Weekending: Pinball wizardry, slammin’ spoken word and craziness in the streets

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Casey's St. Patrick's Day celebration in downtown L.A.

[Weekending is Buzz Bands LA’s new weekly column of things to see and do. For more, visit Pop Radar LA.]

Ten ways to sail through mid-March as if early March never happened — from St. Patrick’s Day merriment to female empowerment to pinball wizardry to celebrations of nature. Oh, and people will be running in the streets Sunday, although probably not the same people who were drinking green beer on them Saturday.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

SKID ROW MARATHON (Documentary)

The documentary “Skid Row Marathon” has a special screening at Regal LA Live Stadium 14 on Friday at 7 p.m. in advance of Sunday’s L.A. Marathon. The film follows Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Mitchell over four years as he starts a running club on L.A.’s Skid Row. If club members stay clean, out of jail and off the streets, the Judge takes them around the world to run marathons. Cast members including Judge Mitchell, Ben Shirley, Rafael Cabrera and filmmakers Mark and Gabi Hayes will be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening. Tickets: $10.

MARCH FORTH! (Spoken word)

March Forth! A Spoken Word Celebration of Female Empowerment takes place at the Skirball Center on Friday night at 8 p.m. Centered around Women’s History Month, the evening’s lineup includes slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo; writer and activist Olivia Chumacero; poet and activist Myriam Gurba; and singer-songwriter Irene Diaz. Get there early for an art-making pop-up by Self Help Graphics and Art and adult beverages and food from local food trucks Mandoline Grill and Triple Threat Truck. Tickets: $8-$15.

TRUTH OR DARE: STANDUP SHOW (Comedy)

Truth or Dare is a monthly comedy show that has the audience writing down truth or dares for hosts Catherine McCafferty and Ruthie Holmes to perform live on stage between special guest comics. This month’s St. Patrick’s Day edition features Will Miles, Milana Vayntrub, Derek Gaines, Brandon Broady, Mike Lawrence and Erin Foley, with music by Enny Owls. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Virgil. Free admission. Ages 21+.

ARCADE EXPO 2018 (Games)

Now this might be worth the drive out to Banning: Arcade Expo 2018 takes over the Pinball Museum, from Friday to Sunday, with freeplay on more than 1,100 retro to modern arcade games and pinball machines. Play games under the stars during the Starcade, compete in the Kong Off, take part in a pinball silent auction, and shop the swap meet/flea market. The Expo runs 2:30 p.m. to midnight on Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Adult tickets/passes: $45-$120; kids: $25-$55. Camping spots available for $30.

Lisa Schulte is one of the artists participating in The Other Art Fair. | NEON In A Bottle, created by Schulte, part of the Bulleit-inspired NEON Collection. (PRNewsfoto/Bulleit Distilling Co.)

THE OTHER ART FAIR (Art)

The Other Art Fair (TOAF), presented by Saatchi Art, showcases the work of 100 emerging contemporary artists directly (no galleries). The Fair makes its West Coast debut from Friday through Sunday at the Majestic Downtown. Participating artists include muralist Kim West; abstract painter Jason Trotter and German-born, LA-based photographer Jin-Woo Presana. The Fair is open from 3-10 p.m. on Friday, 1-10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets: $15 adults, $13.50 for students/seniors. No tickets will be sold at the door.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

THE INVENTION OF MOREL (Opera)

The Long Beach Opera (LBO) presents the opera “The Invention of Morel” by Stewart Copeland (yes, drummer of The Police) and London-based actor, director and playwright Jonathan Moore. The production is based on Argentinian author Adolfo Bioy Casares’ 1940 novel “La invención de Morel,” a fantastical tale about time-bending love and desire. Performances take place on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., March 24 at 7:30 p.m. and March 25 at 2:30 p.m. at The Beverly O’Neill Theater in Long Beach. Tickets: Tickets: $49-$150.

CASEY’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY STREET FESTIVAL 2018 (Block party)

Casey’s St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival returns on Saturday, taking over four blocks in DTLA with 400 kegs of beer, 1,200 bottles of Jameson, Irish food and dancing. Casey’s opens at 6 a.m., and the street fair runs from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Entrance to the festival is at Wilshire & Hope. Ride safely with a $15 discount off RideYellow (using code CASEYS18). Ages 21+. Free entry before 1 p.m.

L.A. NATURE FEST (Science fun)

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLA) celebrates Los Angeles’ wildlife during its fourth annual L.A. Nature Fest on Saturday and Sunday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. The fest takes over NHMLA’s outdoor Nature Gardens with workshops, tours, presentations (including a taxidermy demonstration) and hands-on activities for the whole family. Admission to L.A. Nature Fest is included with regular museum admission, $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students with valid I.D., and $7 for children (3-12). Children 2 and younger get free admission.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

PERSIAN NEW YEAR SHOW (Comedy)

The first Persian New Year Show takes place on Sunday at 9 p.m. at UCBT Sunset. The show celebrates Nowruz (Persian New Year) and is hosted by the Shahs of UCB Sunset featuring a night of song and dance, stand-up, poetry, improv set to live music and more. Come even if you don’t know what Nowruz is. You’ll be introduced to the holiday by UCB’s best Persian performers. Tickets: $7.

LOS ANGELES MARATHON (Racing)

The Los Angeles Marathon is taking over L.A. streets on Sunday. The 26.2-mile endurance test’s participants will be running from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. Get out there and cheer them on as they traverse the Stadium to the Sea course. Wheelchair participants start at 6:30 a.m., and the full field begins at 6:55 a.m. Street closures will be in effect throughout race day so plan accordingly.

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