This summer weekend is absolutely PACKED with great Metro accessible events – it’s going to be hard to make a decision on what exactly to do. If money is tight, there’s lots of FREE events including the Summer ArtsFest in East L.A., Chinatown Summer Nights, a Korean BBQ Cook Off in Koreatown and a funk festival in Long Beach.

Have an event you’d like us to include? Shoot us an email at thesource@metro.net. Time and space constraints limit us from listing every accessible event in this city, but this curated list represents what we think is cool and easy to get to.

To plan your trip and to check all other transit options, please consult Google Transit or the Metro Trip Planner.

Blue = Friday, Red = Saturday, Green = Sunday. View Go Metro Weekends, August 6-August 8 in a larger map

Friday, August 6

DESTINATION DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
Bonga & Vodou Drums at Levitt Pavilion
Traditional Haitian roots music, afro rhythms, dance and native songs.
Website: http://www.levittpavilionpasadena.org/summer-calendar-2010.html
When: 8pm
Price: FREE
Where: Levitt Pavillion
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Memorial Park Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Walnut/Raymond (264/267)

DESTINATION DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
Local Scene Night at the L.A. Zoo
Enjoy a delightful evening of musical entertainment under the stars at Music in the L.A. Zoo!
Website: http://www.lazoo.org/
When: 6pm
Price: $12.50
Where: L.A. Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Western Heritage Museum/Los Angeles Zoo (96)

Ludacris at The Wiltern
The Atlanta based rapper/actor performs at The Wiltern.
Website: http://www.livenation.com/The-Wiltern-tickets-Los-Angeles/venue/73790
When: 8pm
Where: The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Boulevard
Nearby Metro Rail: Purple Line Wilshire/Western Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Wilshire/Western (20, 66, 207, 209, 710, 757)

Movies on the Plaza: TIMELESS
Timeless is a series of three concert films featuring the music of composers/arrangers that have influenced hip-hop in the most profound ways.
Website: http://www.jaccc.org/californialol.php
When: 7pm
Price: FREE
Where: Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, 244 South San Pedro Street
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Judge John Aiso/1st (30, 40, 42) 5th/San Pedro (18, 53, 62, 720)

Summer ArtsFest 2010
Experience live music, dance, art and culture at the East Los Angeles Civic Center.
Website: http://www.lacountyparks.org/
When: Friday 8pm, Saturday 9am-7pm
Price: FREE
Where: East L.A. Civic Center, 4801 E. Third St.
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line East L.A. Civic Center
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Mednik/3rd (258)

RENT at The Hollywood Bowl
With a 12-year run on Broadway, a Tony Award for Best Musical, and a Pulitzer Prize, Rent is one of the most groundbreaking and popular shows of all time.
Website: http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/
When: Friday 8:30pm, Saturday 8:30pm, Sunday 7:30pm
Price: $10 – $156
Where: The Hollywood Bowl, 2301 North Highland Avenue
Nearby Metro Rail: Red Line Hollywood/Highland Station (Transfer to Bowl Shuttle), Red Line Universal City Station (Transfer to Bowl Shuttle)

Free Friday Night Jazz at LACMA
Featuring Skipper Henry Franklin.
Website: http://www.lacma.org/programs/fridaynightjazz.aspx
When: 6pm
Price: FREE
Where: LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Wilshire/Fairfax (20, 217, 720, 780, 920)

Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
Website: http://www.dodgers.com
When: Friday 7:10pm, Saturday 7:10pm, Sunday 1:10pm
Price: $12 and up
Where: Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave.
Nearby Metro Rail: Red/Purple Line/Gold Line Union Station then transfer to Dodger Stadium Express.
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Sunset/Innes (2/302, 4)

The rest of this weekend’s events, after the jump.

