, and dance from cultures and ethnicities throughout the world. Besides the streets lined with international food booths, there are also arts and crafts booths and a children’s street geared towards the younger crowd.

E Hula Man, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, Long Beach, Friday, 9/1, – Sunday, 9/3. Come experience Southern California’s 23rd annual hula and chant competition. This three-day event blends honored traditions with innovative ideas, creating a wonderful Hawaiian experience and feeling of ’ohana (family) for event participants and patrons alike. Hawaiian cultural workshops taught by creative artisans and cultural specialists are also offered. Visit website for more information and to purchase tickets.

Long Beach Greek Festival by the Sea, Assumption of Blessed Virgin, Long Beach, Saturday, 9/2, – Monday, 9/4. Eat, dance, and drink all things Greek during this three-day event. Enjoy delicious Greek food (rotisserie chicken, gyros, Greek salads, roasted lamb, homemade Greek sweets, and more!), Greek beer and wine, live Greek music and dancing (lessons, too!), cooking demonstrations, specialty vendors, and carnival rides.

27th Annual Exhibition of Korean American Calligraphy Association U.S.A, Korean Cultural Center Art Gallery, Los Angeles, ongoing until September 15. The Korean Cultural Center LA hosts an exhibition with the Korean American Calligraphy Association U.S.A in which over 42 local artists show various calligraphy characters and Korean traditional paintings.

Undiscovered Chinatown Walking Tour, Downtown LA, Saturday, 9/2, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Offered every first Saturday of the month). Visit a temple, an herbal shop, art galleries, antique stores, and more! The 2 1/2 hour walking tour will take visitors to a number of off-the-beaten-track points of interest and will guide those interested in shopping to some of Chinatown’s best bargains and its trendiest shops. 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. Cost is $20. Please click here to RSVP.

Roman Holidays, The Getty Villa, Malibu, Saturday, 9/2, & Sunday, 9/3, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Discover the sights (and smells!) of ancient Rome, offer your prayers to Venus, read your future in a sheep’s liver, and enjoy live musical and comedy performances by the historically hysterical Troubadour Theater Company. Free but Advance Villa entry ticket is required.

Undiscovered Chinatown Highlighted Walking Tour, Downtown LA, Saturday, 9/2, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Held in conjunction with the Chinatown Summer Nights event starting at 5 p.m., this is a 1 1/2 hour walking tour. See listing above for description of tour. Cost is $15. Please click here to RSVP.

Chinatown Summer Nights, Central Plaza, Chinatown, Downtown LA, Saturday, 9/2, 5:00 p.m. This is the last of three Summer Nights this summer. Part food event, part summer party, Chinatown Summer Nights presents an exciting hot spot for Angelenos during the summer. Taste the many culinary offerings of Chinatown and LA’s gourmet food trucks, sample the neighborhood’s wares, watch Chinese chefs perform cooking demonstrations, experience large-scale outdoor video projections; take part in hands-on Chinese cultural activities presented by local organizations and museums, sip on craft brews, and dance in Central Plaza with 89.9 KCRW’s DJs!

Mexico: Huichol Beaded Clay Masks (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 9/3, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Every Sunday art instructors present a free art project featuring a different culture and media. All materials are provided.

International Mask Festival, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, Sunday, 9/3, 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Enjoy a day of cultural and educational engagement with family-fun activities including papier-mâché mask-making, face painting, and music. Paso de Oro Dance Troupe, Taiko Center of Los Angeles, and Dafra Drum will present Mask Dances from Mexico, Japan, and Africa.

Palm Trees and Dreams: Carlos Almaraz (Andell Family Sundays), LACMA, Miracle Mile, Sunday, 9/3, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Offered every Sunday in September). Make, look, and talk about art at Andell Family Sundays. This weekly family event features artist-led workshops and friendly gallery tours and activities thematically based on special exhibitions and LACMA’s permanent collection. Drop in anytime between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. This month, discover how Chicano artist Carlos Almaraz painted Los Angeles through color and movement. Get to know him and his art in the exhibition Playing with Fire: Paintings by Carlos Almaraz. Be inspired and include iconic L.A. imagery like palm trees and SoCal freeways in your art.

