Scott Bourquin Surfing

Free Fair, Car-Free Art Walk and 500 Classic Japanese Cars: Your LA Coast Weekend, Oct. 2–4

Beach Street Life, Los Angeles County

Practical details

  • Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair: Sat–Sun, Oct. 3–4, 10 a.m.6 p.m. Opening Parade Sat. 10 a.m. Live Oak Park, Dorsey Field & Joslyn Center, Manhattan Beach. Free (donations welcome). Accessible parking: Civic Center Lot, enter at Highland Ave. & 15th St. with placard. mbfair.org
  • Montana Avenue Art Walk: Sat., Oct. 3. Montana Ave. between 6th and 17th streets, Santa Monica (closed to cars). Free, no ticket needed. Hours: not listed on official site, confirm. Street parking in the neighborhood; rideshare drop-off recommended near 9th or 14th St. montanaave.com/events/art-walk
  • Japanese Classic Car Show: Sat., Oct. 3, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Marina Green Park, 386 E. Shoreline Dr., Long Beach. $20 advance / $25 day-of; kids under 12 free with adult. Rain or shine. Parking: Long Beach Convention Center is NOT open to spectators; use The Pike structure or other paid public lots. japaneseclassiccarshow.com
  • Long Beach Open Studio Tour, Belmont: Sat–Sun, Oct. 3–4, 15 p.m. Studios around Belmont, Long Beach. Free, self-guided; map at lbopenstudiotour.com
  • Antigone: In the Language of Kings: FriSat, Oct. 2–3, 8 p.m. (check-in 6 p.m.). Getty Villa Outdoor Theater, 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy., Pacific Palisades. $45–$60 general admission; parking extra. Runs through Oct. 9. getty.edu/calendar/oct-antigone

Plans change. Confirm dates, times and prices on each event’s official site before you go.

Body

The first real weekend of October is shaping up to be a good one along the coast. Nothing here needs a big plan. Two of the best stops are free, most of them are outdoors, and you can build the day around one or two and still get a walk on the sand.

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair (Sat–Sun, Oct. 34)

This is the one to circle. The annual hometown fair takes over Live Oak Park, Dorsey Field and the Joslyn Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, and admission is free. Organizers say donations keep it that way, and the money goes back into Manhattan Beach scholarships, school programs and local nonprofits.

Get there early Saturday for the Opening Parade at 10 a.m. Local Scout troops lead it with the color guard and fair banner, and the Mira Costa High School Marching Band and Drill Teams close it out. After that, it’s an easy day of wandering. The Main Stage on Dorsey Field sits next to the Beer & Wine Garden and runs a mix of today’s hits, reggae, rock, jazz and “beach vibes,” plus a DJ set. The Dietz Stage on Live Oak Field is the place for cover bands and tribute acts, and it’s adding a youth Battle of the Bands this year. If you need a break from the sun, the Joslyn Center has air conditioning and hosts the Community Showcase, with local dance studios, school groups and musicians.

Good to know: the fair has no corporate sponsors. It’s run by a volunteer board of about 20 people and paid for by local donors. That’s about as hometown as it gets.

Montana Avenue Art Walk (Sat, Oct. 3)

Up in Santa Monica, Montana Avenue closes to cars from 6th to 17th streets for a free, all-day art walk. Local and regional artists set up along the avenue with paintings, photography, mixed media and handmade goods, and most of it is for sale. The official page also promises live music, family activities and pop-ups inside the avenue’s shops, cafés and restaurants.

There’s no starting point and no set schedule, so just show up and stroll. Organizers suggest walking or biking if you’re close, and they recommend rideshare drop-off near 9th or 14th Street. Street parking is limited, so pay attention to the residential signs. The official page doesn’t list hours, so check before you head out.

Japanese Classic Car Show (Sat, Oct. 3)

Car people, this one’s yours. The 21st annual Japanese Classic Car Show fills Marina Green Park on the Long Beach waterfront from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with nearly 500 classic Japanese cars and motorcycles. You’ll see preserved originals next to custom builds, and the 15th annual Japanese Classic Motorcycle Show runs inside it. Admission is $20 in advance or $25 the day of, and kids under 12 get in free with a paying adult. It happens rain or shine, and food trucks will be on site.

Parking tip from the organizers: the Long Beach Convention Center lot is not open to show spectators. Use The Pike structure or another paid public lot downtown.

Long Beach Open Studio Tour: Belmont Weekend (Sat–Sun, Oct. 3–4)

Once the car show wraps, head east toward Belmont Shore. The Long Beach Open Studio Tour opens its first of four October weekends there, from 1 to 5 p.m. both days. It’s free and self-guided. Artists open their working studios, and many of those are in their own homes and backyards. Watch for the lawn signs with the tour logo, or plan your route on the interactive map at lbopenstudiotour.com. Bring a little cash or a payment app, because buying straight from the artist is kind of the point.

Antigone at the Getty Villa (Fri–Sat, Oct. 23)

For a Friday or Saturday night that feels like a trip without a long drive, the Getty Villa’s outdoor theater off PCH is staging Antigone: In the Language of Kings. It’s a Latino Theater Company co-production that moves Sophocles to pre-conquest Tenochtitlan, performed in English, Spanish and Nahuatl with supertitles. The show starts at 8 p.m. and runs about 90 minutes with no intermission. General admission is $45–$60, parking costs extra, and seating is first-come, first-served. Friday, Oct. 2, is the audio-described performance. Evenings on the coast get cool, and the Getty itself suggests layers and a blanket. The run ends Friday, Oct. 9.

How to string it together

For a South Bay day, start with the Manhattan Beach parade Saturday morning, then drive down to Long Beach for the tail end of the car show and some Belmont studios in the afternoon. If you’re on the Westside, the Montana Avenue walk and the Getty Villa on Friday or Saturday night make a very Santa Monica weekend. Sunday is mellow: go back to the fair, or catch the studios you missed.

Details can change. Please confirm times, prices and parking on each official site before you go.

Sources

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