This month you have five full weekends to explore the richness of Los Angeles. And if you’re Norwegian, it’s an even more special month since we celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day on May 17. What areas of the world will you explore? Mexico, Greece, Africa, China, Israel, Scotland, India, France, or Norway? Or you can mix it up at an international children’s film festival. Seize the opportunity to try something new this month!

* WEEKEND OF MAY 2 & 3 *

REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival, Walt Disney Concert Hall Complex, Saturday & Sunday until May 17. The 10th annual REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival features three weekends of adventurous short-film programs to appeal to moviegoers of all ages. Magical, exhilarating works made by acclaimed filmmakers and up-and-coming auteurs showcases work from around the globe—including Iran, Brazil, Sweden, Russia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Korea, The Netherlands, Ukraine—to inspire the whole family. Festival highlights include the latest in both live action and animated shorts. See website for full schedule and ticket information.

Renaissance Pleasure Faire, Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, Irwindale, Saturdays & Sundays until May 17. Travel back to the 16th century and experience the glory of life during the Renaissance era. The faire provides “a cornucopia of diversity where we are unified in inviting our guests to enjoy an environment we have created to escape from the stresses and demands of the modern day.” There will be artisans of all media, entertainment galore, food trucks and booths, games and rides (including pony and camel rides), a Kids Kingdom (with games, crafts, story-telling, song, shows, and characters), and a gnome quest!

Cinco de Mayo Celebration, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument, Downtown, Saturday & Sunday, 10am-10pm.  El Pueblo hosts traditional Mexican dance and music, in honor of Mexico’s victory over the French in 1862. The party has been going on at this site every Cinco de Mayo for 140 years.

Greece: Ancient Pottery (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. We’ve attended one of these art workshops and can attest to the value and fun of them. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

Andell Family Sundays—For Royalty and Ceremony: African Textiles, LACMA, Sunday, 12:30pm-3:30pm. Also May 10, 17, 24, and 31. Check out the intricate beading, elaborate feather work, and complex symbolism that show status and ceremony in the exhibition African Textiles and Adornment: Selections from the Marcel and Zaira Mis Collections. Make your own textile art in workshops.

Family Jam: Family Meditation and Concert, Fowler Museum Courtyard at UCLA, Sunday, 2pm-4pm. Join acclaimed Chinese musicians from the Bridges East and West Music Festival for a serene concert and meditation for all ages. Experience the transforming qualities of tai-chi with Professor Shibin Zhou, contemplate an artwork in the Intersections gallery, and see how artists from the India-based Sahmat Collective shared works of art to promote peace. Then, create a fan to keep you cool during the hot summer months.

* WEEKEND OF MAY 9 & 10 *

REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival, Walt Disney Concert Hall Complex, Saturday & Sunday until May 17. This is the second weekend of the 10th annual REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival which features adventurous short-film programs that appeal to moviegoers of all ages. Magical, exhilarating works made by acclaimed filmmakers and up-and-coming auteurs showcases work from around the globe—including Iran, Brazil, Sweden, Russia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Korea, The Netherlands, Ukraine—to inspire the whole family. Festival highlights include the latest in both live action and animated shorts. See website for full schedule and ticket information.

World City Series: Kùlú Mèlé, W.M. Keck Children’s Amphitheatre at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Saturday, 11am and 12:30pm. Enjoy music and dance by Kùlú Mèlé African Dance and Drum Ensemble. This Philadelphia-based group is known for infusing African dance with urban American flair. Their World City performance will feature their Afro-Cuban repertoire with rhythms such as rumba and dances, one with roots in the Yoruba religion and another by way of Congo. Free visual arts workshops, designed by Music Center Teaching Artists, are available during each World City engagement. See website for ticket reservation information.

China: Paper Flower Cutting (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. We’ve attended one of these art workshops and can attest to the value and fun of them. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

Andell Family Sundays—For Royalty and Ceremony: African Textiles, LACMA, Sunday, 12:30pm-3:30pm. Also May 17, 24, and 31. Check out the intricate beading, elaborate feather work, and complex symbolism that show status and ceremony in the exhibition African Textiles and Adornment: Selections from the Marcel and Zaira Mis Collections. Make your own textile art in workshops.

