Every summer, Angelenos pack up their picnic baskets, grab a few blankets and head to the Hollywood Bowl for evening concerts under the stars. The summer home of the LA Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Bowl is the largest outdoor amphitheater in the U.S. and a perfect backdrop for a summer outing with business associates or the whole team.
1. A piano concert by Gertrude Ross and Anna Ruzena Sprotte in 1920 was the first event ever held at the Hollywood Bowl. The duo used an old barn door as the stage.
2. Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne of the Lucque Group (a.o.c., Tavern, Lucque and the larder) will debut their culinary program at the Hollywood Bowl this summer. The pair, who replaced the Patina Group after a 15-year run, recently signed a 10-year contract with the Bowl.
3. Frank Sinatra played the Hollywood Bowl in 1946, marking the first time a famous “pop” artist performed on the Bowl stage.
4. The Hollywood Bowl allows concertgoers to bring their own alcoholic beverages, including bottles of wine. However, when the Bowl is “leased” for an event, a noalcohol policy may be enforced.
5. Rehearsals are sometimes open and free to the public (depending on the concert) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the day of the event.
6. The Bowl has two new full-service restaurants this summer. The Backyard, an alfresco family-style eatery, and The Wine Bar by a.o.c.
7. A pool once separated performers from the audience and was featured in a water show during intermission. Its 100,000 gallons were drained in 1972 in order to make room for more seats. Today, Pool Circle tickets are among the Bowl’s most expensive seats.
8. The Hollywood Bowl attendance record is 26,410 for French singer Lily Pons in 1936. Today, the Bowl’s capacity is 18,000.
9. The Beatles performed before a soldout audience of 18,700 at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 23, 1964.
10. Groups may opt to take advantage of the Bowl’s Park and Ride or Bowl Shuttle transportation programs.
11. While picnic areas at the Hollywood Bowl are available on a first-come, firstserved basis, groups of at least 30 can reserve selected picnic areas through the Group Sales department. For example, smaller groups may lay claim to three picnic areas above Lot D, including No. 11 (holds 70), No. 12 (40) and No. 13 (30). Larger groups may opt for picnic area No. 10 (180).
12. Groups of 25 or more may preorder cushions ($1.25 per cushion) and programs ($1 each) in advance. The Bowl staff will have them waiting on seats when the group arrives.
13. Though you’ll have to hike up the hill, the seats in the far back of the Bowl are still only $1 for many of the summer’s events. Thanks to the Bowl’s giant video screens, you’ll still be able to see the action onstage.
14. The Hollywood Bowl is owned and operated by the LA County Department of Parks and Recreation. It is home to coyotes, raccoons, skunks, mule deer, fox, snakes and lizards. In fact, a fox once made its way on stage and sat next to a pianist for 20 minutes.
15. The Bowl has served as a historic venue for such momentous concerts as The Who’s first concert after the death of John Entwistle and the final show of Genesis.
16. You only need to reserve 10 seats to qualify as a group through group sales, and for most of the venue’s bench seats, that means you also qualify for 20 percent off the price of tickets (except on Saturday nights, lease events, select concerts, or when fireworks are scheduled).
17. Box seat ticket holders can order their food and beverage service in advance (preorders must be made by 4 p.m. the day before a concert) and have dinner delivered by Bowl staff to their seats.
18. Any group that books 25 or more tickets for a single date will receive a voucher for two complimentary tickets.
19. This summer, the Bowl debuts three retro-style food trucks, serving rotisserie chicken, wood-fired pizzas and fish tacos. The trucks will be parked in the main plaza and walkways.
20. Picnicking groups can pick up graband-go salads, sandwiches and hot and cold entrées like rotisserie chicken and sushi from the Marketplace and Buzz McCoy’s Marketplace. Street food and snacks such as bahn mi, specialty hot dogs and sausages, street tacos and beef or turkey burgers are among the offerings from on-site Bowl venues.
