Los Angeles in January & February 2026 — Winter in a City of Stars, Creativity, Culture & Cuisine
- Amanda Payne
- 24 hours ago
- 5 min read
When most of the United States hunkers down for winter, Los Angeles bustles with a distinct kind of energy — sun-washed streets, world-class culture, and an entertainment calendar that rivals its iconic skyline. January and February 2026 in Los Angeles bring global art fairs, culinary celebrations, historic parades, community festivals, and cultural events rooted in the city’s diverse identity. Below is a richer look at what makes this winter season in LA an irresistible blend of history, creative vibrancy, and urban joie de vivre.
I. Art & Cultural Exhibitions — A Citywide Celebration of Creativity
The LA Art Show — A Global Gathering
Each January, Los Angeles asserts its place as a major contemporary art hub with the LA Art Show — the West Coast’s largest and most comprehensive art fair. In 2026 the show runs January 7–11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, bringing together over 90 international exhibitors and galleries from Ireland to Korea, and introducing the first Latin American Pavilion among its highlights. Iconic pieces — from cinematic portrait works by artists like Yigal Ozeri to rarely seen woodcut collections by Karl A. Meyer — reflect Los Angeles’s global artistic dialogues. Read more here: LA Art Show
This fair is more than a marketplace; it’s a hub for cultural exchange and artistic discourse, with installations that span painting, sculpture, and immersive contemporary expressions.
Museum Exhibitions & Emerging Voices
While the city’s museums always contribute to LA’s cultural rhythm year-round, winter exhibitions often draw on themes of identity, innovation, and visual storytelling. Institutions like LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) continually present sweeping shows that bridge global art histories and local sensibilities. As LA continues to grow as an arts capital, its calendar serves both aficionados and curious visitors alike.
Beyond LACMA, organizations such as the Japanese American National Museum host Oshogatsu cultural programs in January — a celebration of Japanese New Year traditions with performances, family activities, and special programming that foreground cultural heritage and community.
II. Performing Arts, Awards & Entertainment Capital
Award Season in the City of Angels
Los Angeles — the beating heart of global film and music — comes alive every January and February with some of the most prestigious celebrations of creative excellence:
Critics Choice Awards – Jan. 4 — industry voices honor notable achievements in film and television.
Golden Globes – Jan. 11 — a glamorous fusion of Hollywood, fashion, and global media.
Grammy Awards – Feb. 6 — one of music’s most watched nights, showcasing both veterans and breakout stars.
These ceremonies are more than red carpets; they reflect Los Angeles’s ongoing cultural influence and its ability to bring international art and entertainment to a global audience.
Music & Live Performances
LA’s venues — from the Crypto Arena to intimate jazz clubs — fill with live music as winter unfolds. While February’s headline Grammy broadcast draws attention worldwide, local concerts, emerging artist showcases, and genre-blurring performances add texture to the city’s soundscape.
III. Festivals, Community Rituals & Cultural Heritage
Pasadena Rose Parade — A Timeless Tradition
New Year’s in Southern California begins with pageantry at the Rose Parade along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena — a spectacle of flower-covered floats, marching bands, and equestrian units that has thrilled spectators since 1890. Whether on the street or watching from home, this parade is a century-old emblem of local pride and creative community spirit.
Lunar New Year & Cultural Celebrations
Los Angeles celebrates Lunar New Year with season-long programming that reflects the city’s rich Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage. From lion dances and short film screenings to spoken word and family theatre performances across Los Angeles in February, this citywide cultural expression blends tradition with contemporary community engagement.
In Chinatown, the Golden Dragon Parade — typically held in late February — draws tens of thousands of spectators to watch vibrant floats, drum ensembles, and cultural processions that have been part of the neighborhood’s annual legacy for more than a century.
Neighborhood-Powered Festivities
Street life in Los Angeles isn’t confined to big stages. Vibrant local gatherings like the Lunar Block Party on Lankershim Boulevard in January turn North Hollywood into an arts-infused street fair, blending artisan markets with live performances and traditions from Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese cultures.
IV. Culinary Culture & Taste-Making Events
Dine LA Restaurant Week (Jan. 23 – Feb. 6)
Few cities celebrate food as expansively as Los Angeles, and Dine LA Restaurant Week is a centerpiece of that celebration. For fifteen days, residents and visitors alike explore over 375 participating restaurants across LA County — from Hollywood to the San Gabriel Valley — enjoying prix-fixe menus at accessible and elevated price points. Chefs showcase the city’s mosaic of global flavors, highlighting everything from sophisticated modern Californian cuisine to authentic international specialties.
Whether you’re savoring sushi in Little Tokyo, inventive Italian at downtown favorites, or plant-forward fare in Silver Lake, this culinary event encapsulates LA’s identity as one of America’s most diverse food capitals.
Seasonal Food Culture
From Smorgasburg LA’s outdoor food markets in January to themed seasonal pop-ups celebrating regional delights, Los Angeles’s winter food calendar blends grassroots experiences with gourmet innovation.
V. Neighborhoods, History & Urban Life
One of Los Angeles’s greatest pleasures is its neighborhood diversity — each enclave offering a lens into historical layers and present-day reinvention.
Historic Districts & Cultural Corridors
Olvera Street and El Pueblo — the birthplace of Los Angeles, where Mexican traditions and historic adobe landmarks tell the city’s early stories.
Little Tokyo & Little Ethiopia — each a vibrant testament to immigrant histories and communal resilience, with galleries, family-run restaurants, and cultural spaces that invite immersion.
Artistic Quarters & Street Life
Downtown LA’s Arts District mixes industrial warehouses with cutting-edge galleries and murals.
Wynwood-in-LA-style neighborhood art walks — often spontaneous and self-curated — reflect the spirit of creative expression woven into daily life.
Outdoor Engagements & Iconic Backdrops
Even in winter, Los Angeles lends itself to outdoor exploration — from Griffith Park hikes with panoramic city views to peaceful beach walks in Santa Monica and Malibu. These natural arenas are part of LA’s layered story, where cinematic viewscapes meet everyday life.
VI. Practical Tips for Visiting in Winter
Weather & Attire: Los Angeles winter is mild — often in the mid-60s to low-70s — making it an ideal season for urban walking, outdoor film screenings, and coastal outings without the summer crowds.
Transportation: While LA is known for its infamous traffic, ride-sharing, Metro Rail, and well-connected bus lines provide alternatives for getting around the city’s sprawling geography.
Reservation Planning: Events like Dine LA and major art fairs fill up fast. Advance reservations for restaurants, festival passes, and gallery tours ensure the best experience.
VII. Conclusion: A Season of Star-Power & Cultural Depth
January and February 2026 in Los Angeles reveal a city that thrives on storytelling — whether through art fairs, community fiestas, culinary innovation, or landmark awards celebrations. This city doesn’t hibernate in winter; it reimagines itself — inviting exploration of its rich past, diverse present, and vibrant future.
From the global stage of the LA Art Show to neighborhood Lunar New Year celebrations and the dynamic energy of Dine LA, this season offers an unforgettable journey through a metropolis where every corner tells a story of creativity, diversity, and celebration.
Header Photo Credit: Bridgette Lynn https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-flowers-5631512/
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