10 Amazing Things to Do in Los Angeles in September
- LA Today
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
LA Today presents our picks for the best of September 2025. Your guide to incredible events and experiences.
THE BEST LOS ANGELES EVENTS, EXPERIENCES, AND FREE ACTIVITIES IN SEPTEMBER
From red carpet glitz to open-air theater under Malibu skies, September in Los Angeles has that perfect late-summer-to-fall rhythm. Whether you’re chasing celebrity sightings at the Emmys, hunting vintage treasures in Pasadena, or sipping craft beer just steps from the Pacific, the city is alive with energy. We’ve rounded up 10 events, festivals, and local favorites that’ll make you want to plan your weekend now...because in LA, the best experiences don’t wait around.
1. LA Comic Con
📍 Los Angeles Convention Center, Downtown LA
🗓️ September 26th-28th, 2025
🦸 Your favorite caped crusaders, cult TV casts, and cosplay pros are descending on DTLA for one of the biggest fan fests on the West Coast. From celebrity panels to rare merch tables, this is part shopping spree, part star encounter, and part costume runway.
📍 1 Hotel West Hollywood
🗓️ September 13th, 2025
✨ Step into Emmy weekend the way Hollywood insiders do—on the red carpet. LA Today's exclusive gala mixes live music, craft cocktails, and glittering photo ops, with maybe even a run-in with a Primetime Award winner. Semi-formal or better is encouraged; champagne confidence is mandatory.
📍 Getty Villa, Pacific Palisades
🗓️ Thursdays–Saturdays through September 27, 2025
🏛️ Under the Malibu stars, ancient Greek tragedies and comedies take on new magic. With ocean breezes, stone amphitheater seating, and cultural cachet, the Getty’s outdoor stage proves why some stories never lose their power.
📍 1001 Rose Bowl Dr, Pasadena
🗓️ September 14, 2025
🛍️ Once a month, Pasadena transforms into a vintage treasure hunt. Over 2,500 vendors pack the Rose Bowl with piles of retro apparel, furniture finds, and collectibles you didn’t know you needed. Arrive early and bring small bills—you’ll want to haggle like a pro.
📍 AMC Burbank 16, Burbank
🗓️ September 23-28, 2025
🎬 This festival is pure love for cinema, from indie shorts and feature screenings to animation showcases and filmmaker panels. Whether you come for the networking or the popcorn, Burbank proves its place on the SoCal film map.
📍 633 W. 5th St, Downtown LA
🗓️ Daily, Reservations Recommended
🍸 High above Broadway, 71 Above delivers panoramic views from the beach to the mountains. Seasonal tasting menus, elegant cocktails, and a sunset skyline that’s impossible to overhype make this rooftop an LA bucket list must.
📍 Barker Hangar, Santa Monica
🗓️ September 25–28, 2025
🎨 Forget the snooty gallery crowd—this interactive fair brings you directly to emerging artists selling original work. Add in live DJs, pop-up food, and immersive installations, and you’ve got the city’s most fun way to buy art that isn’t overpriced.
📍 15870 W. Olympic Blvd, West Los Angeles, CA 90036
🗓️ Open Year-Round
🏊 Give your child a skill for life before the school year starts with group swim lessons at SwimRight Academy. Founded by four-time Olympic gold medalist Lenny Krayzelburg, the academy uses its unique SwimRight® method to teach children as young as 4 years old vital water safety skills and proper swimming technique. Small group classes (up to 4 students) foster a fun, supportive environment where kids learn together and build confidence in the water—the perfect way to end the summer on a high note or start the new school year with a healthy activity.
9. Salsa & Beer
📍 Various Locations
🗓️ Daily
🌮 Valley locals swear by this Mexican comfort food icon. From massive burritos to cheese-blanketed enchiladas and house salsas with addictive heat, every bite tastes like home—but bigger and louder.
📍 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
🗓️ September 27th, 2025
🍺 Lederhosen meet the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica’s Downtown Oktoberfest. Expect local craft beer, sizzling bratwurst, live polka, and a salty ocean breeze that beats any Bavarian beer hall. Bring a crew—you’ll need them for the stein-holding contest.
Looking for even more things to do in LA this September?
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