Ain't no party like a West Coast party and the best parties of the West Coast are right here in Los Angeles. From mega festivals to raves, grilled cheese cook offs to smokeouts, check out a few of our favorite annual throw downs in the LA area.

Coachella
Bringing together fans of rock, electronica and "other" under the Indio Valley sun, Coachella continues to be one of the premier music festivals in the country.
Location: Indio
Dates: April 15-17, 2011
Happening since: 1999
2010 Headliners: Jay-Z, Muse, Gorillaz, Thom Yorke, Faith No More, Pavement, Tiesto,
LCD Soundsystem, Them Crooked Vultures
2011 Headliners: Kanye West, Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, The
Chemical Brothers, Robyn, Animal Collective, The Strokes, PJ Harvey, Ras G, Lorn,
Tokimonsta, Take, Nosaj Thing, Daedelus, Ms. Lauryn Hill
Website: http://www.coachella.com/

THC Expose
Only in Los Angeles will you find the "Greatest Cannabis Show on Earth," a 3-day festival of everything green and steazy for apothecaries, hemp retailers, medical outlets and stoners.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center
Dates: TBA
Happening since: 2009
2010 Headliners: Cheech and Chong, DBR LA, Evan York
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.thcexpose.com/

Grilled Cheese Invitational
With mountains of grilled cheese sandwiches, a beer garden, grilling competitions, poetry, music and prizes, the newly born Grilled Cheese Invitational may be the most exciting new festival in America for those who like to get their cheese on.
Location: Los Angeles Center Studios
Date: April 23, 2011
Happening since: 2009
2011 Headliners: Cheddar, Swiss & Gruyere, you
Website: http://grilledcheeseinvitational.com/

Doo Dah Parade
Thought technically not a festival but a flamboyant anti-parade, Doo Dah celebrates the wacky, funky and weird in a very festival fashion, with wild characters (including you- anyone is welcome to join), winged creatures, robotic performers and zombie dancers.
Location: East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
Date: April 30, 2011
Happening since: 1978
2010 Headliners: Count Smokula, Dr. Steel's Army of Toy Soldiers, Shopping Cart Drill Team, BBQ & Hibachi Marching Grill Team, Men of Leisure Synchronized Nap Team
Website: http://www.pasadenadoodahparade.info/

Lightning in a Bottle
The annual outdoor art and music festival presented by The Do Lab, Lightning in a Bottle is a, earth-conscious event celebrating the music of the West Coast and beyond.
Location: Oak Canyon Ranch, Orange County
Dates: May 27-30, 2011
Happening since: 2004
2010 Headliners: Booka Shade, Glitch Mob, Lucent Dossier Experience, The Album Leaf, Adam Freeland, Beats Antique, Apparat, Daedelus
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://lightninginabottle.org/

Los Angeles Film Festival
The best in American and foreign cinema is showcased in this 10-day festival that boasts several world premiers and over 200 other films, documentaries and music videos.
Location: Various venues in Downtown Los Angeles
Dates: June 16-26, 2011
Happening since: 1971
Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.lafilmfest.com/2010/

Electric Daisy Carnival
One of the biggest raves in the world, Electric Daisy Carnival is a two-day massive in the heart of Los Angeles with carnival rides, candy kids, art installations and over-the-top visual productions.
Location: Exposition Park & the LA Coliseum
Dates: June 24-25, 2011
Happening since: 1996
2010 Headliners: Deadmau5, Armin Van Buuren, Moby, Groove Armada, MSTRKRFT, Swedish House Mafia, Will.I.Am
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.electricdaisycarnival.com/

HARD Summer Music Festival LA
This summertime outdoor event features both global superstars and the hottest beats out of Los Angeles, along with food and merch vendors.
Location: Los Angeles State Historic Park
Date: August 6, 2011
Happening since: 2007
2010 Headliners: M.I.A., N.E.R.D., Die Antwoord, Flying Lotus, Joker, Gaslamp Killer
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.hardfest.com/index.php

Long Beach Blues Festival
Celebrating a classic American art form for three decades, the Long Beach Blues Festival has become one of the premier blues and jazz events in the country and showcases the top talent in the genre today.
Location: Rainbow Lagoon Park
Date: August 12-14, 2011
Happening since: 1980
2010 Headliners: (festival on hiatus)
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.LongBeachJazzFestival.com/

Sunset Strip Music Festival
Every summer the Sunset Strip Music Festival descends on the infamous Sunset Strip in West Hollywood with a huge lineup of talent and a street full of music lovers.
Location: The Roxy, The Whisky A Go-Go, Key Club, House of Blues, Viper Room and more
Date: August 18-20, 2011 (street party on Saturday 8/20)
2010 Headliners: Common, Kid Cudi, Slash, Smashing Pumpkins, Steel Panther, Neon Trees
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.sunsetstripmusicfestival.com/

Los Angeles County Fair
Los Angeles goes country with a traditional county fair, including plenty of deep-fried and chocolate-dipped carnival foods, rides, horse races, livestock, exhibits and vendors of all sorts and a wide variety of entertainment from large-scale concerts to smaller, more intimate musical performances.
Location: Pomona
Dates: September 3 through October 4, 2011
Happening since: 1922
2010 Headliners: 24th & Lake, Bayadera, Better Chemistry, Caravana, Joe Vegas Band, Jonny Come Lately, Lucha Libre, Monster Truck Racing, Night Shift
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.lacountyfair.com/2010/

Nocturnal Festival
This SoCal massive put on by Insomniac is known for over-the-top, gothic and absurdist decor along with some of the biggest names in electronic dance music today.
Location: TBA
Dates: September 23 & 24, 2011
Happening since: 1995
2010 Headliners: Steve Angello, Ferry Corsten, Chase & Status, Caspa, Skream, Plump DJs, Pretty Lights, ATB, Plastician
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.nocturnalfestival.com/

Eagle Rock Music Festival
This non-profit community festival is free and centered around the Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock, with three stages that spilling out onto the streets and surrounding neighborhood to promote local artists and producers of global, indie and experimental music.
Location: Eagle Rock Center for the Arts
Date: TBA
Happening since: 1998
2010 Headliners: Daedelus, Nosaj Thing, The Gaslamp Killer
2011 Headliners: TBA
Website: http://www.centerartseaglerock.org/

Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Honoring the traditional Mexican holiday that reunites the living with the dead, Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated all over Los Angeles but comes to a head at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, as thousands of visitors observe the individually crafted shrines and sacred altars erected for this enduring ritual.
Location: Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Dates: October 29, 2011
Happening since: 2003
Headliners: Your ancestors
Website: http://www.ladayofthedead.com/