What is PaleyFest? It is an event that takes place every spring, in the Dolby Theatre, featuring the cast and crew of television shows. This celebration provides fans the chance to get up close and personal with actors, showrunners, writers as well as other crew members. While there are no guarantees that you can meet any of the stars, there is something so exciting about getting to be in the same room with them. The festival usually takes place in March or April.
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You can listen to Shelby Parker and I discuss PaleyFest on the LA Dreaming Podcast. You can listen to the podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, or Podbean. You can follow our guest Shelby on Instagram here.
PaleyFest 2024
For this year’s spring festival, the following shows will have panels with appearances from cast and crew members.
4/12 at 7:30 pm The Morning Show
4/13 at 7 pm Loki
4/14 at 2 pm Young Sheldon
4/14 at 7 pm Avatar: The Last Airbender
4/15 at 7:30 pm Late Night with Seth Meyers
4/18 at 7:30 pm Curb Your Enthusiasm
Tickets to PaleyFest LA 2024
Paley members are able to pre-purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public. Now, they are on sale for everyone but that is good to know for future festivals. You can purchase tickets here but there are also a lot of chances to win tickets as well. I would say if there is a panel you would love to attend go ahead and buy a ticket as they can sell out.
What Happens at PaleyFest LA
Cast members from various shows as well as producers and writers come together to discuss their shows. I have gone to multiple panels over 3 years at PaleyFest. I have seen the cast & crew of Better Call Saul, Crazy Ex-Girl Friend, Jane the Virgin, Hacks, This Is Us, The Mandalorian, Grey’s Anatomy, and Family Guy. When I attended the Better Call Saul panel a few years ago they showed a new episode and then had the cast & crew talk about the new season. They had a good Q&A session with the audience. It was a similar experience for the This Is Us panel where we got to see a new episode before it aired and they welcomed questions from the audience.
When I went to PalyFest for the CW night in 2019 featuring the cast of both Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend they did not have a Q&A portion. They also did not show any episodes. Both shows were in their final season and they talked about the journey to get there and shared their favorite moments. The panels can last anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes depending on whether or not they show an episode.
I love getting the opportunity to see the cast and crew from some of my favorite shows in person. Tourists visit Hollywood every day hoping to see some stars but it is very rare to see anyone famous just walking down the street. Events like PaleyFest are perfect for visitors because it gives them a memorable experience and a chance to see the stars in person.
How To Meet Celebrities at PaleyFest
Not only do fans get to see the stars some of the lucky ones might get to meet them. This is where sitting as close to the stage as possible comes in handy. Fans used to be able to approach the stage after the panels had ended but since the festival returned in 2022 I have not seen the opportunity to meet the stars return but I am hoping one day this aspect comes back.
The cast and crew of Better Call Saul did a great job of making the fans feel appreciated and cared for. But, it was the cast of Jane the Virgin who really went above and beyond. Since I had previously met most of the cast I was not very aggressive in getting to the stage but you can see I’m in a few of the stage selfies.
For those who live near the LA area or will be visiting this is a fun way to get to be around a group of very talented individuals. Plus, it is always fun to be in a room with people who are all fans of the same show.
What to Know Before You Go to PaleyFest
Parking – the Dolby Theatre does not validate. The closest parking will be in the underground structure at Ovation Hollywood. For the 2024 festival, we were there for around 2.5 hours and paid $14 for parking.
Prohibited Items at the Dolby Theatre
- No outside food & beverage. The Dolby Theatre sells soft drinks, mixed drinks, wine, and beer. They do have some snacks like popcorn and candy. The bars are cashless.
- Large chains and spiked jewelry
- cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vape pens, and liquid refills, lighters
- Professional photo, video, and audio equipment
- Weapons and weapon accessories
- Oversized purses/bags, backpacks, and luggage
- illegal substances
- Stickers, flyers, markers, and spray paint
- Laser pointers and noise-making devices
- Large posters
- Selfie sticks
If you want to learn how to get tickets to movie premieres & more you can find out more information here.
