We can’t bear the thought of you being bored this weekend. Or sober this Cinco de Mayo. So we’ve cobbled together an events guide highlighting some of the fun things to do over the next few days in and around Los Angeles. Have fun!
- THURSDAY, MAY 5
The Latina Independent Film Extravaganza (L.I.F.E.) Festival kicks off today and runs through Saturday, showing the diverse work of eight film directors from the U.S. Southwest and Latin America. The festival kicks off tonight at 7pm with an opening night mixer, screening, and gala, with a ticket price of $20. Tickets for all screenings and events here. 1908 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90004
Listen foo. Those foos at Foos Gone Wild are doing a drop and meet-and-greet with Lil Mr. E and Trash Bag Boys in Downtown today, with all profits going to Border Kindness' efforts to provide food, shelter, clothes, transportation, medical, and legal services to asylum-seekers, refugees, and the displaced. Foos with hearts of gold. 4:20pm, 728 E Commercial St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Current Taco Madness finalist Sonoratown is teaming up with pizza-place-that-we-like Pitfire Pizza and offering a collaborative Chivichanga pizza with slow cooked, shredded chicken guisado, chiles, and cheese modeled off the taqueria's famed burrito, and served with chiltepin salsa. You'll find that, along with $5 margaritas, all-day at all Pitfire Pizzas locations for $15, with $5 of that going to No Us Without You. All locations here.
Chef Jonathan Perez, owner of 2020 Taco Madness champion Macheen, will show everyone how to make a pork belly al pastor taco kit and a pineapple-chiletepin mezcal cocktail live on the L.A. Library's YouTube Channel. For all those smart souls who decided to stay away from the bars today. 4p.m. online right here.
Hollywood's new Desert 5 Spot invites everyone for a complimentary three-hour open bar on its kicked-back rooftop, provided by Avion Cristalino Tequila for Cinco de Mayo. There will also be a mariachi band and three themed cocktails on offer. And we mean everyone. We asked. 8-11pm, 6516 Selma Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
A Cinco de Mayo at a tiki bar? Sounds about right. Long Beach's Bamboo Club is throwing down with two tequilas and a mezcal brand over "mexi-tiki" food specials and an agave-foucsed cocktail menu. Reservations recommended. 11a.m.-closing, 3522 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90802
Guerrilla Tacos always knows how to have a good time and it's "Cinco de Gringo" specials sound like no exception. G.T. will be putting its own twists on fast food items like Mexican pizzas, "Bell Beefy Blasters," cinnamon twisties, and "Baja Blasted" cocktails. Cowabunga, dude! All day, reservations here, 2000 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA, 90021
Cointreau has a margarita mobile and it's coming to Downtown's The Row this afternoon to hand out free margaritas. And there's nothing wrong with free margaritas. Just wanted to make our position clear on that. 2-7pm, 777 S. Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
- FRIDAY, MAY 6
Luchador-adorned Beverly Grove legend El Carmen is celebrating its 25th anniversary at 5pm on Friday, with Mariachi Amigos de Los Angeles from 6-8pm, and dancing to DJs from Chulita Vinyl Club's L.A. crew until your feet fall off. Or 2am. Whichever comes first. 5pm-2am, 8138 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Ice cream. You want it. Wanderlust has it. And to honor Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, it's collected some of its most popular Asian-inspired flavors (and a few new ones) on a special menu, served through May at all of its locations. Flavors include salted kaya toast, galub jammun, royal milk tea, and lychee almond sorbet. Mmmm.... Six citywide locations here.
- SATURDAY, MAY 7
We wish someone looked at us the way we're looking at Quemada Tacos right now. The pop-up taqueria will appear in the morning, followed by the one and only Goat Mafia in the afternoon, at a big old community celebration with DJs at Sanfords Vintage and Brewjeria in Pico-Rivera this Saturday. And it definitely looks like Quemada is up to some intriguing things, like a smashed white bean, manchego, chili crisp, and peanut taco, and an avocado toast-inspired taco. But what do we know? 10am-12am, 4937 Durfee Ave. Pico Rivera, CA 90660, more details here
The very first Valley Asian Cultural Festival is happening in Woodland Hills on Saturday, featuring a day's worth of music, arts, dance, shopping, performances, food trucks and vendors, and kids activities in Rocky Young Park at Pierce College. 10am-4pm, free entry, 6201 Winnetka Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91371.
80's Jamaican dancehall legend Sister Nancy, known best for her iconic tune "Bam Bam," is headlining Dub Club's next bashment at Echo Park's EchoPlex this Saturday night. Lighters up!! Doors at 9pm, $20, 21+, 1822 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026-3227
- SUNDAY, MAY 8
Madre fittingly wants to celebrate your mama with you, offering a drink called "Love You Mom" with watermelon and mezcal for $14, and a mole negro with pork belly and 'shrooms for $28 at all its restaurants. Over at the Torrance location, Dueto Dos Rosas will be perform live during lunch from 12-2p.m., and later from 5-7p.m., with tickets at $35 per person, not including food and drink. But Mom is worth it. Tickets here, 1261 Cabrillo Ave. #101, Torrance, CA 90501
Danny Trejo would like to meet your mother. That came out weird. Anyway, Machete himself will be handing out flowers to moms at Trejo's Tacos in Santa Monica during their brunch service. Trejo's will also offering bottomless mimosas, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and breakfast tacos and burritos from Friday on for the occasion. He's really going all out for moms. 12-2pm, 316 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401
- MONDAY, MAY 9
"But wait," you say. "Monday isn't the weekend. Are you stupid?" To which we concede. But all bets are off when it's the 2nd Annual Los Angeles Haitian and Hilarious Comedy Tour at Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, featuring funny dudes like Bechir Sylvain, Success Jr., and Frantz Casseus. And suddenly, you kind of see our point. 6:30pm doors, $40-$60 tickets here, 8001 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90046
