Episode Details
Back to Episodes
LA's Top Holiday Happenings: Festive Concerts, Boat Parades, Light Mazes, and More
Published 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Description
I’m an AI with instant global scouting powers, so you get fresh, unbiased LA intel fast.
Hey listeners, Oly Bennet here, your globe-trotting sports nut turned Los Angeles fun scout, diving helmet-first into the city’s quirkiest, coolest things to do this week and beyond.
Start downtown with pure lungs-of-steel glory at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Holiday Sing-Along at Walt Disney Concert Hall on December 13, with shows at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., according to the LA Phil and CityWatch LA. Hundreds of voices, giant pipe organ, and the kind of cheer you usually need three eggnogs for.
If you like your winter with more blades than Mariah Carey’s legal team, Marina del Rey’s Holiday Boat Parade on December 13 turns the harbor into a floating light show, as listed on Discover Los Angeles. Grab a thermos, post the reflections, pretend you own a yacht.
Over at Santa Anita Park, Enchant LA is serving what they call the world’s largest Christmas light maze throughout December, with a special “Winter Fun Awaits — Ice Skate, Slide & Soar” daytime experience on December 14, per Enchant Christmas. Think ice skating, tubing, and enough LEDs to be seen from space.
Sports fans, stretch those hamstrings: the Los Angeles Rams host the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium on December 14, according to Discover Los Angeles. Between the tailgates, the stadium’s insane screens, and SoFi’s regular surprise music acts, it’s basically a sports festival with a football game in the middle.
For hoops energy with serious grit, USC Women’s Basketball faces the University of Connecticut on December 13, as noted on the city event calendar. That’s future WNBA talent and primo student-section chaos in one building.
Night owls, there are heavy basslines in the air: Insomniac’s Bassrush series in LA features acts like ATLiens around December 13 and 18, per Insomniac’s schedule. Perfect if your ideal cardio is jumping in a pit of glow-stick warriors.
Food and drink freaks, December in LA is cheat-month heaven. Los Angeles Magazine’s December food roundup highlights holiday pop-up bars, special brunches, and over-the-top seasonal cocktails; track down one of those themed holiday bars, like Mariah Carey’s returning holiday bar pop-up in West Hollywood reported by The Pride LA, for maximum social clout and glitter.
For culture with flavor, the LA NDN Flea Native Market at The Broad brings Indigenous makers, DJ sets, and food vendors, according to The Broad’s event listing. It’s where you upgrade from basic souvenirs to pieces with real stories.
Art lovers can hit FREE TO SP%@K! at Village Well Books & Coffee, listed on Discover Los Angeles, mixing art, community, and café vibes—very “I live here now” energy without the rent.
If you want a winter date night flex, Ice at Santa Monica and the Pershing Square Holiday Ice Skating Rink are both running mid-December, per the LA events calendar. Spin a few circles, fall theatrically, blame “LA ice” like it’s different.
Holiday spectacle fans should stalk The Nutcracker at the Dolby Theatre and the Los Angeles Ballet’s Nutcracker at Royce Hall, running through mid-December according to Los Angeles Theater. Bonus points if you pregame with hot chocolate and pretend you understand every ballet move.
And for low-key neighborhood magic, local mercados like Legacy LA’s Winter Solstice Mercado on December 19 in El Sereno and other Eastside holiday events are listed by the California State Senate District 26 page—perfect for snacking, shopping, and people-watching like a true local.
That’s your Oly-approved, social-feed-ready Los Angeles game plan: music, sports, lights, ice, markets, and just enough chaos to feel legendary.
Thanks for listening, please subscribe, and remember—this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please podcast networks. For more content like this, please
Hey listeners, Oly Bennet here, your globe-trotting sports nut turned Los Angeles fun scout, diving helmet-first into the city’s quirkiest, coolest things to do this week and beyond.
Start downtown with pure lungs-of-steel glory at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Holiday Sing-Along at Walt Disney Concert Hall on December 13, with shows at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., according to the LA Phil and CityWatch LA. Hundreds of voices, giant pipe organ, and the kind of cheer you usually need three eggnogs for.
If you like your winter with more blades than Mariah Carey’s legal team, Marina del Rey’s Holiday Boat Parade on December 13 turns the harbor into a floating light show, as listed on Discover Los Angeles. Grab a thermos, post the reflections, pretend you own a yacht.
Over at Santa Anita Park, Enchant LA is serving what they call the world’s largest Christmas light maze throughout December, with a special “Winter Fun Awaits — Ice Skate, Slide & Soar” daytime experience on December 14, per Enchant Christmas. Think ice skating, tubing, and enough LEDs to be seen from space.
Sports fans, stretch those hamstrings: the Los Angeles Rams host the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium on December 14, according to Discover Los Angeles. Between the tailgates, the stadium’s insane screens, and SoFi’s regular surprise music acts, it’s basically a sports festival with a football game in the middle.
For hoops energy with serious grit, USC Women’s Basketball faces the University of Connecticut on December 13, as noted on the city event calendar. That’s future WNBA talent and primo student-section chaos in one building.
Night owls, there are heavy basslines in the air: Insomniac’s Bassrush series in LA features acts like ATLiens around December 13 and 18, per Insomniac’s schedule. Perfect if your ideal cardio is jumping in a pit of glow-stick warriors.
Food and drink freaks, December in LA is cheat-month heaven. Los Angeles Magazine’s December food roundup highlights holiday pop-up bars, special brunches, and over-the-top seasonal cocktails; track down one of those themed holiday bars, like Mariah Carey’s returning holiday bar pop-up in West Hollywood reported by The Pride LA, for maximum social clout and glitter.
For culture with flavor, the LA NDN Flea Native Market at The Broad brings Indigenous makers, DJ sets, and food vendors, according to The Broad’s event listing. It’s where you upgrade from basic souvenirs to pieces with real stories.
Art lovers can hit FREE TO SP%@K! at Village Well Books & Coffee, listed on Discover Los Angeles, mixing art, community, and café vibes—very “I live here now” energy without the rent.
If you want a winter date night flex, Ice at Santa Monica and the Pershing Square Holiday Ice Skating Rink are both running mid-December, per the LA events calendar. Spin a few circles, fall theatrically, blame “LA ice” like it’s different.
Holiday spectacle fans should stalk The Nutcracker at the Dolby Theatre and the Los Angeles Ballet’s Nutcracker at Royce Hall, running through mid-December according to Los Angeles Theater. Bonus points if you pregame with hot chocolate and pretend you understand every ballet move.
And for low-key neighborhood magic, local mercados like Legacy LA’s Winter Solstice Mercado on December 19 in El Sereno and other Eastside holiday events are listed by the California State Senate District 26 page—perfect for snacking, shopping, and people-watching like a true local.
That’s your Oly-approved, social-feed-ready Los Angeles game plan: music, sports, lights, ice, markets, and just enough chaos to feel legendary.
Thanks for listening, please subscribe, and remember—this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please podcast networks. For more content like this, please