This week I am taking some liberties in my activity selection. The activities that are highlighted each week are supposed to be free, but every once in awhile I stumble across activities I like so much that I simply have to tell you about them even though they are not free.
Don’t let the mention of spending money stop you from reading the rest of the column — read on and let the event speak for itself. Bear with me this week, as “Bored and Broke” temporarily becomes “Bored and Nearly-Broke.”
Although the recent heat spell may belie the fact that fall is upon us, it is now that wonderful time of year when scarves and pea coats are donned. The air carries a wonderful crispness and pumpkin-flavored everything has started appearing in droves.
The activity I have found for this week is perfect for celebrating the arrival of this cozy season. Bust out your flannel shirts and straw hats, practice your Southern accents and straw chewing, and get ready to dance the night away in true fall fashion at the Hammer Museum’s Halloween hoedown.
On Friday, Oct. 30, the museum’s courtyard will be filled with live bluegrass music provided by the Shadow Mountain Band and true down-home barn dancing. Guests are encouraged to get into the spirit of the event, and costumes are encouraged. The museum’s websites says to “think Westwood Hillbillies.” If you need a break from the dancing, visitors are also encouraged to create Halloween decorations with supplies provided by the museum. The decorations can be entered in a contest for the chance to win a variety of prizes.
The Hammer Museum opened in 1990 and partnered with the University of California, Los Angeles in 1994. The museum is free to students with IDs and mostly features exhibits of contemporary paintings, drawings and photographs. The museum closes at 7 p.m. on Fridays, just when the hoedown starts, so if you feel brave enough to traipse through its erudite halls in your hillbilly getup, I would encourage browsing its ever-changing exhibits before you barn dance the night away.
There is no need to R.S.V.P. for this event (in fact, they don’t even accept reservations) , and admittance is on a first come, first serve basis. The event itself is free, as is the museum, but it costs to park. It is $3 dollars after 6 p.m., and spaces are available under the museum.
My argument is this: if you take a car-full of people, then it costs less than $1 per person. For a unique event such as this, I consider that worth it. Even if you live in a triple and want to take just your roommates, you can get out of there for $1 flat. If you want to only spend $1, arrive right at 6 p.m. and spend an hour or so exploring the museum before the hoedown at 7. If you think you need more than an hour in the museum, then parking is $3 for the first three hours with a museum validation stamp and $1.50 for every twenty minutes after that. Either way, the cost is not bad for an evening of fall revelry.
For more information visit www.hammer.ucla.edu.
