What to Know
- Slack Key Festival and Free Island Marketplace
- Sunday, Jan. 14; Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
- $25-$65 reserved seating; the marketplace is free to enter
Celebrate Hawaii: The 17th Annual Southern California Slack Key Festival is a start-the-year musical tradition, one that will bring the beauty of Hawaiian music, and the timeless ki ho’alu guitar, to the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. Billed as “the biggest Hawaiian music concert in the mainland U.S.,” the festival features Grammy winners and gorgeous sounds. A Free Island Marketplace is part of the Jan. 14 spectacular.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: So many memorable happenings, from the Kingdom Day Parade to the Long Beach festival to the MLK Day of Service, will take place around Southern California over the weekend. The Long Beach gathering is on Jan. 13, but most events are set for Jan. 15. If you’d like to volunteer, there are numerous opportunities, including with Big Sunday. The national parks will waive entry fees on the eminent occasion, which honors the legacy of the celebrated civil rights leader.
Winter Wonderland: It feels downright brisk around Southern California as we reach the mid-point of the first month, so it makes sparkly sense that a “Winter Wonderland” is opening at SkyPark at Santa’s Village near Lake Arrowhead. Even if snow isn’t on the ground when you go, you’ll enjoy a “Snow Quest” and encounters will the fanciful characters of the NorthWoods. Engaging outdoor activities, like ice skating, are on the schedule, too.
Smorgasburg LA returns: Several popular ongoing events regularly take much-needed breaks over the holidays, including this foodie-tacular, a free-to-visit outdoor market at ROW DTLA. Now the every-Sunday snack-around is returning from its time off with almost a dozen new vendors, including Taste of the Pacific and Rice Gang. All ages are welcome but dogs are not permitted; find out more about the debuting line-up now.
Magic in Whittier: An abracadabra-inspired exhibit is debuting at the Whittier Museum on Jan. 27, but you can enjoy a free magic show on Jan. 13. The offbeat institution is known for interesting happenings, including several Halloween-themed sights at the end of October. Ready to begin 2024 with a bit of razzmatazz? Perhaps an afternoon of magic is in order.
