10 Best Festivals in Los Angeles

The Moonlight Forest welcomes you on a walking tour of an imaginative, thrilling light show in Los Angeles. For part of the year, the Los Angeles County Arboretum is bedecked with lanterns of all kinds, including ones made by artisans from China.

This colourful trail takes about 90 minutes to explore and is guaranteed to inspire visitors of all ages with interactive displays and illuminating exhibits. The tunnels of lights are enough to make the Moonlight Forest a truly Instagrammable destination, so make sure your phone is fully charged. If you'd prefer to keep your phone in your pocket, this event is also perfect for date nights, whether it's the 1st or 100th.

The Rose Parade started in 1890, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more cheerful tradition featuring floral floats. When was the last time you rang in the new year outside in a T-shirt? The wonderful California weather was partly why this parade was founded.

The joy of the marching bands and dancers is contagious, and artists pour their heart and soul into their extravagant floats, all of which are decorated solely with natural materials like flowers. The results are always breathtaking (and sweet-smelling). Fun fact: a major football game older than the Super Bowl was named for this parade, and only a world war and a pandemic have managed to get it cancelled.

Fiesta Broadway is a celebration of Latin-American culture with loads of performances and locally made food. Bring the whole family, as they've got rides and games with plenty of prizes. Alcohol is prohibited, making this a fantastic opportunity to bond, rather than party, with friends and family.

Music can be heard all over the place, whether it's a mariachi band or the hottest up-and-coming Mexican artists. Get ready to see how long you can dance. If you do get hungry, food trucks line the street selling tacos and burritos brimming with slow-simmered meat, guacamole, and spicy chillies.

The Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival is the only festival where your palate gets as much stimulation as your eyes and ears. You'll rethink your idea of food after a few hours here. The diverse and adventurous dishes are ever-changing but include succulent lamb ribs, plump glazed doughnuts, vegan sushi, and so much more. And of course, everything comes with the perfect wine pairing.

Some of the venues get decorated with a red carpet during Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival, so dress up if you want the fancy eats. You’ll also enjoy music from top acts like The Roots.

Nisei Week is when Little Tokyo in Los Angeles goes all out with its unique tastes, sounds, and colours. While the main event is a parade with a slew of cultural floats to see, Nisei Week spans much more than a week.

You can visit 3 main locations for a variety of food stalls, performances and crafts booths. Make sure to hit the Museum of Contemporary Art for the Tanabata Festival to see the brilliant display of streamers at night. Check out other events such as fashion shows and car shows as well. Wear your yukata to add to the colourful throng and truly be a part of Nisei Week.

The LA Korean Festival is one of the hottest parties you can attend in Los Angeles. You should know upfront: you'll be hearing a ton of K-pop, and it will get the people around you very excited. This is still a cultural festival through and through, though.

Browse exhibits dedicated to Korean-American history. Get ready for some eye-opening performances, colourful parades and incredible food – like packed kimbap rolls and traditional noodles heaping with gooey cheese and spicy kimchi. Bring enough money for shopping, especially if you're a fashionista. Done all that? Good. You can then party all night to EDM DJs and K-pop heartthrobs.

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is the perfect snapshot of American cultural history as it is being created today. This festival proves that literature is still a robust art, capable of transmitting personal experiences like no other. You can attend panels with contemporary authors or listen to talks about social media's relationship with artistic expression.

Don't miss poetry readings if you were stirred by the inauguration poem delivered by Amanda Gorman, herself an esteemed guest of the festival. If you've been itching for a new book to read, attending the LA Times Festival of Books is the best way to come across your next read – or your next genre.

The Dia de Los Muertos Art Walk is the best way to celebrate the Day of the Dead. The Dia de Los Muertos is a celebration of the deceased, and a celebration means having fun. Everyone walks around either dressed like a skeleton or painted with a skull on their face, and music and art are everywhere.

You can sample free treats, participate in a costume contest, or watch a theatrical performance. Art is exhibited in the form of paintings, collages, jewellery – you name it. Welcome the autumn by immersing yourself in a holiday closely related to Halloween, and lend a thought to those who are no longer with us.

The Adult Swim Festival is a comedy and music festival organized by the late-night block of television on Cartoon Network. Catch live panels for The Eric Andre Show, Rick and Morty, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, among other cutting-edge comedy acts.

The music on offer here is as good as it gets. Past performers include Run the Jewels, Zola Jesus, Kamasi Washington, Tierra Whack, and Thundercat. It's a wonder people pay a pretty penny for festivals like Coachella when this exists. Regular venues include ROW DTLA on 777 S Alameda St.