* WEEKEND OF MAY 16 & 17 *

REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival, Walt Disney Concert Hall Complex, Saturday & Sunday. This is the final weekend of the 10th annual REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival which features adventurous short-film programs that appeal to moviegoers of all ages. Magical, exhilarating works made by acclaimed filmmakers and up-and-coming auteurs showcases work from around the globe—including Iran, Brazil, Sweden, Russia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Korea, The Netherlands, Ukraine—to inspire the whole family. Festival highlights include the latest in both live action and animated shorts. See website for full schedule and ticket information.

Norwegian Constitution Day Festivities at Nansen Field, Rolling Hills Estates, Sunday, 11am. This is a true Norwegian celebration hosted by the Norwegian Church Abroad. It is a relaxing, laid-back event on a huge open field. The field opens at 9:30am and the festivities kick off at 11 o’clock with a Norwegian 17th of May church service, a flag raising, and a 17th of May speech. Then there’s a parade led by a marching band followed by the sale of traditional Norwegian 17th of May foods such as hot dogs, hamburgers, Solo, waffles, and ice cream. There are also vendor stalls with Norwegian goods and plenty of games and prizes for the kids. Read about one of our earlier celebrations at Nansen Field here.

Norway’s National Day Celebration, Norway’s Church Abroad, San Pedro, Sunday, 5pm. The Church always hosts a traditional Norwegian “17. mai” celebration on the actual day at 17:00. So this year you can get a lot of Norwegian in on one day. Typical Norwegian foods will be served—pølser, rundstykker, bløtkaker, marsipankaker, brus, and coffee. There will also be games for kids of all ages and ice cream prizes for all. And of course, it wouldn’t be a typical 17. mai celebration without speeches and a parade around the neighborhood. And of course the store is open so you can stock up on Scandinavian goodies.

Celebrate Israel Festival, Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, West Los Angeles, Sunday, 11am-6pm. Come celebrate Israel’s 67th Independence Day. This year’s theme is Jerusalem of Gold and attendees will have the opportunity to visit various sites of Jerusalem, learn about the Old City, participate in various hands-on projects, and experience the city’s magic. The day’s activities and events include musical performances (main event is Shlomi Shabat); an artists pavilion showcasing local Jewish and Israeli artists with their jewelry, crafts, gifts, and home decor; a kids zone and a teen area; a technology pavilion to see latest Israeli innovation and hear Ted-style presentation; and an amusement park with rides.

USA: Land Art (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. We’ve attended one of these art workshops and can attest to the value and fun of them. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

Andell Family Sundays—For Royalty and Ceremony: African Textiles, LACMA, Sunday, 12:30pm-3:30pm. Also May 24 and 31.Check out the intricate beading, elaborate feather work, and complex symbolism that show status and ceremony in the exhibition African Textiles and Adornment: Selections from the Marcel and Zaira Mis Collections. Make your own textile art in workshops.

* MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND MAY 23 & 24 *

Scottish Fest, Orange County Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa, Saturday & Sunday, 9am-6pm. Enjoy a festival of Celtic entertainment and food. There will be competitions in Piping & Drumming, Highland Dancing, and Scottish Athletics as well as a full schedule of entertainment.

42nd Annual Valley Greek Festival, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Northridge, Saturday, Sunday, & Monday, 1pm-9pm. Enjoy a cultural experience for all ages with live music, dancing, gourmet food, homemade pastries, cooking demonstrations, children’s activities, a Greek market, and a variety of shopping boutiques.

India: Rangoli Art (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. We’ve attended one of these art workshops and can attest to the value and fun of them. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

Andell Family Sundays—For Royalty and Ceremony: African Textiles, LACMA, Sunday, 12:30pm-3:30pm. Check out the intricate beading, elaborate feather work, and complex symbolism that show status and ceremony in the exhibition African Textiles and Adornment: Selections from the Marcel and Zaira Mis Collections. Make your own textile art in workshops.

