The Best Thanksgiving Event in Los Angeles for Families: Saying Thanks on the Westside

Join over a thousand members of the Los Angeles community on Thanksgiving Day and volunteer at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Volunteers will decorate for the festivities, serve food, write thank you cards and carve turkeys. In 2010, more than 1,200 volunteers served 2,500 meals. The event is free and welcome to everyone— families, students, singles, and seniors.

Details: “Westside Thanksgiving”

Cost: Free

Location: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, California

Date: Thanksgiving Day – Various Time Slots – 7am to 7pm

Website: http://www.westsidethanksgiving.org/thx2011/volunteer.html

The Best Art and Exercise Event in Los Angeles for Hipster Kids and Parents: Folk Art Bike Ride!

Is your kid a hipster? Are you an urban bohemian parent? Are you looking for an off the beaten path cultural and recreational activity this Saturday? Bring out your Polaroid camera, old-school sneakers and thick-rimmed glasses for the Folk Art Bike Ride in Historic South Central LA.

The Craft and Folk Art Museum is leading an exploration of art, neighborhoods and unique community gathering spots. The bike ride will journey through Historic South Central LA, which includes LA’s historic and underground jazz district and visit the African American Fire Fighter Museum. The event is free to everyone and RSVP is encouraged.

Details: Folk Art Bike Ride in Historic South Central LA

Price: Free

Location: Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90007

Time: Meetup 10:45am / Ride at 11:00am

Website: http://www.cafam.org/folkarteverywhere.html

RSVP: rsvp@cafam.org

The Best Halloween Activity in Los Angeles for Kids: LACMA and Tim Burton Inspired Stories

Do your kids want to do something fun, creative and outdoors for Halloween? This Saturday afternoon LACMA will be having a free show in honor of the final weekend for the Tim Burton exhibit. Children will design and create props, costumes, and instruments for a participatory storytelling performance. The performances will be about bones, dogs, pumpkins and other Tim Burton inspired themes. Master storytellers Karen Golden and Rebecca Martin will be performing. Definitely no tricks, and just treats for this event!

Details: Pumpkin Bones, Picnic Stones and Hallow’s Eve Tales

Price: Free

Location: Hancock Park

Time: 12–1 pm Prop Making Workshop, 1–2 pm Storytelling Performance

Website: http://www.lacma.org/event/hallows-eve-tales

The Best Extracurricular Activities in Los Angeles: Presented by Afterschool.Me

Each week, we will be highlighting a dynamic afterschool opportunity here in Los Angeles. These opportunities may be one-time events, ongoing classes or free camps to the public. One week may be a description about a Miles Davis Jazz class, the next post may be an exclusive screening for kids under the stars at LACMA or even a hyperlink to a free clinic with the Harlem Globetrotters.

If you want to stay posted about the best afterschool opportunities for kids in LA, click here!

If you want us to feature your extracurricular program, class or camp on Generation Z: The Official Blog for Afterschool.Me, click here!

FYI: We value creativity, credibility, accessibility, innovation and the outdoors! The more fun, the more reputable, the more affordable, the more interesting and the more outside…the better!