Broad Fest, The Broad Stage, Santa Monica, Sunday, 9/3, 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Broad Fest returns for an afternoon of music, food and interactive entertainment. DJ duo Sadubas sets the festive tone with an eclectic mix of world sounds between live performances of Blues music, pop symphony of song, Bolera music, and reggae. In the Edye Second Space, enjoy a Heal the Bay educational talk, cool rhythms from SMC Jazz Ensemble and dances from around the world with SMC’s Global Motion. Join in tango lessons, hula hooping, and art-making experiences for all ages. Delicious food and drink from local favorites will be available for purchase. Admission is free. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 9 & 10 *

Cuba Is, Annenberg Space for Photography, Century City, opens Saturday, 9/9, and is on display until 3/4/18. Revealing complexities both on and off the island, Cuba Is explores aspects of Cuba not easily accessed by foreigners, and sometimes not even by Cubans themselves. Born from indigenous, African and European roots, divergent politics and limitations in communication and commerce, the Cuba seen in this exhibition goes beyond the folklore and offers new insight into its current reality. Over 120 photos feature subjects ranging from defiant youth known as “Frikis” to the hard-partying children of the 1%, the underground system of sharing digital content—“El paquete”—to Miami’s Chonga girls. The exhibit is part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, a collaborative effort by arts institutions across Southern California to explore Latin American and Latino art in Los Angeles.

Peru: Inca Sun Disc (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 9/10, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Every Sunday art instructors present a free art project featuring a different culture and media. All materials are provided. This Sunday, create Inca sun discs with metal foil.

Palm Trees and Dreams: Carlos Almaraz (Andell Family Sundays), LACMA, Miracle Mile, Sunday, 9/10, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Offered every Sunday in September). Make, look, and talk about art at Andell Family Sundays. This weekly family event features artist-led workshops and friendly gallery tours and activities thematically based on special exhibitions and LACMA’s permanent collection. Drop in anytime between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. This month, discover how Chicano artist Carlos Almaraz painted Los Angeles through color and movement. Get to know him and his art in the exhibition Playing with Fire: Paintings by Carlos Almaraz. Be inspired and include iconic L.A. imagery like palm trees and SoCal freeways in your art.

27th Annual Exhibition of Korean American Calligraphy Association U.S.A, Korean Cultural Center Art Gallery, Los Angeles, ongoing until September 15. The Korean Cultural Center LA hosts an exhibition with the Korean American Calligraphy Association U.S.A in which over 42 local artists show various calligraphy characters and Korean traditional paintings.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 16 & 17 *

Solvang Danish Days, Solvang (Santa Barbara County), Friday, 9/15, – Sunday, 9/17. Solvang has been celebrating its Danish heritage at this annual festival since 1936. Events and activities take place all over town and include live music, comedy shows, Hans Christian Andersen storytellings, a parade each day, a Viking encampment with historical reenactments bringing Viking times to life, and a Living History Festival with artisans, craftspeople, storytellers, and interactive activities for all ages. There’s even a special kids area with snacks, beverages, games, and fun (including LEGOS!). Don’t miss the æbleskiver breakfasts and eating contests as well as the Old World Artisans Marketplace with demonstrations and artisanal hand-crafted items including Scandinavian arts & crafts, woodworking, papercutting, rosemaling, fabric art, jewelry, and pottery.

Visualizing Language: Oaxaca in L.A., Central Library, Downtown LA, opens Saturday, 9/16, and is on display until 1/31/18. The exhibition celebrates the rich social fabric of Los Angeles through the lens of the city’s vibrant Oaxacan community — specifically, the Zapotec communities which make up one of the largest Indigenous groups in Mexico and Los Angeles. The Oaxacan artist collective Tlacolulokos has created a series of new murals for the Central Library’s historic rotunda that explore language and culture as a key lifeline sustaining the shared experience between Mexico, Los Angeles, and beyond, with a look at how migration and the socio-political environment shape identity and cultural traditions. It is presented by The Library Foundation of LA and the LA Public Library as part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, a collaborative effort by arts institutions across Southern California to explore Latin American and Latino art in Los Angeles.

Mexican Independence Day, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, Downtown LA, Saturday, 9/16, & Sunday, 9/17. Celebrate Mexican independence from Spain with popular and traditional entertainment, cultural activities, historic displays, food, artisan exhibits, and more.

 

Aztec: Sun Stone: Tonatiuh Sun God (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 9/17, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Every Sunday art instructors present a free art project featuring a different culture and media. All materials are provided.

Palm Trees and Dreams: Carlos Almaraz (Andell Family Sundays), LACMA, Miracle Mile, Sunday, 9/17, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Offered every Sunday in September). Make, look, and talk about art at Andell Family Sundays. This weekly family event features artist-led workshops and friendly gallery tours and activities thematically based on special exhibitions and LACMA’s permanent collection. Drop in anytime between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. This month, discover how Chicano artist Carlos Almaraz painted Los Angeles through color and movement. Get to know him and his art in the exhibition Playing with Fire: Paintings by Carlos Almaraz. Be inspired and include iconic L.A. imagery like palm trees and SoCal freeways in your art.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 23 & 24 *

Pasadena Greek Fest, Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church, Pasadena, Friday, 9/22 (evening) – Sunday, 9/24. Enjoy performances of Greek dancing and music; talks on cuisine, history, and travel; and tastes of Greek foods such as gyros, souvlaki, moussaka, and baklava. A special Kid’s Zone entertains kids with bouncy inflatables, games and a climbing wall.

