As everyone recovers from their Thanksgiving food comas, the world around us will pivot into major holiday mode this weekend. As we previously noted (and skipping over Black Friday for the moment), it all starts with Small Business Saturday, during which there will be a bunch of festive sales and events along Larchmont Boulevard, including the Buzz’s own Patty Lombard, signing copies of her book, “Larchmont” at Chevalier’s Books, starting at 11 a.m.Â
But the small business celebrations aren’t just limited to Larchmont.
First up, Two Dog Organic Nursery will hold its Annual “Green Saturday” Open House and Sale at 914 S. Cloverdale Ave., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The sale features half-price garlic, shallot, onion and leek plants, as well as fall seedlings, berry bushes and fruit trees. There will also be holiday refreshments for attendees. Free street parking is available, but please do not bring your pets.
Next, just a few blocks away in the Miracle Mile neighborhood, the Craft and Folk Art Museum will host its bi-annual Handmade LA marketplace, both Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event showcases a curated selection of one-of-a-kind contemporary craft and design creations by more than a dozen premier LA makers (see the link above for the list of participants).
Finally, just up the street, the Miracle Mile Toy Hall (the new digs of the former Miracle Mile Toys), will host two performances of the Bob Baker Marionettes’ Traveling Holiday Show, at 1 and 2:30 p.m., in its new event space on Wilshire Blvd.  Tickets are $10 and available at the link above.
Later, with the holiday mood set by all that shopping, it would be a great night for some holiday light viewing. As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the Zoo Lights are up and running through January 7 at the L.A. Zoo. Also, not local but noteworthy for their size are the Enchanted Forest of Light, an interactive light display along a mile walk through some of Descanso Gardens‘ most popular areas…and the 25th Annual Festival of Lights, which flips its “on” switch to more than 4 million lights at 4:30 p.m. today and runs for six weeks at the historic Mission Inn in Riverside.
Much closer to home, there is also a new holiday light walking tour in Downtown LA, starting on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and running on selected days through December 30. The two-hour walk starts at Union Station, then takes in light displays at Olvera Street, Grand Park, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Broad Museum, California Plaza, the Old Bank District, and Pershing Square…and returns to Union Station via Metro Rail. Tickets are $17 for adults, and free for kids 12 and under (train fare not included).
Finally, on Sunday, starting at 5 p.m., is the big event of the weekend, the 86th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, which runs down Hollywood Boulevard, from Orange Dr. to Vine St., and then proceeds south to Sunset Blvd., and back west along Sunset to Orange. As always, the landmark celebration will feature celebrity hosts and appearances, marching bands, and lots of floats and giant balloons. There will also be huge crowds and street closures throughout the day, so please check the maps, parking and other info at http://thehollywoodchristmasparade.org/route-and-closures/ if you plan to attend, or even if you just need to drive through the area at any time on Sunday.
Have a great post-Thanksgiving weekend!
[Note: This story was edited to remove the raw earth, wild sky sale event, which which will be held NEXT weekend, December 1-2, not this weekend, as originally reported. We regret the error, and will include the item in next week’s weekend event list.]
