We found a number of notable happenings in March, so we're ready to help you plan your social calendar. Read on for all the event picks and details.



SATURDAY, MARCH 1 to SATURDAY, MARCH 15

HAPPY HOUR: Old Pasadena holds a “libation celebration” with a number of tastings, pairings, demos that celebrate the spirits and all things happy hour. “Get Happy” features a number of participating restaurants, bars, and lounges with food and drink specials every day of the week. Events include a Glenfiddich Distillery Guided Tour at The Blind Donkey on March 4 and a Belgian-inspired beer dinner at Kings Row Gastropub on Thursday.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5 AND THURSDAY, MARCH 6

LIT: Women of Letters is an Australian-based literary salon that brings together writers, musicians, politicians and performers to celebrate the lost art of letter-writing. The organizers are touring America, with stops at The Mint on Wednesday at 8:30 pm and at Largo on Thursday at 8 pm. The Mint’s lineup includes Moby, Tim Minchin, Josh Radnor, Melissa Stetten, Paul Schulze, Merrill Markoe and Duncan Trussell. They’re all writing and reading: 'A letter to the thing I wish I'd written.' Show at 8:30. Tickets: $20 and a food/drink minimum purchase. At Largo, the lineup features Jena Malone, Kayden Kross, Amanda de Cadenet, Jenny Eliscu, Marianna Palka, Liz Goldwyn and Bojana Novakovic writing/reading on “A letter to the last time.” Tickets: $30 (no minimums).

THURSDAY, MARCH 6 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 9

FILM FESTIVAL: The Los Angeles Turkish Film Festival screens both feature and short films from Turkey and Turkish filmmakers at the Egyptian Theatre. The feature film screenings, which begin with Yozgat Blues on Thursday night, include Q&As with directors, cast members. The short film competition includes Elvis Mitchell as a juror. Feature film tickets: $5, short film screenings are free.

FRIDAY, MARCH 7

FIRST FRIDAYS: The Natural History Museum’s popular First Fridays returns this month with the theme of LA Stories... Walk on the Wild Side. The tour "Tracking and Trapping L.A.'s Wildlife" is led by Dr. Greg Pauly, Curator of Herpetology, and the discussion led by Dr. Brad Shaffer is: "Killer newts, awesome lizards, and scaly serpents: Why we need them back in L.A." Performances by San Fermin with special guests wild Up Orchestra, Son Lux. DJs: Anthony Valadez, Wiseacre. Programs begin at 5 pm. Concert + museum admission: $18 (a few tickets may be available at the door. Museum admission only: $5-$12.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 30

MUSICAL THEATER: 30 Minute Musicals is back with its 10th original musical parody, Trans4ormers! Directed by Brooke Seguin with original music by Dan Wessels, the show plays on March 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30 at 7:30 pm at The Hudson Backstage Theatre. Come watch as all your least-favorite characters from the 2007 mega-hit fight alien robots and reveal cleavage in really great lighting, all while singing original songs.” Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12

TALK: ALOUD at the Central Library presents the program Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot at 7:15 pm. Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen, author of Putin: The Man Without a Face, followed Pussy Riot’s trial, and with Suzi Weissman, Professor of Politics, St. Mary’s College, discusses the incident and the larger story about Putin’s Russia. Free. Standby tickets only.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 16

ARCHITECTURE FILM FEST: The inaugural L.A. edition of the Architecture & Design Film Festival takes over The Los Angeles Theater Center with a lineup of 30 films from around the world that examine architecture, urbanism, design and the creative process. Q&As include: Kyung Lee & Eugene Tssui (TELOS: The Fantastic World of Eugene Tssui), Aimee Madsen (Paolo Soleri: Beyond Form), Christine O'Malley (If You Build It), Doug Pray (Levitated Mass) and several panel discussions. Tickets: $14, $9 for students and $11 for AIA and other organizations. Packages available.

THURSDAY, MARCH 13 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 23

FILM FEST: The LA Indie Film Festival, a partner to the LA Comedy Festival, presents Award Winning Films from around the globe, including nine films in feature competition and 11 short program blocks with 75 films. The festival takes place at the Let Live Theater. Tickets: $10.

THURSDAY, MARCH 13 TO FRIDAY, MARCH 28

TV FEST: The Paley Center’s celebration of all things TV brings its annual PaleyFest to a new venue: the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Screenings and panel discussions from both creators and cast members from Orange Is the New Black, Veronica Mars, How I Met Your Mother, Lost reunion, Mad Men, Community and American Horror Story, among others. Tickets: $15-$75.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

ART: From 6-10 pm, enjoy an evening of art, music and entertainment as Pasadena’s arts and cultural institutions open their doors for free for Art Night Pasadena. Shuttle service is available throughout the evening, but a better idea might be a ride with C.I.C.L.E. (Cyclists Inciting Change thru LIVE Exchange) who are leading bikers to stops like the Pasadena Museum of California Art, Pacific Asian Museum, Pasadena Museum of History, Side Streets Project and the Armory Center for the Arts. At The Armory, the gallery will have Heirloom LA and Kogi BBQ food trucks with Slade Bellum and the Box Stompers performing all night long. Free.