Saturday, August 7

DESTINATION DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
Cava at Levitt Pavilion
Latin soul, R&B, cumbia and taiko.
Website: http://www.levittpavilionpasadena.org/summer-calendar-2010.html
When: 8pm
Price: FREE
Where: Levitt Pavillion
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Memorial Park Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Walnut/Raymond (264/267)

Chinatown Summer Nights
Grab gourmet snacks from your favorite food trucks, sample dozen of restaurants and bars, explore stores and art galleries, and dance the night away with KCRW and local DJs spinning live.
Website: http://www.chinatownsummernights.com/
When: 5pm-Midnight
Price: FREE
Where: Chinatown Central Plaza, 943-951 N. Broadway
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Chinatown Station

Aaron Nigel Smith at Skirball Cultural Center
Enjoy this performance from award-winning children’s artist Aaron Nigel Smith as he gets the whole family moving with his hip, original songs that are both inspiring and fun.
Website: http://www.skirball.org/
When: 12pm, 2pm
Price: $10
Where: Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Sepulveda/Skirball Center (233, 761)

Hard Summer Music Festival at Los Angeles Historic State Park
Electronic music festival in the heart of L.A.
Website: http://www.hardfest.com/
When: 12pm-Midnight
Price: $60
Where: Los Angeles Historic State Park
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Chinatown Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Alameda/College (76)

The New Los Angeles Folk Festival
The New Los Angeles Folk Festival celebrates the emergence of new L.A. folk in all its shapes and contrasts. It’s traditional and experimental, acoustic and electronic, throwbacks and progressive ideas.
Website: http://lafolkfest.com/
When: 2pm-Midnight
Price: $15-$100
Where: Historical Marker 157, 3110 N. Broadway
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Broadway/Eastlake (45, 252)

Korean BBQ Cook Off
The Korean BBQ Cook-Off brings the top Korean BBQ restaurants in Los Angeles to showcase their best BBQ dishes to the public and to compete for the “best of” categories.
Website: http://kbbqcookoff.com/
When: 12pm-8pm
Price: FREE
Where: 3600 Wilshire Blvd.
Nearby Metro Rail: Purple Line Wilshire/Normandie Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Wilshire/Kingsley (20)

Long Beach Crawfish Festival
Combining the best Cajun, Zydeco, and New Orleans sounds of music, tons of fresh crawfish prepared Louisiana style and served by authentic Cajun chefs, giant food court, children’s area, dance floor, two stages and beach bars to create the largest Crawfish Festival outside of Louisiana.
Website: http://www.longbeachcrawfishfestival.com/
When: Saturday 12pm-11pm, Sunday 12pm-10pm
Price: $15
Where: Rainbow Lagoon Park
Nearby Metro Rail: Blue Line 1st Street Station

Long Beach Funkfest
The country’s most respected funk legends, as well as todays favorites, together with funk fans old and new.
Website: http://www.lbfunkfest.com/
When: 11am-10:15pm
Price: FREE
Where: Downtown Long Beach
Nearby Metro Rail: Blue Line Long Beach Transit Mall Station

Outdoor Cinema Food Fest at Exposition Park
Watch “The Hangover” on a massive outdoor movie screen with food trucks!
Website: http://www.outdoorcinemafoodfest.com/
When: 6pm
Price: $8
Where: Exposition Park
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Martin Luther King Jr/Hoover (40, 42), Martin Luther King Jr/Figueroa (81, 200), Martin Luther King Jr/Vermont (204, 740, 754), Vermont/Exposition (102, 204, 550, 754), Figueroa/Exposition (1o2, 442, 445, Silver Line)

Sunday, August 8

DESTINATION DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
Magnolia Memoir at Levitt Pavilion
Imagine an old speakeasy, brimming with youthful pop and bits of edgy soul.
Website: http://www.levittpavilionpasadena.org/summer-calendar-2010.html
When: 8pm
Price: FREE
Where: Levitt Pavillion
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Memorial Park Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Walnut/Raymond (264/267)

Boricua Festival
A Puerto Rican Celebration in Long Beach.
Website: http://www.fiestabuena.com/
When: 10am-7pm
Price: $25
Where: Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Hwy.
Nearby Metro Rail: Blue Line Long Beach Transit Mall Station

Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm
The classic film in all its glory.
Website: http://americancinematheque.com/
When: 7:30pm
Price: $11
Where: Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Boulevard
Nearby Metro Rail: Red Line Hollywood/Highland Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Hollywood/Las Palmas (212/312, 222, 217), Hollywood/Highland (212/312, 222, 217, 780, 156/656)