Best things to do this weekend in Los Angeles and Southern California: October 18 - 21

History buffs, unite! Head to USC for this field day at the archives (especially if your favorite field, like mine, is the library). The legacy of water in Los Angeles is this year’s focus, with talks on the L.A. River, secret local water sources, the backstory behind your favorite beaches, and more.

The fall edition of Pasadena ArtNight includes free activations at museums big and small around the city, including Gamble House, Armory Center for the Arts, the Norton Simon Museum, and the USC Pacific Asia Museum. There’s also jazz at the Jackie Robinson Community Center, live radio plays at Parson’s Nose, and the Kogi BBQ food truck at Pasadena City Hall. A free shuttle will connect visitors to the Gold Line station and beyond.

From The Broad to Center Theatre Group to the Colburn School, 15 cultural institutions are opening up their doors for a wide range of arts activities the whole family can enjoy. You'll find an instrument "petting zoo," a community Día de los Muertos altar, have a chance to explore exhibitions and art installations, and even tour iconic buildings on a stroll down Grand Ave. The Metro goes all the way there now on the Expo line, so there's no need to hunt for parking.

If you couldn’t get a ticket to Joni Mitchell & The Joni Jam at the Hollywood Bowl (and let’s be honest, with prices soaring into the $600 range, who could?), catch the clips on Instagram and get your fill of the iconic Canadian songstress at this photography exhibition celebrating her life and work in Hollywood.

The Groundlings, the improv company where so many comedians have gotten their start, is marking 50 years with a new show starring their main cast, featuring innovative sketches and wild improv. It's Coming from Inside the Groundlings runs through Nov. 23 and will showcase the diverse talents of its cast, many of whom have gone on to Saturday Night Live.

Take a trip to the islands with Na Leo Pilimehana, the world’s top-selling female Hawaiian music group, at the Downey Theatre. Forty years ago, the trio won a talent contest at the Waikiki Shell and the rest is history. FAIVA, the popular local Polynesian/Hawaiian musical trio, will open.

Back in 2015, the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society made headlines when George and Amal Clooney adopted their adorable basset hound, Millie, at the institution, which was founded by animal rights advocate Fannie Thompson Kessler in 1924. Be like George and Amal and find your next furry friend, or just come out to celebrate 100 years of saving pets at their birthday party with "pawtraits," games for pets and kids, food trucks and more.

In honor of National Coming Out Day, The Church In Ocean Park is celebrating Santa Monica’s LGBTQIA+ community with an adult prom at Santa Monica Pier’s historic carousel. Wear whatever makes you feel awesome and strut down to the beach to dance the night away, prom-style.

The legacy of mountain lion P-22 lives on during Urban Wildlife Week at the P-22 Day Festival, with interactive exhibits and many opportunities to learn about the animals and plants that surround us in Los Angeles.

Want to know more about P-22's impact on L.A.? Part 1 of the LAist's Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes & Bears has everything you need to know about the famous feline.

New short films and archival footage about the historic beach neighborhood will be showcased at the Venice Heritage Museum Film Festival. It’s also a chance to check out the museum, which just opened earlier this year, and enjoy food and drink from local haunts like All Chill ice cream and Davy Jones Liquor Locker.

Food Forward, which aims to fight hunger and prevent food waste, hosts this benefit dinner with multidisciplinary artist and chef Minh H Phan. Phan will explore the food system through her unique and dynamic perspective, culminating in an art exhibition and culinary experience to build awareness about food insecurity.

CHAAK Kitchen will host a Mexican food and wine festival featuring seven local restaurants and 29 wineries celebrating Mexico’s rich culinary and winemaking culture. Guests will be able to taste exclusive Mexican wines from Baja California, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, and San Luis Potosí.

Dance to the sounds of Tony!Toni!Tone! and groove to the tunes of Torrence Brannon Reese, all while eating the best soul food Crenshaw has to offer from more than 100 vendors at this neighborhood festival. It annually draws over 350,000 visitors, so take public transport and get ready for a party.

Try a spooky cocktail in a skull or one with an eerie glow-in-the-dark hue at Halloween-themed pop-up bar the Black Lagoon, which makes its L.A. home at the Normandie Club in Koreatown. It’s up through the weekend, so get your pre-Halloween fix.

Get your fix of Southern cooking in Irvine and score free treats at the grand opening of Georgia’s at the Spectrum Center. Beginning at 11 a.m., the first 50 customers will receive a limited edition Georgia’s anniversary mug that includes a gift card valued between $5 and $100 (distributed randomly). Each of the next 100 customers will receive a Georgia’s keychain with their order (first come, first serve, while supplies last).