There are some great things happening in Los Angeles this month – from al fresco cinema to concerts by the beach, via film festivals and Mexican Independence Day celebrations. Every month we produce a list of upcoming events and other activities that we think anyone here, Angeleno or visitor, might want to do. Many of them are free and all are fun, and they’ll also give you an authentic experience of Los Angeles’ food, music, art and general joie-de-vivre. Have fun, be safe and let us know what you think of our guide to the 10 best things to do in LA in September.

Events & Activities in Los Angeles This Month

1. ROOFTOP CINEMA CLUB (ALL MONTH)

The Rooftop Cinema Club has three venues now – in DTLA, the Arts District and El Segundo. It also has an amazing line-up of movies this month, including Bridesmaids, Psycho, Pretty Woman and La La Land. The weather in Los Angeles in September is perfect for watching a movie outside too.

More information here.

2. BURBANK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (SEPTEMBER 21-24)

You may have heard that films – or “pictures” if you’re an old time movie-star, as in “I was shooting a picture with Bogie at Warners” – are often made in Los Angeles. So why not go to this film festival and see work by the emerging talents who’ll be selling out the multiplex in a few years time? There are drama, comedy and feature presentations to enjoy (the guest of honor this year is Tim Burton).

More information here.

3. CELEBRATE MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY IN EAST LA (SEPTEMBER 10)

Every September for the last seventy-something years people have lined the streets of East Los Angeles, near downtown, for a big parade to celebrate the day. There are floats, folkloric groups, mariachi bands and vaqueros riding horses and generally looking very cool. Mexican Independence Day is actually on September 16, but get your celebration in early. “Viva Mexico! Viva la independencia!”

More information here.

4. VISIT LACMA (ALL MONTH)

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is always a great place to visit, so why not visit this month? There are always a ton of events, including DJ’s spinning the wheels of steel on the Smidt Welcome Plaza, to art classes for kids, to gallery tours led by LACMA docents, to art and meditation There’s also Jazz in the evening on Fridays, from 6-8 pm (you can even bring your own picnic).

More information here.

5. SANTA MONICA & VENICE BIKE TOUR (ALL MONTH)

September is a great month to visit the beach neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Temperatures are a little cooler than high summer and the area is less busy than high tourist season. Our bike tour starts in Santa Monica, then we cycle down the beach to Venice (stopping at Muscle Beach), before taking in the canals and Abbot Kinney Boulevard. We finish by cycling up Santa Monica Main Street (with a quick stop for coffee or donuts, if you need it). The tour runs every day at 10 am.

We’d have to have one of the best things to do in LA in September, right?

More information here.

6. GO TO A COMEDY SHOW (ALL MONTH)

Who couldn’t do with a good laugh? Most of LA’s comedy clubs have long since reopened, with shows featuring line-ups of both household names and up-and-coming stand-ups. 

Hollywood Improv has a full slate of shows and The Comedy Store is open almost nightly. 

Don’t Tell Comedy is an underground series of “secret” standup shows offering pop-up shows at outdoor venues, including parking lots and rooftops.

7. GO TO THE BIGGEST FLEA MARKET IN LOS ANGELES (SEPTEMBER 10)

The Rose Bowl Flea Market is the biggest and the best known such market in the whole of Southern California. There are hundreds of stalls, selling everything from perfume to antiques, electrical goods and clothes. You should go – you may pick up a bargain and who couldn’t do with one of those?

More information here.

8. GO TO A CONCERT (VARIOUS DATES)

There are always great bands coming to Los Angeles to perform. This month some of the highlights are Pink, Drake, Counting Crows and the Steve Miller Band. More information here.

Seeing Queen Bee do her thing has to be one of the best things to do in LA in September. The concert’s at the brand new SoFI Stadium in Inglewood too. More information here.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on the Hollywood Bowl (the KCRW Festival, September 17 looks good) and the Greek Theatre (Van Morrison?), to see what performances and artists they’ve got scheduled.

9. GO TO 2 HERMOSA BEACH CONCERTS (SEPTEMBER 3 & 10)

Hermosa Beach is one of the nicest in the South Bay and in late summer the city organizes a festival. This year there are 2 Last Days of Summer concerts on consecutive weekends, as well as movie screenings the night before. What could be better than enjoying the late summer days in this picturesque beach-side city?

More information here.

10. WATCH A PERFORMANCE AT THE GETTY VILLA (SEPTEMBER 7-30)

Every September the Getty Villa presents a program of classical plays, often with a modern twist, in its replica ancient Greek theatre by the Pacific. This year it’s producing Oedipus, the famous tragedy by Sophocles, in a new version called The Gospel at Colonus.

This adaptation blends Greek myth with Black spiritual practice for a jubilant, life-affirming journey.

The Getty Villa

Needless to say this is the perfect place to watch such a play, but maybe don’t go see it with your mother if you’re identifying as a heterosexual male though.

More information here.

If you have any feedback on 10 Best Things to Do in LA in September please email us or reach out on social media, we’d love to hear from you.

– By Damien Blackshaw (Twitter)