LOS ANGELES — The Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA) will present the second annual Night at the Library on Saturday, May 2, transforming the Richard J. Riordan Central Library into a vibrant after-hours festival of art, music, and storytelling. This year’s edition, “A Century of Light,” commemorates the 100th anniversary of the cultural and architectural landmark. The event is hosted in partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) and LAist.
Part of LFLA’s
Centennial Celebration, the festival will fill the library with more than 200 artists for four lively hours of dance and music performances, art installations, DJ sets, local food and drink, and interactive experiences. The inaugural Night at the Library in 2025 drew a sold-out crowd of more than 3,000 attendees and quickly became one of the city’s most distinctive cultural gatherings.
“The library is magical when it’s open after dark,” said Jessica Strand, LFLA’s Senior Director of Programming and Strategic Engagement. “This year we dreamed even bigger for the Centennial. We’ve reimagined the entire library with new and surprising activities that invite visitors to explore, listen, and delight in the unexpected. This event highlights what a library can be: a home for wonder and connection.”
Guests will encounter unique, site-specific activations around every corner, including special appearances by Bob Baker Marionette Theater, dublab, LA Phil Insight, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Heidi Duckler Dance, Rob Stone (History of Blues), Traci Thomas (of The Stacks), and Da Poetry Lounge featuring poet Yesika Salgado.
“For 100 years, Central Library has sparked imagination and strengthened LA civic life,” said Stacy Lieberman, LFLA President and CEO. “Night at the Library amplifies that spirit—transforming this iconic building for one extraordinary evening. As we celebrate the Centennial, we’re inviting Angelenos in to envision and invest in the future of our city’s most vital public resource.”
Special thanks to Leading Centennial Celebration Sponsor: Judith and Steve Krantz Foundation.
Listing
Night at the Library: A Century of Light
Saturday, May 2, 7-11 p.m.
Richard J. Riordan Central Library (630 W. Fifth St. Los Angeles, CA 90071)
$30 General admission tickets, $150 VIP tickets
This event is open to ages 21 and up. Artists and lineup subject to change.
Lineup
Performances
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Da Poetry Lounge with Yesika Salgado
Jazz ensembles, DJ sets, and installations by Dublab
Heidi Duckler Dance
LA Phil Insight and Orchis art installation by Sarah Rara
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Gospel choir presented by NOMMO Cultural Strategies
History of Blues with Rob Stone Blues
Experiences
Screen printing with Color Compton
Immersive Narrative with Mister & Mischief
Modular Sound Bath
Philosophical Research Society
Bespoke live poem writing with RENT Poet
Silent Films with music by Sean J. O’Connell
Tarot Readings
Interviews and games with Traci Thomas of The Stacks
Shopping and Eating
The Library Store
Angel City Press
Reparations Club
Skylight Books
Altadena Cookie Company
The Chocolate Dispensary
Local food trucks, drinks, and more!
The Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA) is honoring the 100th anniversary of the Richard J. Riordan Central Library with a fundraising and engagement initiative investing in the future of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). Coinciding with LAPL’s
Central 100, LFLA’s Centennial Celebration aims to raise $10 million to expand vital library programs and services and seed innovation in new technologies, spaces, and outreach that redefine the library for the 21st century. Highlights of the Celebration include a year of Centennial-themed public programs; festive fundraising events; and timely, stimulating conversations inspired by the Library’s vast historical archives and the iconic building itself. More information available at
lfla.org/centennial.
About the Library Foundation of Los Angeles
The Library Foundation of Los Angeles provides critical support to the Los Angeles Public Library resulting in free programs, resources, and services available to the millions of adults, children, and youth in Los Angeles. Through fundraising, advocacy, and innovative programs, the Library Foundation strengthens the Los Angeles Public Library and promotes greater awareness of its valuable resources. For more information, please visit
lfla.org.
About the Los Angeles Public Library
A recipient of the nation’s highest honor for library service—the National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services—the Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest and most diverse urban population of any library in the nation. Its Central Library, 72 branch libraries, collection of more than eight million books, state-of-the-art technology accessible at
lapl.org and thousands of public programs provide everyone with free and easy access to information and the opportunity for lifelong learning.
About the Richard J. Riordan Central Library
The Richard J. Riordan Central Library serves as the headquarters for the Los Angeles Public Library system. As the nation’s third-largest central library, it houses over 2.8 million books, 5,000 magazine subscriptions, three million photographs, and 10 million digitally accessible U.S. patents. Since opening in 1926, it has been a cultural and architectural landmark, known for its tiled pyramid roof, mural-lined Rotunda, and modern Atrium wing added in 1993. Spanning 538,000 square feet across eight floors, it offers nearly 89 miles of shelving and seating for over 1,400 visitors. Highlights include the 235-seat Mark Taper Auditorium, the Getty Gallery, Octavia Lab, and The Library Store.
About Laist
LAist is an audience-funded nonprofit news organization and the home of
LAist.comand LAist 89.3 FM, helping people make sense of life in Southern California through reporting that is useful, thoughtful, and deeply connected to communities. LAist reports on housing and homelessness, climate and environmental concerns, education, immigration, and public safety, while celebrating the food, arts, and culture that make SoCal the envy of the world. LAist connects with people every day on 89.3 FM, online, in inboxes, on social media, and through news stories and guides designed to help Southern Californians navigate their communities.
# # #