 

Vista Viking Festival, Vista (North San Diego County), Saturday, 9/23, & Sunday, 9/24. Make your way to Vista to see, share, and sample all things Viking and Scandinavian. Learn about Viking life in the living history encampments of the Viking Village and watch exciting Viking battles on the field. At the Weapons Range, expert instructors will train you in the skills of axe throwing, spear throwing, and archery. At Heritage Hall, learn about Scandinavian history, genealogy, and culture, and watch cooking and craft demonstrations. In addition to these events and activities, enjoy a variety of live entertainment all day long on two stages. You can also be part of the show and make Viking Festival history by participating in one of their signature competitions — Fish Fling, Log Toss, Horn Blowing, and Battle Cry. There are also arts and crafts and games for children, delicious Nordic food throughout the grounds, and beer gardens.

Baja Splash Cultural Festival, Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, Saturday, 9/23, & Sunday, 9/24. In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and Mexican Independence Day, the Aquarium of the Pacific will host its sixteenth annual Baja Splash Cultural Festival featuring live entertainment, crafts, educational programs, ethnic cuisine, and much more. Mariachi music, Mexican folkloric and Aztec dance troupes, interactive mural painting, Salvadoran dance, Guatemalan performances, and other special programs are featured.

Chile: Arpilleras Art and Protest (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 9/24, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Every Sunday art instructors present a free art project featuring a different culture and media. All materials are provided.

Palm Trees and Dreams: Carlos Almaraz (Andell Family Sundays), LACMA, Miracle Mile, Sunday, 9/24, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Make, look, and talk about art at Andell Family Sundays. This weekly family event features artist-led workshops and friendly gallery tours and activities thematically based on special exhibitions and LACMA’s permanent collection. This Sunday, discover how Chicano artist Carlos Almaraz painted Los Angeles through color and movement. Get to know him and his art in the exhibition Playing with Fire: Paintings by Carlos Almaraz. Be inspired and include iconic L.A. imagery like palm trees and SoCal freeways in your art. Drop in anytime between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Kids in the Courtyard: Axé Bahia, Fowler Museum Courtyard, UCLA, Westwood, Sunday, 9/24, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Celebrate the opening of the new exhibition Axé Bahia: The Power of Art in an Afro-Brazilian Metropolis by creating a collaged landscape honoring Los Angeles’ sister city, Salvador de Bahia. Combine your own drawing with images from magazines, books, and more to illustrate a hybrid skyline of LA and Salvador!

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 30 & OCTOBER 1 *

Little Tokyo Walking Tour, Japanese American National Museum, Downtown LA, Saturday, 9/30, 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Offered every last Saturday of the month). Relive history and learn about present-day Little Tokyo with JANM docents. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Weather permitting. Buy tickets in advance. Cost is $12 members, $15 non-members. Museum admission is included. Limited to 20 participants.

36th Annual Watts Tower Day of the Drum Festival & 41st Annual Simon Rodia Watts Tower Jazz Festival, The Watts Towers Arts Center Campus, Los Angeles, Saturday, 9/30, & Sunday, 10/1. Start the day with a Yoruba ground blessing uniting all cultures based on common themes and principles. Then continue the celebration with drum, dance, and rhythm. Guided tours of “Nuestro Pueblo”, the Watts Towers of Simon Rodia, and supervised children’s activities will also be offered, along with food, arts, and craft vendors. Festivities and activities continue the following day with the 41st Annual Simon Rodia Watts Tower Jazz Festival.

China: Autumn Festival Lantern and Sweet Treats (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 10/1, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Every Sunday art instructors present a free art project featuring a different culture and media. All materials are provided.

Design/Diseño (Andell Family Sundays), LACMA, Miracle Mile, Sunday, 10/1, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Offered every Sunday in October). Make, look, and talk about art at Andell Family Sundays. This weekly family event features artist-led workshops and friendly gallery tours and activities thematically based on special exhibitions and LACMA’s permanent collection. During the month of October, explore how designers in California and Mexico shared ideas to create fabuloso design in the special exhibition Found in Translation: Design in California and Mexico, 1915–1985. Orale! Be inspired to make your own diseños. Drop in anytime between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Feel free to add events for the summer months in the comments below. I also welcome feedback on any events you have attended. If you have suggestions about future events and celebrations to include in upcoming months, please email me the details. Thank you!