On Griffith Observatory's calendar, the free public star parties on Saturday, October 17 and Saturday, November 14 look the same. Each runs from 2 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Each is free. At each, telescope lines close early enough for viewing to end by 9:45 p.m., 15 minutes before the building closes.
The difference sits halfway down the hill. On the evening of October 17, Vulfpeck plays the Greek Theatre. The Greek's parking page lists the show at 6:30 p.m. and its events listing at 8 p.m. Concert-goers and stargazers will use the same road at the same time. The star party's schedule doesn't change on a concert night, but the trip up does: the parking, the walk and the bus all run on different terms.
One Road, Two Calendars
The Observatory and the Greek share Vermont Canyon, and the Observatory's own visitor guide treats the Greek's schedule as something to check before you come. It says the DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus will run on Greek concert evenings but may be delayed by traffic. It also says parking is restricted in and around the Greek on concert nights, and that the Greek's season generally runs from April through October.
The same page says parking near the Observatory is limited and that road closures are likely when traffic backs up. The Observatory hasn't published a street-by-street plan for show nights. It says closures are possible when the roads are congested, and that is as far as it goes. On a Saturday with a sold-out-scale crowd heading up to watch Saturn and a concert crowd heading for the same canyon, it's best to assume the roads will be congested.
October 17, by the Clock
| Time | At the Observatory | Down the hill |
|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. | Building opens and paid parking begins | DASH runs every 15 minutes from Vermont/Sunset |
| 1 p.m. | Free parking around the Greek is no longer available | |
| 2 p.m. | Star party telescopes open | |
| 6:30 or 8 p.m. | Vulfpeck at the Greek Theatre, depending on which Greek page you check | |
| 9:45 p.m. | Telescope viewing ends | Last scheduled northbound DASH leaves Vermont/Sunset |
| 10 p.m. | Building closes, paid parking ends | Griffith Park's inbound gates close |
| 10:06 p.m. | Last scheduled DASH leaves the Observatory |
The 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. rows are the ones to watch. The free parking near the Greek is gone an hour before the first telescope opens.
The 1 P.M. Line
On a normal day, the Observatory points visitors who can walk up to a mile uphill toward free parking around the Greek Theatre. It also says that parking is not available after 1 p.m. on concert evenings. That's the cheapest way to reach the star party, and on October 17 it closes before the event starts.
That leaves the paid parking higher up. The Observatory lot, parallel parking on West Observatory Road and parallel parking on Western Canyon Road all charge from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. There's no time limit. The pay stations take credit cards only, the receipt goes on your dashboard and fees aren't refunded. The Observatory doesn't list a price. The lane matters too. Heading up West Observatory Road, the left lane is the only way into the public lot. The right lane is for roadside parking, buses, rideshare, taxis and through traffic. On a busy night, a driver in the wrong lane can miss the lot entirely.
Getting Up When the Greek Is Running
Once the 1 p.m. cutoff takes away the free parking, the realistic ways up on October 17 are these:
- DASH Observatory/Los Feliz. LADOT's schedule, effective January 2026, has northbound buses leaving Vermont/Sunset every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. through 9:45 p.m. They are scheduled to reach the Greek 9 minutes later and the Observatory 18 minutes later, though times depend on traffic. The route stops at Vermont Canyon Road for the Greek, at Mt. Hollywood Drive and Western Canyon Road, at the Observatory, and at Los Feliz Boulevard and Hillhurst Avenue. The adult fare is 50 cents cash or 35 cents with TAP. Seniors and riders with disabilities pay 25 cents cash or 15 cents with TAP. The Observatory says there is no parking in, around or near the Vermont/Sunset Metro station, and that drivers can't make change.
- Rideshare or a ride from a friend. Drop-off and pickup at the Observatory are in a marked area just past the horseshoe driveway, in front of the lawn, and these vehicles can't park there. Griffith Park's inbound gates close at 10 p.m., so a pickup driver has to be inside the park before then. The Greek's own rideshare zone is Lot C at Vermont and Commonwealth. That zone serves concert-goers, so on October 17 a rideshare to the Observatory is competing with the Greek's traffic near the bottom of the hill.
- A hike up. The Observatory recommends the trails that start near the Greek Theatre or at Fern Dell, and says there is public parking near every trailhead. For a star party that starts at 2 p.m., you can climb in daylight. For the trip down after dark, the bus or a ride is the more practical choice.
- A bike. Cyclists have to use West Observatory Road, because East Observatory Road is now one-way downhill. Trails and fire roads are off-limits to bikes, and the Observatory has several bike racks.
The Observatory's visitor page says buses come every 20 to 25 minutes, while LADOT's January 2026 schedule lists every 15. The LADOT figure is newer. Either way, traffic on a concert night can slow every bus.
Where the 10 P.M. Edge Sits
The schedules leave little room at the end of the night. The last scheduled northbound DASH leaves Vermont/Sunset at 9:45 p.m., the same time telescope viewing ends. The building closes at 10 p.m. The inbound gates close at 10 p.m. The last scheduled bus leaves the Observatory at 10:06 p.m. All of the night's transport deadlines fall within about 20 minutes.
On October 17, that window opens while the Vulfpeck show is likely still underway, whether it started at 6:30 or 8 p.m. Buses heading down from the Observatory pass the Greek on the way to Vermont/Sunset, and the Observatory has already said concert-night traffic can delay them.
The Greek's Last October Run
October 17 isn't the only night this month when the Observatory's evening programs overlap with the Greek. The Greek's remaining October shows are:
- Ella Langley, October 13 and 14
- Role Model, October 15 and 16
- Vulfpeck, October 17
- Jessie Ware, October 20
- Foster The People, October 23
- Tom Jones, October 26
- Shaboozey, October 27
- Malcolm Todd, October 28 through 30
- "Weird Al" Yankovic, October 31 at 8 p.m.
On Monday, October 26, the Observatory is hosting a "Rebel Without a Cause" event from 6 to 10 p.m., and it's already sold out. Tom Jones plays the Greek that same night. The Weird Al show on Halloween is the last 2026 date on the Greek's current listings, and the next show listed is in May.
November 14
The second star party falls two weeks after the last 2026 Greek show on the current listings, and no Greek concert is listed for that Saturday. The Observatory's normal weekend hours apply: the building is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and admission to the building, grounds and public telescopes is free. With no concert that evening, the 1 p.m. cutoff doesn't apply, so the free park-and-walk option around the Greek is back in play for anyone able to walk up to a mile uphill.
The fixed limits still apply. The Observatory's paid parking runs until 10 p.m. The inbound gates close at 10 p.m. The last scheduled bus leaves the Observatory at 10:06 p.m. Telescope lines still close in time for viewing to end at 9:45 p.m. On November 14 those are the only constraints. On October 17, the Greek adds a 1 p.m. parking cutoff and an evening show to the same road.
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