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Best Summer Art Festivals In Los Angeles

art exhibit artist gallery 610 header
(credit: Shutterstock)

Fun in the sun can be had pretty much all year round in Los Angeles but summer tends to be the most exciting. Entertainment is in abundance and it's not hard finding something interesting to do. Whether it's fine art, music, movies, food or cultural, festivals are a great way to experience something new, and this year there are plenty of them. Take advantage of all that LA has to offer and check out these summer arts festivals.

LA film festival
(credit: LA Film Fest)

Los Angeles Film Festival
L.A. Live
800 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
866.FILMFEST
www.lafilmfest.com
Date: Through June 18, 2015

The Los Angeles Film Festival is the top event this summer for movie lovers and aspiring filmmakers. This year will be even more inspiring with new competitive categories such as independent feature-length U.S. fiction films, international documentaries and international films. Another new category is Nightfall premiering films by independent filmmakers. This year, the festival is also including other types of cinematic storytelling through original webseries, podcasts and music videos.

anime expo
(credit: Natasha N./Yelp)

Anime Expo
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 741-1151
www.anime-expo.org
Date: July 2 through July 5, 2015

Whether you're into Anime or not, the Anime Expo is another extravaganza you won't want to miss. The exhibit floor promises nearly 300 vendors and exhibits with thousands of anime, manga and cosplay items in addition to Japanese fashion and accessories, models, figures, games and music. Not to mention previews of upcoming releases of games, artwork and much more.

Related: Guide to LA's Best Outdoor Concert Venues

The Famous Sunset Strip in Los Angeles
(credit: istockphoto.com)

Rock & Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
www.skirball.org
Date: Through August 16, 2015

Celebrate the history of the iconic Sunset Strip in this photo exhibit of rock and roll billboards at the Skirball center. Each billboard is a time stamp of the ever changing Sunset Blvd. and the LA rock and roll scene. Showcasing the late 60's to the 80's eras, LA-based photographer, Robert Landau takes us back in time to who was hot on the charts and getting the pinnacle of promotion on a Sunset Blvd. billboard. From the baby faces of Springsteen and The Beatles to The Doors, the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, this is guaranteed to be an unforgettable exhibit.

Downtown Art Walk
(credit: Downtown Art Walk)

Downtown Art Walk
634 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014
www.downtownartwalk.org
Date: Second Thursday of every month

Immerse yourself in the up and coming artist culture with the Downtown Art Walk where you'll find hundreds of participating artists on exhibit in one location every second Thursday of the month. From fine art to contemporary, the macabre to pop culture and everything in between, the Downtown Art Walk is like a labyrinth of inspiration and creation. Food trucks and local vendors also contribute with their own edible creations.

live music feature
Credit: Thinkstock

Hard Summer
Fairplex
1101 W. McKinley Ave.
Pomona, CA, 91768
(909) 623-3111
www.hardsummer.com
Date: August 1 through August 2, 2015

For those that are over the hipster-fest that Coachella has become, there's another outdoor mega music festival you'll definitely want to check out. Hard Summer is a two day music fest with long line ups of great known and up-and-coming bands, like Big Gigantic, Boys Noize, Bro Safari, The Chemical Brothers and Zeds Dead to name a few. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and VIP passes are available.

Related: Best Outdoor Recreation Clubs In Los Angeles

Kristine G. Bottone is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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