What to Do in Los Angeles This January (2026 Guide)
Looking for the best things to do in Los Angeles January 2026? The month is a mix of huge ticket events and casual winter escapades, owing to the full culture schedule and cozy weather in LA. Look forward to big concerts, exceptional art programming, and after-dark experiences that are ideal both to visitors and locals. To plan the quickest, simply select one event (typically a weekend one) which is an anchor (such as an expo or an art show) and then add a night event and a neighborhood restaurant to complete your itinerary.
Can’t-miss January events
- LA Art Show (Jan 7-11, 2026): LA’s large-scale art fair returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center, featuring 90+ exhibitors across a massive show floor. It takes place as the 31st year of the show, with such attractions as special curated spaces (such as a Latin American Pavilion), live art experiences such as a mural experience.
- Oddities & Curiosities Expo (Jan 3-4, 2026): Hosted at the Los Angeles Convention Center, this event is built for “lovers of the strange” with vendors, antiques, and creepy-cool collectibles. In its official venue listing, they state that you can find taxidermy, preserved specimens, horror-themed art, bizarre jewelry, and funeral goods.
Nighttime winter experiences
For a memorable evening outside the usual bars-and-clubs circuit, consider Astra Lumina at South Coast Botanic Garden. It is presented as an immersive nocturnal wander in the official description with the help of light, scenography, soundscape, and projection, thus forming a heavenly journey through the garden. When booking by definite January dates, one of the listings may have several January 2026 run nights (or early and late-month dates) with evening entry timeframes.
More places to add
To make your Los Angeles January events plan feel more local, plug in a few neighborhood-specific stops:
- Vidiots (Eagle Rock): A good movie night or special screening at a community level.
- Griffith Park: Grab the Griffith Park Star Party to have a typical LA night in the stars.
- Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park (Agua dulce): A picturesque hike and rocky formations–an ideal half-day way of spending time.
- Stoneview Nature Center (Culver City): A less cathectic outdoor respite; LAist bills the place as a birdwatching type of programming.
- The Egyptian Theatre (Hollywood): A historic theatre that uses the big screens and conducts special screenings.
- Old Town Music Hall (El Segundo): It is a vintage-themed music hall that is entertaining to have a different type of the evening.
- Santa Monica Airport Antique Market (Santa Monica): It is the best place to go out shopping vintage and unique items.
- Eataly WFC Westfield Century City (Century City): A good indoor food shopping or a food class when you are tired of driving.
Fast itinerary ideas
- One-day plan: LA Art Show + dinner near DTLA + Egyptian Theatre screening.
- Weekend plan: Oddities Expo + Santa Monica antique market + Astra Lumina at night.
Quick planning tips
- Verify dates, locations, and ticket policies on official websites (particularly with convention-centers).
- A multi-day plan should be constructed upon a citywide events calendar as LA listings are apparently volatile due to pop-ups and limited-run events.
- To get more ideas recommended in this guide, the reference roundup lists other January ideas and open-day activities to fill in.