* WEEKEND OF MAY 30 & 31 *

France: Matisse-Inspired Paper Cut-Outs (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. We’ve attended one of these art workshops and can attest to the value and fun of them. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

Andell Family Sundays—For Royalty and Ceremony: African Textiles, LACMA, Sunday, 12:30pm-3:30pm. Check out the intricate beading, elaborate feather work, and complex symbolism that show status and ceremony in the exhibition African Textiles and Adornment: Selections from the Marcel and Zaira Mis Collections. Make your own textile art in workshops.

Once again it’s time to think about what parts of the world you’d like to explore all while staying close to home. The Scandinavian Festival is always on my calendar for April. I’ve been with my family several times. This year, however, the boys will be busy with sports that weekend. Therefore, I will be heading out to the festival alone on the Sunday of the festival to volunteer at an entrance gate. I’m looking forward to this new way of experiencing the event, and maybe I’ll even see some familiar faces come through. Scroll down to Weekend of April 18 & 19 to read more about the Scandinavian Festival. I hope you’ll consider coming!

* WEEKEND OF APRIL 4 & 5 *

Renaissance Pleasure Faire, Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, Irwindale, Saturdays & Sundays, April 4 to May 17. Travel back to the 16th century and experience the glory of life during the Renaissance era. The faire provides “a cornucopia of diversity where we are unified in inviting our guests to enjoy an environment we have created to escape from the stresses and demands of the modern day.” There will be artisans, entertainment, food trucks and booths, games and rides (including pony and camel rides), a Kids Kingdom (with games, crafts, story-telling, song, and shows), and a gnome quest!

Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition, California Science Museum, Exposition Park, ongoing until September 7. Come discover the most significant archaeological find of the last century—the Dead Sea Scrolls. This special exhibition explores the science and significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls, manuscripts written and hidden in caves 2000 years ago and not discovered until 1947. Additional highlights include a three-ton stone from Jerusalem’s Western Wall, limestone capitals from the first temple period (1000-586 BCE), ossuaries from the early Roman period, and an ancient signature preserved for millennia on the Archer Seal. Enhance your experience with a viewing of Jerusalem 3D at the IMAX theater.

The Undiscovered Chinatown Walking Tour, Chinatown, Saturday, 10:30am-1pm. 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.

Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, Sunday, 11am-3:30pm. On the first Sunday of every month, Bowers Museum offers free tickets to the museum, Kidseum, and all activities. On this Sunday, enjoy the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival as well. There will be art projects such as cherry blossom water colors painting, fish prints, and face painting, as well as classical dance, folk dance, and musical performances with traditional instruments (koto, shamisen, and taiko).

* WEEKEND OF APRIL 11 & 12 *

17th Annual Chumash Day Powwow and Inter-Tribal Celebration, Malibu Bluffs Park, Saturday & Sunday. This year’s 17th annual Chumash Day Powwow will celebrate Native Americans from all over the country. Hundreds of tribes will gather at Malibu Bluffs Park. Native American food, craft vendors, tribal ceremonies, and dances will be a part of the event on both days. Grand Entry will take place 1pm at Saturday and 12pm on Sunday.

World City Series: DakhaBrakha, W.M. Keck Children’s Amphitheatre at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Saturday, 11am and 12:30pm. Come enjoy DakhaBrakha, a quartet from Kiev, Ukraine, with a musical spectrum that ranges from intimate to riotous, producing an unexpected new world music on drums, accordions, and cello. Free visual arts workshops, designed by Music Center Teaching Artists, are available during each World City engagement. See website for ticket reservation information.

Kids in the Courtyard: Home Is Where the Art Is, Fowler Museum at UCLA, Saturday, 1pm-4pm. Whether it’s the towering mosaics of Watts Towers or the stained glass of Echo Park’s “Randy Land,” Los Angeles is filled with inventive architecture. In this program, explore the photographs of fantastically decorated homes from Spain in the exhibition Singular Spaces and consider the architectural creativity in your neighborhood. Then contribute to a group fort-building project using recycled materials in the Fowler Courtyard and create a colorful wind chime to liven up your own home.

