Street fairs, community gatherings and a plethora of learning opportunities are planned for this week’s event slate.
Local residents can stop by the three-day St. Joseph Parish Fair, or spend time Saturday at an educational resource fair, a car show and fair, or Our Lady of Refuge Catholic School’s BearFest, all of which are free to attend. But the free festivals don’t stop there, with the third annual Mariachi Festival at Veterans Park Saturday and Sunday’s Lucha Libre Flea Market.
The introspective On The Corner Listening Club at Twelves and the serene Tea, Tarot and Sound event at Twelfth House are among the dozen or so neighborhood get-togethers happening over the weekend. During the week, check out Care Culture Collaborative’s Monday book club meeting at Vine LB on Monday, the “Survivor” watch party Wednesday at Beachwood Brewing or Jug Band Coffee and Tea’s weekly open mic night Thursday.
Looking to learn a new skill? Take a class on K-9 Emergency First Aid at Signal Hill Public Library Saturday, attend the Long Beach Community Resource Center’s cooking class Tuesday or pick up a pair of knitting needles for Play Market’s mini wool workshop Thursday.
Friday 5/1
Sound Bath and Nature Walk: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. As part of Older Americans Month, the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine invites those ages 50 and older to the El Dorado Nature Center (7550 E. Spring St.) for a sound bath and nature walk. Registration is not required. Free.
Adoption Special: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Long Beach Animal Care Services (7700 E. Spring St.) is waiving its adoption fees for this event in order to minimize the amount of animals in the overcrowded shelter. All dogs, cats and bunnies are micro-chipped and vaccinated. Free.
Filipino Storytime: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Explore Filipino culture, learn a few basic Tagalog words and sing along to traditional songs during this storytime at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). Registration is required by calling 562-989-7323. Free.
St. Joseph Parish Fair: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The annual St. Joseph Parish Fair (6180 E. Willow St.) returns all weekend long, running from noon to 11 on Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. There will be live music, rides, games, prizes, raffles and more all weekend. Ticket prices vary and can be purchased online or at the event.
Saturday 5/2
Recycle Your Bicycle: 9 a.m. to noon. Residents are invited to donate their old bicycles at various locations throughout the city, including Houghton Park, Silverado Park, Whaley Park and Recreation Park. Bicycles will either be refurbished and given to nonprofits to redistribute to residents or recycled for parts. Free.
Community Resource Fair: 9 a.m. to noon. Buffum Total Learning and the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) is hosting a resource fair open to LBUSD families at 2350 Ximeno Ave. There will be vendors such as Pools of Hope Swim School, AYSO Epic Soccer League, The Potty School, Ability First, We Rock the Spectrum! and Special Kutz Hair Salon. Families can also enjoy a pancake and coffee breakfast, balloon art, bubbles, face painting, arts and crafts, music, entertainment, gardening, a petting zoo and pony rides. Free.
Mayor’s Clean Up: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Signal Hill Mayor Tina Hansen is hosting the annual spring Mayor’s Clean Up, inviting residents to help keep public spaces clean. Attendees will sign in at 9 a.m. at the Signal Hill Park Youth Center Playground (1800 E. Hill St.), followed by orientation at 9:10 a.m. and cleanup until 11 a.m. Trash bags, gloves and grabbers will be provided. Youth must bring a waiver signed by a legal guardian. Contact 562-989-7340 with any questions. Free.
Car Show and Fair: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shop, eat and play while looking at a variety of cars at 6220 E. Spring St. Free.
BearFest: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our Lady of Refuge Catholic School invites the community to BearFest at 5210 E. Los Coyotes Diagonal, with entertainment, games, multicultural food, raffles, prizes and a silent auction. Admission is free.
Mindful Moments: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Explore various activities that can incorporate awareness into your daily routine during this gathering at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). The activity will be coloring to classical music. Space is limited and residents can register by calling 562-989-7323. This gathering is meant for people ages 16 and older. Free.
K-9 Emergency First Aid: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pet owners can learn how to keep their dog safe in emergency situations as well as K-9 CPR from Nanci Hanover, an EMT with Project Medics, at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). Dogs should not be brought to this class, and participants must be 18 or older. Free.
Mariachi Festival: Noon to 6 p.m. The third annual Mariachi Festival returns to district 7 at Veterans Park (101 E. 28th St.). Residents are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to enjoy live music from a variety of bands and performers. Free.
On The Corner Listening Club: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. This listening club takes after book club culture, featuring album listening sessions followed by a Q&A at Twelves (746 E. Seventh St.). En La Esquina is dedicated to Latin music, with The McCharmlys sharing the kind of music that inspires them. Free.
