Highlights in April 2025: From a World Expo in Osaka to a hip music and arts festival in the California desert, this month boasts a range of sensational cultural happenings. Dive into the diversity of events featuring Shakespeare, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, David Hockney, Beyoncé, and more.
Through July 6
Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64 | de Young, San Francisco
Photographers in Central Park
New York, February 1964. Pigmented inkjet print
© 1964 Paul McCartney under exclusive license to
MPL Archive LLP
More than 250 personal photographs are exhibited in the show organized by London’s National Portrait Gallery. Nearly 60 years after The Beatles performed their final concert at Candlestick Park, visitors get a behind-the-scenes look into the meteoric rise of Beatlemania. famsf.org
Through Sept. 7
Ai, Rebel: The Art and Activism of Ai Weiwei | Seattle Art Museum
China’s most famous living artist—and critic— exhibits more than 130 works from the artist’s 40-year career. Highlights include Water Lilies, a reinterpretation of Monet’s famous triptych, made of 650,000 Lego bricks. seattleartmuseum.org
April 5 – Sept. 2
Ruth Asawa: Retrospective | SFMOMA, San Francisco
The first major national and international museum retrospective of this legendary Bay Area artist’s groundbreaking work. More than 300 works spanning six decades include sculpture, drawings, prints, paintings, and design objects. sfmoma.org
April 9 – Aug. 31
David Hockney 25 | Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris
“27th March 2020, No. 1”
iPad painting printed on paper, mounted on 5 panels
Exhibition Proof 2 364.09 x 521.4 cm (143.343 x 205.276 Inches)
© David Hockney
David Hockney, 87, has been personally involved in the largest-ever exhibition of his work including more than 400 paintings, drawings, digital media pieces, and immersive video installations. Focused on the past 25 years, there are also early works such as Portrait of My Father (1955) and A Bigger Splash (1967), plus just-finished pieces from his studio. fondationlouisvuitton.fr/en/events/david-hockney-25
April 10 – 13
Pebble Beach Food & Wine | California
A dramatic Northern California coastal setting is home to one of the nation’s premier culinary experiences. The four-day epicurean experience is a refined celebration of food, wine, and craftsmanship, guided by visionaries from kitchens and vineyards around the world. Featuring 150 acclaimed wine and spirits producers and 135 distinguished chefs. pebblebeachfoodandwine.com
April 11 – 13 and 18 – 20
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival | California
For 20 years, this iconic music festival has brought chart-topping artists, groundbreaking art installations, and an electric atmosphere to the desert in Greater Palm Springs. Lady Gaga headlines plus Missy Elliott, Green Day, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, and more. coachella.com
April 13 – Oct. 13, 2025
Expo 2025 | Osaka, Japan
“Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” is the theme showcasing innovations in technology, sustainability, and cultural exchange. With pavilions hosted by over 150 countries, this year’s World Expo is an unmissable event over its six-month run. expo2025.or.jp/en
April 22
Earth Day
Fifty-five years ago, the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. The annual day to demonstrate support for environmental protection has grown to involve one billion people in events throughout nearly 200 countries. earthday.org
April 25 – 27
Vineyard to Vintner Weekend | Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association, Napa Valley
For more than two decades, a vibrant gathering and celebration of the exceptional wines and spirit of innovation and camaraderie that make this famous AVA so spectacular. stagsleapdistrict.com/v2v
April 25 – 27
58th Vermont Maple Festival | St. Albans, Vermont
“Vermont Maple Bringing Families Together,” is the theme for this seasonal event in the top producing maple state in the USA. Pancakes, parade, carnival rides, cooking demos, photo competition, talent show, kids activities, fun run, and more. VTmaplefestival.org
April 26
MTT 80th Birthday Concert | San Francisco Symphony
In this one-of-a-kind event, Music Director Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas conducts a captivating program with special guest appearances. Part lively musical journey through cherished memories, part celebration of a singular artist. Davies Symphony Hall. sfsymphony.org
April 26 – 27
Shakespeare Birthday | Stratford-upon-Avon, England
“Hip, hip, hooray! Let the celebration begin,” declares the town crier. The Shakespeare Club of Stratford-upon-Avon, the oldest Shakespeare Society in the world, will lead the Birthday Parade. The West Midlands town hosts nearly 3 million visitors annually as the birthplace of William Shakespeare, widely considered the greatest playwright of all time. shakespearescelebrations.com
April 28
Beyoncé | SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
The mega-star’s Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour opens in LA and runs through July with 28 performance dates in North America and Europe. Hit songs include “Texas Hold ‘Em,” “Blackbird,” and “16 Carriages.” tour.beyonce.com