LA Events This Week: September 21–27, 2026 — A New Museum, Iron Maiden, and Ocean Way Festival

A brand-new cultural institution opens its doors this week — and that’s just the start. From September 21 through 27, 2026, Los Angeles welcomes the long-awaited Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, hosts intimate nights with Ke Huy Quan and Hilary Duff at two different venues, and closes out the week with a genuine one-two punch: the Ocean Way Festival’s debut weekend on the sand and Iron Maiden at BMO Stadium. Here’s everything worth knowing, day by day. (For the bigger monthly picture, see our complete September 2026 LA events guide.)

Quick key: every listing below is tagged by type — [Museum], [Talk], [Festival], [Free Event], [Nightlife], [Concert], [Theme Park], and [Food & Drink] — so you can scan for the kind of thing you’re in the mood for.

Monday, September 21

• [Free Event] Sunset Yoga at Runway Playa Vista — Every Monday in September, 6:30 PM. A free outdoor flow series on the lawn turf, all levels welcome. Bring your own mat. Free — registration required.

Tuesday, September 22 — A New Museum Opens

• [Museum] Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Grand Opening — Exposition Park’s long-awaited museum officially opens to the public. The 300,000-square-foot space, designed by architect Ma Yansong, spans 30+ themed galleries exploring storytelling through childhood, community, family, love, and play — with a modest Star Wars exhibit, but far from the whole focus. Paid — tickets from $25; soonest availability was September 29 as of publish time.
• [Nightlife] Haruomi Hosono: Yours Sincerely DJ Set — The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center hosts a DJ set and Q&A with Japanese musical pioneer Haruomi Hosono (Yellow Magic Orchestra, Happy End) at the James Irvine Japanese Garden, celebrating his 23rd studio album. 21+. Paid — $15.
• [Talk] An Evening with Ke Huy Quan — The Oscar winner (Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Goonies, Indiana Jones) discusses his memoir Never Say Die, at the Bezdek Center for the Performing Arts, Santa Monica. 8 PM. Paid — tickets include a signed book.
• [Nightlife] Pitch-A-Friend at LA Ale Works — A singles pitch night and mixer in Hawthorne — friends deliver short presentations showcasing their single friends in exchange for a free drink, followed by open mixing. 7 PM. Free — RSVP recommended.

Wednesday, September 23

• [Concert] An Evening with Hilary Duff — An intimate, stripped-back performance and discussion of her new album luck… or something, on the Ray Charles Rooftop Terrace at the Grammy Museum. Phone-free event. 7:30 PM. Paid.

Thursday, September 24

• [Food & Drink] NORMS 77th Anniversary: 77-Cent Hotcakes — The classic LA diner chain marks its anniversary with its signature two-hotcake stack for 77 cents, dine-in or to-go, all day. Limit two orders per person.
• [Free Event] Beneath the Harvest Moon — The Skirball Cultural Center hosts an outdoor gathering ahead of Sukkot, blending Jewish earth-based traditions with interactive elemental stations, lulav bundle crafting, an Aztec dance performance, and a closing DJ set from KCRW’s Ale Cohen. 7–10 PM. Paid — $10–$20.
• [Art Fair] The Other Art Fair Opens — Four-day showcase at The Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, featuring 160+ independent artists, live DJ sets, and installations. Paid — opening night $60, Fri–Sun GA $25.
• [Nightlife] Dodgers Singles Night at Common Space Brewery — A themed social night for Dodgers fans, with icebreaker cards and custom lineup cards to spark conversation; optional speed dating add-on. 5–10 PM. Free taproom entry; speed dating $15.

Friday, September 25 — Big Weekend Kickoff

• [Festival] Reign of Terror Haunted House — The award-winning Thousand Oaks haunt returns with 18 dates through November 1, spanning 12 interconnected areas and 145+ rooms, including new attraction “The Hotel.” Timed-entry ticketing. Paid — from $44.99.
• [Festival] Hola México Film Festival Opens — The 18th annual edition of the largest Mexican film festival outside Mexico kicks off with the opening-night screening of Loco México Mágico at The Montalbán, plus a concert-documentary screening of Zoé’s Memorex + Rexsexex y Más. Runs through October 3. Paid — festival passes and single tickets vary.
• [Free Event] Bike-In Movie Night: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial — Ivy Station’s outdoor screening, with free popcorn, a secure bike valet, and an e-bike subscription drawing for cyclists. 6:30–10 PM. Free.

Saturday, September 26

• [Festival] Ocean Way Festival: Saturday — Goldenvoice’s first-ever beachfront festival sets up directly on the sand just south of the Santa Monica Pier — no on-site parking, transit-first approach. Saturday leans rock: The Killers, Jack White, Sublime, Alvvays. 12–11 PM. Paid — single-day GA from $229.
• [Art Fair] The Other Art Fair continues at The Barker Hangar, Santa Monica. Paid — GA $25.
• [Food & Drink] Asado Argentino Night at Fuegos — A South American barbecue feast around the fire, with Fernet and wine. Dinner starts 7 PM. Paid — reservations required.
• [Food & Drink] Florentine Steak Dinner at All’Antico Vinaio — A bistecca alla Fiorentina-centered dinner series continues in Santa Monica — cured meats, house-made schiacciata, a massive T-bone, and olive oil cake. Only 30 spots. Paid — $130 per pair.

Sunday, September 27 — The Week Closes Loud

• [Festival] Ocean Way Festival: Sunday — Day two on the sand leans soulful: Olivia Dean, Khruangbin, Durand Jones & the Indications, Hiatus Kaiyote. 12–10 PM. Paid — single-day GA from $229.
• [Concert] Iron Maiden: Run for Your Lives World Tour — Rescheduled from Saturday due to overwhelming demand, Iron Maiden plays BMO Stadium with Megadeth and Anthrax. 6:15 PM. Paid — tickets from ~$128.
• [Art Fair] The Other Art Fair wraps its four-day run at The Barker Hangar. Paid — GA $25.

How to Spend Your Week

• Only one night to spare? Tuesday is stacked — the Lucas Museum opens, plus Ke Huy Quan and a Haruomi Hosono DJ set both happen the same evening.
• Want a rooftop night out? Hilary Duff’s intimate Grammy Museum show is one of the more unique tickets this week.
• Free and easy? Sunset Yoga, Bike-In Movie Night, and NORMS’ 77-cent hotcakes all cost next to nothing.
• Ready to start Halloween season? Reign of Terror opens Friday out in Thousand Oaks.
• Closing the week big? Ocean Way Festival’s two-day beachfront debut and Iron Maiden’s stadium show both land this weekend — very different ways to end it.

This LA events calendar is updated weekly — bookmark this page and check back for the latest things to do in Los Angeles. Every listing links directly to the venue or official source, so you always get accurate times and details before you head out.

Have an LA event you’d like us to consider covering? Email us at submissions@myunboundedlife.com.