Tea, Tarot and Sound: 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Honor the Scorpio Full Moon with this intimate evening at Twelfth House (1950 W. Willow St.). Visitors can enjoy blends of tea, guided tarot pulls and journal prompts to help you get clarity on what you’re releasing and what you’re stepping into. Tickets are $22 and can be purchased online.
Sunday 5/3
Nature Journaling Workshop: 10 a.m. to noon. Queer Scouts LB is hosting this journaling workshop at Willow Springs Park (2175 Orange Ave.), facilitated by biology students from CSULB. Attendees can bring whatever tools they want to use and are encouraged to use a variety of mediums to draw, paint, photograph or write about the nature they see. There is a sliding scale donation of $1-10, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Half of the proceeds will go to Friends of Willow Springs Park.
Lucha Libre Flea Market: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Long Beach Flea is hosting this Lucha Libre WWF-themed flea market at 1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway. There will be live lucha libre shows throughout the day as well as tens of vendors selling vintage items and clothing, jewelry, toys, art, plants, furniture and much more. Free.
Cactus and Succulent Sale: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Long Beach Cactus Club is hosting this sale at 9402 Oak St. with vendors selling cacti, succulents, other types of plants, ceramics, coffee and Cactus Club merch. Free.
Children’s Day: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrate the Japanese holiday Children’s Day at the CSULB Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden (1250 Bellflower Blvd.). Tickets range from $5 to $10 and can be purchased online.
VIP Records Performance: 2 p.m. Taj Mahal & The Phantom Blue Band will be performing Taj’s new album “Time” at V.I.P. Records (1028 E. Pacific Coast Highway), followed by an in-store signing and Q&A moderated by Tavis Smiley. Free.
Color Draw Photo Walk: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Local camera shop Tuttle Cameras is hosting this photo walk where attendees will draw from a deck of Uno cards and be tasked with photographing only the color they draw. The photo walk will begin and end at Ambitious Ales (4019 Atlantic Ave.). Reserve your spot on Eventbrite. Free.
Monday 5/4
Tai Chi: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Seniors ages 55+ can join instructor Angie Sierra for gentle, flowing movements of Tai Chi at the Signal Hill Park Community Center (1780 E. Hill St.). This class is designed to improve flexibility and overall wellbeing. Registration is required by calling 562-989-7330. Free.
Pass the Sticks: 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Each month, teens are invited to the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.) to take on a challenge of conquering a new video game together. This month’s game is “Borderlands 4,” and game time comes on a first-come, first-served basis. Each player gets a half-hour time slot or until their game life has ended. Register by calling 562-989-7323. Free.
Writing Workshop: 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Those 14 or older interested in non-fiction writing can learn how to write their story at this workshop at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). Participants will be provided with tools and insights to start capturing events and experiences from their life. Register by calling 562-989-7330. Free.
Book Club: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Care Culture Collaborative is starting a new book for its weekly book club “Practical Anarchism: A Guide to Daily Life” at Vine LB (2142 E. Fourth St.). Author Shuli Branson provides practical examples of anarchism in everyday life, through history, theory and tips that include mutual aid and collective liberation. You do not have to read the book to participate in discussion. Free.
Tuesday 5/5
Cooking Matters: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Learn how to cook nutrient-dense meals in this demonstration-style cooking class at the Long Beach Community Resource Center (5599 Atlantic Ave.). Free.
Trivia: 7 p.m. Every night is trivia night at Beachwood Brewing (247 Long Beach Blvd.) hosted by Thinky Drinky, with $6 pints, prizes for winners and a chance to make new friends. Free.
Wednesday 5/6
Seoulful Spotlight: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Explore Korean pop culture with music, dramas, dances, snacks and crafts inspired by K-pop at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). For those 13 and older. Register by calling 562-989-7323. Free.
Survivor Watch Party: 8 p.m. Fans of the popular “Survivor” reality TV show can watch amongst fellow fans at Beachwood Brewing (247 Long Beach Blvd.) every Wednesday night, featuring weekly episode predictions, an immunity idol hunt and themed cocktails. Free.
Thursday 5/7
Needle Felting Art: 6 p.m. Sculpt your own mini wool creation and enjoy light refreshments during this workshop at Playa Market (1702 E. Broadway). All materials are included. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online.
Open Mic: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Every Thursday evening is open mic night at Jug Band Coffee and Tea (2771 E. Broadway).
