After the excitement of the holidays has settled down, there are still tons of January events in Southern California to enjoy. Including events in Orange County, LA, San Diego, and into the Inland Empire, this month brings Lunar New Year celebrations, MLK Day festivities, film festivals, and more. The fun never ends in SoCal!
January Events in Orange County:
My Fair Lady at SCFTA
Begins Tuesday, Jan. 11th
Matinee & Evening shows available
www.scfta.org
Discovery Day at the Farm
Thursday, Jan. 13th
9AM-12PM
Ocfair.com
Discovery Days at Centennial Farm at the OC Fairgrounds are open to the public, and are perfect for families to enjoy. See the livestock, learn about the chicks, plant radishes, and more.
SoCal World Guitar Show
Saturday, Jan. 22nd – Sunday, Jan. 23rd
10AM-4PM
Held at the Hangar at the OC Fairgrounds, the SoCal World Guitar Show is a chance to buy, sell, and trade guitars, amplifiers, and other musical gear. Vendors and buyers come from across the country and around the world to attend!
UVSA Tết Festival
Saturday, Feb. 5th – Sunday, Feb. 6th
10AM-9PM
tetfestival.org
The Tết Festival of Southern California (Hoi Tet Sinh Vien) held in Orange County is recognized as the nation’s largest Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival. Starting in 1982, the UVSA Tết Festival came to Southern California and has continued to grow and expand, with more collaborations with the local community organizations every year.
January Events in Los Angeles County:
Asian American Expo
Saturday, January 15th – Sunday, January 16th
10AM-7PM
www.asianamericanexpo.com
Come kick off the year of the tiger with the largest Asian Trade Show with 1,000+ vendor booths, 6 large exhibition halls, eating contests, 3 unique food courts featuring over 100 food vendors, and 8 non-stop performance stages. Hosted at the beginning of every year to celebrate the Lunar New Year Festival, come join attendees from all different ethnic and work backgrounds both locally and internationally.
Long Beach Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
Monday, January 15th
10AM-5PM
www.longbeach.gov
The parade will wind its way through the city and end at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. The celebration continues at the park with food, music, and more. All ages are welcome to join in!
Museums Free-For-All
Sunday, January 25th
10AM-5PM
www.socalmuseums.org
Dozens of museums—presenting art, cultural heritage, natural history, and science—will open their doors and invite visitors to attend their museums free of charge. The museums will also be partnering with Metro to encourage visitors to Go Metro while exploring museums, so don’t forget to check out metro.net to see how you can experience your day of art and culture without the traffic. Check out the site for a full list of participating museums.
LA Art Show
Wednesday, January 19th – Sunday, January 23rd
12PM-8PM
www.laartshow.com
LA Art Show is an unparalleled international art experience with over 80 galleries, museums, and non-profit arts organizations from around the world exhibiting painting, sculpture, works on paper, installation, photography, design, video, and performance. All works presented by galleries are available for viewing and purchasing as well!
Events in the Inland Empire:
Free Entrance Days in the National Parks
Monday, January 18th
Various National Parks
www.nps.gov
The fee-free days provide a great opportunity to visit a new place or an old favorite, especially one of the 127 national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. This is your chance to check out Joshua Tree National Park free of charge. Experience the dark night skies, rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features for yourself over the holiday weekend.
Southwest Arts Festival®
Thursday, January 27th – Sunday, January 30th
10AM-5PM
gcvcc.gcvcc.org
This year’s festival will feature interactive art, with pottery, glass blowing and fine art painting scheduled to be on display. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of food and beverage options while casually walking the grounds to the subtle sounds of jazz music. Recognized as one of the Top 100 Events in North America by Travel Magazine, this is a can’t miss!
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Wednesday, January 9th – Sunday, January 17th
Various Screenings
www.psfilmfest.org
Riverside Lunar Festival
Saturday, January 29th – Sunday, January 30th
11AM-8PM
www.pananaevents.com
Events in San Diego County:
Beyond Van Gogh
Friday, January 14th – Sunday, March 6th
Hours vary daily
vangoghsandiego.com
Borrego Springs Film Festival
Thursday, January 13th – Monday, January 17th
Various Screenings
www.borregospringsfilmfestival.org
An intimate and old-school film festival, this weekend of fine films is a lively one. Enjoy a packed theater, Q&As, filmmaker meet and greets, and tons of interaction from all sorts of film lovers. Check out the website for the schedule of films and information on passes.
Carlsbad Marathon & Half Marathon
Sunday, January 16th
7AM-1PM
inmotionevents.com
This scenic winter marathon and half marathon takes you for miles along a course with outstanding ocean views and entertainment at every mile. This is the perfect way to spend your MLK Holiday weekend!
Encinitas Music By The Sea
Friday, January 21st
7:30PM
Encinitas.gov
PGA TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open
Wednesday, January 26th – Saturday, January 29th
View website for event times
www.farmersinsuranceopen.com
