UCLA PRESENTS THE BEST in arts and culture, community events, sports and entertainment. From film screenings to art exhibits, explore the unique and interesting experiences April offers. For more UCLA events, visit community.ucla.edu.
APRIL 4 | NOON AND 7 P.M.
First Thursdays and Farmers’ Market Pop-Up
This month, Broxton Avenue will once again host a First Thursdays Westwood Village Farmers’ Market Pop-Up in addition to the usual evening block party fun. From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy fresh produce and interact with the UCLA Sustainability team to learn more about food sustainability. Participate in composting demos and find out just how your food goes from farm to table … and then back to farm again. Then at 7 p.m., “L.A. Vibes” takes over Westwood Village to celebrate the greater L.A. community, coastal city culture and the street sports legacy that defines Los Angeles. RSVP for the evening event; there will be great food-truck cuisine, a roller-skating rink (!) and an abundance of photo-ops.
APRIL 6 | 9 A.M.
Punxsutawney Phil said it, so it must be true — Spring is here! (Finally.) It’s the perfect time to take a hike with fellow Bruins on the Westridge Trail to the Nike missile site on San Vicente Mountain. The full hike is seven miles, but there will be plenty of options to turn around when you’ve gone as far up the mountain as you’re willing to go — or as far as your legs will take you. Meet the hiking group at the Westridge trailhead at 9 a.m.
APRIL 27 | 2 P.M.
Funk and disco and soul and Latin and ska and reggae and jazz, oh my! UCLA’s hottest up-and-coming student bands are catering to lovers of these genres for a midday concert at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion in the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden. Take in the diverse sounds of the student body against the beautiful backdrop of UCLA’s botanical gardens as you jam out with the turtles and the trees. No RSVP required. Check out the bands’ Instagram handles below to discover the Bruin music scene:
@287vinyl
APRIL 4 | 7:30 P.M.
Food and Film: Food, Inc. 2
Dinner and a movie — it’s a classic social custom and combination. But as willing as we’ve been to understand the production of media and film, we’ve been less willing, by comparison, to learn as much about how our food gets to our plate. The UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Hammer Museum at UCLA are thrilled to partner with Alice Waters, the legendary Bay Area chef, restaurateur and passionate advocate for the farm-to-table movement. They present a special preview screening of Food, Inc. 2 (2024), the return to the 2009 exposé of the food industry Food, Inc. (2008) with a post-pandemic look at our current gastronomical state of affairs. Documentarians Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo will come to the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer for a Q&A, along with Gerardo Chavez (Coalition of Immokalee Workers), producer Eric Schlosser and Waters. Seats are first come, first served to this special screening.
APRIL 5 | 8 P.M
Third Coast Percussion: Perspectives
Straight from the Grammy Awards and their fifth consecutive nomination for best chamber music/small ensemble performance comes Third Coast Percussion. They’ve collaborated with almost every composer and classical musician under the sun from jazz saxophonist Ravi Coltrane to Danny Elfman, the composer behind Tim Burton’s beloved films. With every collaboration, Third Coast Percussion’s music has evolved to include the sounds of musicians everywhere and create one truly amalgamated show. Come to the UCLA Nimoy Theater to be wowed by Perspectives. Beyond classical tunes, hear the band integrate the whistles and shouts of Indigenous music, explore meditative space and play with electronic sounds that meld with and echo the tempos of the natural world. Purchase tickets here.
APRIL 5–7
2024 UCLA Festival of Preservation
The UCLA Film & Television Archive's biennial event showcases the archive’s latest preservation and restoration projects on the big screen. The 2024 festival will include a lineup of beloved works alongside under-seen and rediscovered titles from film and television history. Featuring 27 titles, including 10 features, four television programs and more than a dozen shorts, the festival highlights collaborations with International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) archives and funding partners, including ASIFA-Hollywood, The Film Foundation, Film Noir Foundation, Golden Globe Foundation, National Film Preservation Foundation, The Packard Humanities Institute and many more. Come to the Billy Wilder Theater to see a rich variety of films across genres, from classics like A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Germany, 1925 and U.S., 1928) to dramas like Smog (Italy, 1962). Click here and scroll to see the entire film schedule and come at your leisure, no tickets or reservations required.
APRIL 6 | 8 P.M
Unlearn what you thought you knew about poetry. UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance brings their resident poet J. Ivy — who recently earned his second consecutive Grammy for best spoken word poetry album — and a myriad of young, talented and dynamic poetic artists to the Nimoy for its final installment of the Poetry Uncut Series. L.A.’s own amazing youth poets from the nonprofit Get Lit open the show. Following them is San Francisco’s poet laureate Tongo Eisen-Martin and Emmy Award-winning DJ Niena Drake. Of course, J. Ivy brings his own distinctive hip-hop poetic style, as he incorporates music with spoken performance and rhythm with verse. Get tickets now.
APRIL 17 | 7:30 P.M.