Japan: Sumi Ink Fan Painting, Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Sunday, 10am-12pm. Participate in a free family art workshop in a real art studio. We’ve attended one of these art workshops and can attest to the value and fun of them. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

Andell Family Sundays—Renaissance Reunion, LACMA, Sunday (also April 19), 12:30pm-3:30pm. Like long-lost family members, four paintings that were separated centuries ago are reunited at LACMA! First, see them in the exhibition Four Allegories by Veronese: A Rediscovery and a Reunion. Then, make your own Renaissance-inspired art in artist-led workshops.

* WEEKEND OF APRIL 18 & 19 *

Scandinavian Festival, Cal Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, Saturday & Sunday. Both days of the festival are filled with lively music, traditional dancing, a bustling Nordic food court, lectures on history and culture, food and craft demonstrations, vendors, and activities for young and old alike. The Viking Encampment and Sami Village will once again be present. And this year there will be a Vintage Car and Motorcycle Exhibition featuring Volvos, Saabs, and other Scandinavian vehicles. Highlights of family activities include making head wreaths with real flowers, crafting a traditional wooden butter knife, raising and dancing around the Maypole, learning the ancient Viking game Kubb, and playing Croquet. This is really a fun-filled family festival not to be missed!

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, USC Campus, Saturday & Sunday. Enjoy two days of not only books and authors, but also live music, poetry readings, comedy performances, photography exhibits, film screenings followed by Q&A’s, artists creating work on-site, and chef demonstrations. There are open-air stages with performances and readings by entertainers and authors (free, schedule here) and indoor discussions on a variety of topics (ticket info here). We’ve attended as a family and enjoyed wandering the grounds, listening to children’s authors read their stories (in 2012, the kids were excited to hear David Shannon and Jeff Kinney and this year Jeff Kinney returns), and eating from the food trucks.

Andell Family Sundays—Renaissance Reunion, LACMA, Sunday, 12:30pm-3:30pm. Like long-lost family members, four paintings that were separated centuries ago are reunited at LACMA! First, see them in the exhibition Four Allegories by Veronese: A Rediscovery and a Reunion. Then, make your own Renaissance-inspired art in artist-led workshops.

* WEEKEND OF APRIL 25 & 26 *

43rd Annual Bunka-Sai Japanese Cultural Festival, Ken Miller Recreation Center, Torrance, Saturday & Sunday. Enjoy Japanese culture at the Bunka-Sai Festival sponsored by the Torrance Sister City Association. There will be an anime contest, kamishibai storytelling, various martial arts, musical and dance performances, ikebana and bonsai floral displays, shodo calligraphy and tea ceremony, traditional crafts and dolls, boutiques, games for children, hourly drawings, and food.

India: Warli Art, Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Sunday, 10am-12pm. Participate in a free family art workshop in a real art studio. We’ve attended one of these art workshops and can attest to the value and fun of them. Each Sunday a different culture and media are featured.

Welcome to a new month filled with a wide variety of cultural opportunities. 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. There are festivals and fairs, performances and workshops that offer you the chance to explore the cultures of Greece, China, Thailand, Scandinavia, Latin America, and Africa right here in Los Angeles. Where will you venture this month?

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 6 & 7 *

16th Annual L.A. Greek Fest, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Pico & Normandie, Friday to Sunday. The L.A. 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. An added bonus, the festival takes place on the grounds of Saint Sophia Cathedral, a registered historical landmark in the heart of the Byzantine Latino Quarter of Los Angeles.

Big!World!Fun!: Viver Brasil, Ford Amphitheatre, Hollywood, Saturday, 10am. Viver Brasil’s dance performance “bursts with exhilarating movement, pulsating percussion and passionate vocals. Rooted in the traditional and contemporary dances of Bahia, Brazil, the company’s work embodies this culture’s beautiful and mythic stories, complete with colorful costuming and an energetic troupe of dancers, drummers and singers.”

