SXSW Festival & Conference—March 11-20, Austin, TX
SXSW isn’t just a film festival. It includes keynote presentations on storytelling for various platforms including film and podcasting, music acts on different stages, and a hackathon that this year is hosting a conference on NFTs. This year the comedy lineup includes Monty Python alum Jonn Cleese, there will be wellness, art, and XR industry exhibitions, and for those still stranded by Covid-19, a number of online seminars and film showings as well.
Los Angeles Marathon, March 20
If running until your legs fall off and all you can focus on is your breath appeals to you, there’s still time to register for this year’s LA Marathon. The course starts at Dodger Stadium and ends in Century City after making its way through Hollywood and Beverly Hills and taking a loop around Westwood. You can also run for charity to raise money for various causes and foundations.
Coachella—April 15-24, Coachella Valley, CA
Headliners this year include Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Ye (formerly known as Kanye West). Passes are no longer available, but their website hosts a waitlist as well as instructions on camping and how to plan your festival weekend. As before Covid-19, Coachella will one again have an activities area outside of the music stages where you can play games, explore your artistic side, and pick up some music-themed merch. Nice to have this one back after two consecutive years of cancellation—what a long, strange trip it’s been.
Netflix is a Joke Festival, April 28-May 8, Los Angeles, CA
Taking place in venues around Los Angeles, including the Hollywood Bowl, the Ace Hotel, Dodger Stadium, The Wiltern, The Greek, The Forum, and more, the Netflix is a Joke Festival will feature a constellation of comedy stars: Dave Chapelle, Ellen DeGeneres, Nick Kroll, Margaret Cho, Pete Davidson, Wanda Sykes, Conan O’Brien, Mike Birbiglia, and many more. While most shows are sold out, some headliners are adding more. We all need a laugh right about now.
Cannes Film Festival, May 17-28, Cannes, France
Get out your passport, grab your ballgown and a bikini, and take a trip to the Côte d’Azur for the most prestigious of all film festivals where big deals are made and future Oscar winners are born.
Tribeca Film Festival, June 8-19, New York, NT
Born out of a desire to resurrect downtown Manhattan in the wake of 9/11, the Tribeca Film Festival has expanded to include music acts and podcast presentations. Not as long standing as the New York Film Festival which takes place in the fall, but founder Robert DeNiro has put this one on the map if you’re doing a film festival tour.
MLB All-Star Game, July 19, 2022
If the MLB and MBLPA ever come to a resolution and we actually have a baseball season this season, then this year’s all-star game which was originally set to occur at Dodger Stadium in 2020 but was postponed to 2022 due to the shortened pandemic season will land here in July.