Intersections: Armenian Classical Composers
You don’t need to go to Yerevan (or even Glendale) to experience the nuanced melodies of Armenia; just come to the Hammer Museum. Celebrate Armenia’s rich and diverse musical heritage, informed by its history, from an independent kingdom under the Persian empire to the tragedy of the Armenian Genocide to its existence as a Soviet state and beyond.
The concert features the musician Antranig Kzirian — an attorney by day, he’s known for his mastery and innovative interpretation of the oud, a Middle Eastern lute-type stringed instrument — who plays homage to the Armenian music known as kef. Though the oud is not commonly played in classic Armenian music, instead associated with the Turkish and Ottoman Empires that can be a reminder of oppression, Kzirian integrates the oud as part of his own Armenian heritage and his journey to keep traditions alive.
Joining Kzirian is the UCLA VEM Ensemble, the cornerstone of the Armenian Music Program at UCLA, directed by violinist Movses Pogossian. The VEM Ensemble is prolific, touring across the United States and Armenia. Composed of the VEM String Quartet and mezzo-soprano Lena Marandi, while not all members are Armenian, they share a passion for celebrating Armenian musical traditions, culture and history.
Copresented by the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music with support from the UCLA Armenian Music Program, this one-night-only performance brings the rich tradition of musical Armenia together — blending traditional and contemporary, Armenian styles with Western and Ottoman melodies. Celebrate the past and future of Armenian music in observance of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day on April 24, 2024. Admission is free; seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
APRIL 25–JUNE 9
The Hope Theory: World Premiere
Helder Guimarães is a lot of things: a Portuguese immigrant, a sleight-of-hand magician, a storyteller and a hopeful outsider. Guimarães has also done many things, like reading a total of 7,243 books to learn about the arts of magic and personhood and creating Geffen Playhouse works Invisible Tango and The Future. This month, the Geffen presents the world premiere of Guimarães’ latest (and autobiographical) work, The Hope Theory. Watch him arrive in the United States as a wide-eyed Portuguese immigrant and see how he begins to solve the intricate puzzle of cultural and professional challenges while trying to build a new home. Filled with optimism, perspective and a touch of magic, The Hope Theory, like Guimarães, is certainly a lot of things. Get your tickets here.
APRIL 5–7
Baseball vs. University of Oregon
Any visit to Jackie Robinson Stadium is good for the soul. See the Bruins take on the Ducks in one of the home game series before the regular season ends in May. Tickets for Friday, Saturday or Sunday are only $10 for adults and $5 for kids — come enjoy a day (or night) of America’s national pastime and don’t forget to “root, root, root for the home team!”
APRIL 13 | ALL DAY
UCLA Track and Field Invitational: “Legends”
From the high jump to the hammer throw, the 5k to the 100 meters, track and field has something for everyone. Enjoy the action at one of the very few home meets hosted at UCLA’s own Drake Stadium, featuring top athletes from across the country.
APRIL 14 | 2 P.M.
Join UCLA softball in celebrating Jackie Robinson Day, also known as “42” day, and beating the Bears. Come early to Easton Stadium on campus to get your free “42” hat and stick around for seven innings of Bruin softball action. If the opportunity to watch one of the best teams in the NCAA is not enough to convince you, bring the whole family for Sunday Funday! Kids can run the bases after the game. Get ticket here.
APRIL 16 | 3 P.M.
UCLA Spring Reception in Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C. area Bruins are cordially invited to a special reception in the U.S. Botanic Garden, the oldest continuously operating public garden in the United States, with Chancellor Gene Block, members of the California Congressional delegation, UCLA alumni, students and friends of the university. Come for an unforgettable evening of networking and inspiration surrounded by gardens resplendent with diversity, form and fragrance!
APRIL 17 | 7:30 P.M.
Transformative Action UCLA Luskin Summit 2024
Join the sixth annual Luskin Summit at the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center. Learn about transformative action in elections and governance, climate resiliency and equity in transportation. The day will feature a keynote presentation and the unveiling of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs’ annual poll about life in Los Angeles, plus six breakout discussions. Speakers and details will be announced as the day draws closer. RSVP and purchase your tickets for one of the most transformational events of the year.
APRIL 18 | NOON
Uncover Your Passion and Design a Career You Love With Markell Morris
At a career crossroads, wondering what to do next? This Zoom session will introduce you to actions you can take to create a road map for pursuing your desired career. Find out how to gain personal insight, get a reality check and chart a career path. You'll learn about what motivates you to perform your best, explore viable career options, research realistic opportunities, and plan for a successful job search or transition.RSVP now to start your next chapter.
APRIL 20 | NOON
UCLA Alumni Bruin Bash UCLA Baseball vs. Arizona State University
Show your team spirit at the ultimate pregame party for UCLA Alumni and fans. Kickstart game day Bruin style with friends, food and fun. And be a part of the excitement of UCLA baseball: the Bruins take on Arizona State on Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m. The Bruin Bash Pregame Party starts at noon in the JRS Club at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Take a look at the UCLA Alumni Bruin Bash website for more information and details. RSVP here.