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. Wind your way through a myriad of alleyways, plaza stalls, and classical courtyards to discover the charm of L.A.’s Chinatown.

Pippi Longstocking, Promenade Playhouse, Santa Monica, Saturday & Sunday, 1pm. See famed Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s rambunctious character Pippi Longstocking come to life in Creating Arts Company’s interactive-cinematic-theatrical experience. “Pippi’s good-natured hijinks cause as much trouble as fun in this bubbly, slapstick show for the whole family!” It is recommended for ages 3 and up and aims to entertain the entire family.

Kids in the Courtyard: Now That’s a Wrap!, Fowler Museum Courtyard, UCLA, Sunday, 12:30pm-2:30pm. Take a look at the stunning cloth in Yards of Style: African-Print Cloths of Ghana, Embroidery as Activism in Post-Apartheid South Africa, and Textiles of Timor, and then learn techniques for weaving and decorating your own fabric to create a take-home textile. This event is part of an afternoon of textiles programs, including an opening day curatorial talk for Textiles of Timor at 3pm with a reception following.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 13 & 14 *

Mexican Independence Day, Olvera Street Plaza, 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. Top Latin stars will perform and there will be games, rides, and family fun.

76th Annual Moon Festival, West and Central Plazas, Chinatown, Saturday, 5pm-12am. 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, Capuchin Monkey and Trainer, moon viewing with telescopes, and food trucks.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 20 & 21 *

I AM ELEVEN, Laemmle Royal, West LA; Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena; AMC Burbank 8, Burbank. Opens Friday the 19th. Australian filmmaker Genevieve Bailey travelled the world for six years talking with 11-year-olds to compose this insightful, funny, and moving documentary portrait of childhood. From an orphanage in India, to a single-parent household in inner-city Melbourne, to bathing with elephants in Thailand, I AM ELEVEN explores the lives and thoughts of children from 15 countries and explores what it means to sit at this transitional age. There will be “Meet the filmmaker Q&A” sessions after various screenings. See website for more information.

Pasadena GreekFest, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Friday to Sunday. Celebrate Greek culture through its food and entertainment. Try a variety of classic Greek dishes—lamb chops, gyros, souvlaki, fried calamari, and grilled octopus—and wash it down with authentic Greek wines and spirits. Enjoy live music by the Olympians and special guests from Greece. Watch dance presentations from award winning groups or join in and learn to dance. A special Kid’s Fun Zone entertains kids with rides, carnival games, and more.

Scandinavian AutumnFest and Höstmarknad Celebration, Vasa Park, Agoura, Sunday. AutumnFest offers a wide range of activities for the whole family. In addition to enjoying traditional foods of Sweden, you can be a judge in the 6th Annual Swedish Meatball Contest. Besides great foods, you buy beautifully crafted gifts and souvenirs and enjoy Swedish folk dancing and music. There will be many activities for kids including a huge waterslide, an alpine tube slide, swimming, a rock climbing wall, and field games.

22nd Annual Thai Cultural Day, Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood, Sunday. This year the festival celebrates the art of Central Thailand. It will be a day of traditional dance, music, food, and art. Cultural activities will include Thai antiques, arts and crafts, and silk along with a Thai painting exhibit and demonstration. Thai massage and kickboxing will also be featured. There will also be children’s activities.

* WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 27 & 28 *

Norwegian Heritage Fair, Peer Gynt Hall, Culver City, Saturday, 11am-5pm. Come enjoy homemade Norwegian food and pastries, peruse Scandinavian gifts and imports for sale, watch Scandinavian craft demonstrations (rosemaling, lefse baking, Hardanger embroidery, bobbin lace, and knitting), and receive assistance with genealogy and language needs.

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 will host its thirteenth annual Baja Splash Cultural Festival featuring live entertainment (such as Mariachi music, Mexican folkloric and Aztec dance troupes, Salvadoran dance, and Guatemalan performances), crafts, educational programs, ethnic cuisine, and much more.