From a 24-hour telethon to a cultural spanish tradition, start the holidays off on the right foot with these out-of-the-ordinary events.

Posada and Holiday Marketplace

Take part in a Telethon unlike any other. (Cinefamily)

Head over to the Mercado La Paloma in South L.A. to kick off the spanish holiday known as Las Posadas with live music, cooking demonstrations of cultural dishes, and a traditional Posada procession. The nine-day cultural event ending on Christmas Eve, symbolizes nine months of pregnancy and is widely celebrated in Central America. In addition to dining at one of the Mercado's renowned restaurants (try Mo-Chica or Chichen-Itza), get all your holiday shopping done with handmade cultural gifts from various artistic vendors. (Friday, Mercado La Paloma)

Cinefamily's "Fantastic, Elastic 24-Hour Fundraiser Telethon"

All-nighters often go hand-in-hand with term papers, final exams, and a six-pack of redbull. Cinefamily, one of L.A.'s most loved art houses, is hosting its first and soon-to-be annual 24-hour fundraiser telethon and everyone's invited to take part in this free event. Joining in the festivities (and to keep audiences up and alert) include Spike Jonze, Benicio Del Toro, and Doug Benson among many others to present films, lead discussion and make sure the party doesn't stop until the telethon does. L.A. based noise rock band No Age is also scheduled to play a set in the wee hours of the morning. I bet you haven't pull an all-nighter quite like this before. (Saturday, Cinefamily)

Pacific Standard Time Downtown L.A./ Exposition Park Focus Weekend

When various museums and cultural institutions collaborate together to offer special curated tours and half-priced admissions, that is something worth noting. Pacific Standard Time, an initiative to showcase the birth of the art scene in Southern California, turns its focus onto Downtown L.A. this weekend. From a guided exhibit of the evolution of artists at the Natural History Museum on Saturday to a historical presentation of the LGBT culture in L.A. at the One Archives Gallery and Museum on Sunday, this weekend is bound to be an artistic and cultural experience for all. (Friday to Sunday, various locations)

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