COMEDY PODCAST: Largo Los Angeles has added a late show/taping for Paul Scheer's How Did This Get Made? podcast, in which he promises to bring a few very special guests. Doors at 9:30 pm, show at 10 pm. Tickets: $30.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 16

OUT FILM FEST: Outfest Fusion is a film festival dedicated to LGBT People of Color, featuring 11 programs that show the diversity of the LGBT community. The festival takes over the Egyptian Theatre with screening admissions from $7-10 and gala tickets from $22-25.

SUNDAY, MARCH 16 TO SUNDAY, MAY 4

MUSIC: The LA Phil’s Minimalist Jukebox Festival kicks off with eight sold out shows from electro-pioneers Kraftwerk at Walt Disney Concert Hall from March 18-21. The festival continues throughout April and May with works by composers like Glass, Adams, Reich and many more. Get tickets now before they sell out, too.

TUESDAY, MARCH 18

FILM/MUSIC: Ennio Morricone—the Italian composer who has written music for films like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Cinema Paradiso and 500 others—makes a rare LA appearance during An Academy @ LACMA event on March 18 at the Bing Theater (8 pm). He’ll be in conversation with filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, who has also used Morricone’s music in his films. Tickets: $3 Academy members, LACMA Film Club members and students, $5 general admission. On March 20, the composer conducts a 200-member orchestra and choir performing a selection of his works at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE. (Those tickets run $59.75-$350).

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

TOAST: The Young Literati of the Los Angeles Public Library holds its sixth annual Toast—at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City—to raise funds for the Library and its summer enrichment program. The evening features literature and music that explores Los Angeles. Curated by Amanda and Shepard Fairey, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Moby and Busy Philipps, the evening will feature readings by Jason Reitman, Nick Kroll, Lizzy Caplan, Gillian Jacobs and a musical performance by Jenny and Johnny. Cocktails provided by Cedd Moses’ 213 Spirited Ventures (The Varnish, Cana Rum Bar, Las Perlas, and more). Tickets: $175 per person ($125 for Young Literati Members).

FRIDAY, MARCH 21 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 23

FOOD: The first All-Star Chef Classic is at L.A. Live and features one of the largest gatherings of

2014 James Beard Foundation semifinalists for the interactive culinary event. Participating chefs include Nancy Silverton, Michael Cimarusti, Ludo Lefebvre, Jon Shook, David LeFevre, Ricardo Zarate, Alex Seidel, Naomi Pomeroy, Wylie Dufrense, Josiah Cirtrin, Roy Choi, Dominique Crenn, Graham Elliot, David Myers, Alain Passard and more. The event (which we wrote up here) features, meals, tastings and showcases. Limited tickets are available.

THURSDAY, MARCH 27



TV TALK: Film Independent at LACMA presents a program dedicated to the IFC series Portlandia at 7:30 pm. A screening of two episodes from the new season are followed by a conversation and Q&A with co-creators Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein and Jonathan Krisel. The show rides the border between comedy and social commentary. At LACMA’s Bing Theater. Tickets: $5-$10.

FRIDAY, MARCH 28 AND SATURDAY, MARCH 29



HORROR FEST: The first Hollywood Horrorfest takes over the New Beverly the last weekend in March. The festival is dedicated to film-goers who love B-movies and things that go bump in the night. In addition to film screenings, the festival honors Joe Dante (The Howling, Gremlins) with the first (Vincent) Price Award, presented by his daughter Victoria, who will also talk about her famous father, his legacy and museum. Tickets for all events are free except for the red carpet screenings of The Howling and Return of the Living Dead. (Those films are $10 each.)



SATURDAY, MARCH 29



DRINK: Tap, Cheer & Give is holding a party with a purpose in Santa Monica’s Cross Campus co-working space that celebrates locally produced craft beer and music while featuring “cause-supporting brands (like TOMS) that are making a positive impact on their community, environment, employees, or humanity as a whole.” Tickets include an unlimited sampling of 20+ beers, DJs and 20-minute craft-beer educational crash courses. In addition, every attendee will be able to select one of the five causes represented at the event to which 10% of their ticket price will be donated. Cost: $35-$45.

MONDAY, MARCH 31 TO MONDAY, JULY 28



ART: MOCA opens the exhibition Mike Kelley at The Geffen Contemporary in DTLA. The exhibition, which ran at MoMA’s P.S. 1 last year, is the largest exhibition of the late artist’s work, featuring more than 200 pieces from the 1970s to 2012. Says MOCA: “Widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of our time, Mike Kelley (1954-2012) created a protean body of deeply innovative work, which mined American popular culture, modernism and alternative traditions alike for purposes of a relentless, dark and delirious examination of self and society.”

Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in L.A.? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.