Things to do this weekend: PaleyFest LA honors big TV shows, with major stars on stage

PaleyFest LA: We often use the term "small screen" to signify we're talking about TV, but the stars, shows, and stories loom large in the minds and hearts of devoted fans. Many of those fans will be at the Dolby Theatre from April 12-21, where numerous cast members and showrunners from series like "The Morning Show" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" will appear during the 41st Annual William S. Paley Television Festival. Attendees are listed on the PaleyFest site, which is also where you'll want to secure your ticket (if still available).

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival: The mega music-tacular is here, bringing acclaimed artists — Lana del Rey, Tyler, the Creator, and Doja Cat are the 2024 headliners, along with No Doubt — eye-popping art installations, food-themed pop-ups, and kaleidoscopic photo opportunities to the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Weekend #1 is sold out — April 12 through 14 are the dates — but tickets remain for the April 19-21 shows. Looking on from afar? Check out the YouTube Livestream, which will feature "live performances from all stages."

CANCELED DUE TO RAIN — Free Public Star Party: We're in an astronomical frame of mind these days, even though the solar eclipse has now wrapped and the sun is back to sunning and the moon is back to mooning. How can we connect with the cosmos? Why at a pay-nothing get-together at Griffith Observatory on April 13 — amateur astronomers will be outside with powerful telescopes — or up at Mount Wilson Observatory, where seasonal tours are back (but do check the weather/roads first).

Free STEAM festival for families: Imaginology, the activity-filled festival at the OC Fair & Events Center, has become a stay-busy, get-innovative event for those kids interested in any of the STEAM-based callings: science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Entry is complimentary, though keep in mind that there is a parking fee, and finding out what's happening is as easy as perusing the site. Coding, flight, and a "blubber glove" — it connects kids with how marine animals feel in the water — are some of the highlights of the April 13 and 14 celebration.

Peak blooms, lilacs to cherry blossoms: Descanso Gardens, that wonderland of petal and leaf, is experiencing a couple of pretty peaks as we head into April's second weekend. The Akebono and Beni Hoshi cherry blossoms are at their loveliest right now, but not for much longer, so be sure to stop by the destination's Japanese Garden while you can. And while at Descanso, check out the lilacs, too; the blossoms are currently enjoying peak beauty. Another peak-y place? The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, a stunning spot that's filled with millions and millions (and millions) of blooming Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers.