Local musician Michelle Mangione will perform at Baba Ghanouj Lebanese Restaurant.
First Fridays will return August 7 to create “art amongst the rubble.” There will be lots of music for just about everyone’s taste, or participants can make their own. Some venues open at 6:30pm. The Big Red Bus arrives at 7pm to take attendees from venue to venue along the newly repaved, rubberized Atlantic Avenue. Venues can be found on Atlantic Avenue between Bixby Road and San Antonio Drive.
• Expo, 4321 Atlantic Ave., will play host to three activities. The Bixby Knolls Summer Shutters 2.0 Digital Photo Contest reception and awards. View all the photos submitted for the contest. Awards ceremony begins at 8pm. The Long Beach Shakespeare Company will be demonstrating stage combat from scenes of its production of Julius Caesar. The new Expo Gallery will feature artwork from Caroline Del Toro, Ruth Munguia, Douglas Orr, Jorge Del Torro and Roberto Munguia. Nicholson Pipes & Drums will perform outside from 6:30pm—8:15pm.
• Eat. Play. Grow., 4228 Atlantic Ave., will be hosting Birdie Mendoza of Birdie’s Playhouse. There will be two performances, the first at 5:30pm and the second set at 7pm. There will also be a “recycled materials” workshop, in conjunction with the Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse. (www.birdiesplayhouse.com, www.eatplaygrow.blogspot.com)
• Historical Society of Long Beach, 4260 Atlantic Ave., will showcase its space, the Long Beach Community Band and historic movies. (www.historicalsocietylb.org)
• Nino’s Italian Restaurant, 3853 Atlantic Ave., will host its Art Bar with two artists and live music. Artist Seong-Heon shows his photo images printed across 31 ceramic masks, each molded from a segment of his face. Artist Kelly D. Williams will exhibit That Was Now, This Is Then. Kelly wanted to create new large paintings and minute drawings that somehow punctuated all the work he’s done in the past. Buy any cocktail while viewing the art and take that price off any two dinner entrées, while dining in the Art Bar. Music by the trio Hot Club Du Bop playing the sounds of Django Reinhardt. (www.ninoslongbeach.com)
• Long Beach Arts, 4332 Atlantic Ave., will feature its “Members Exhibit” with 83 works of art. (www.long-beach-arts.org)
• FreeSpirit Yoga, 3910 Atlantic Ave., will feature Nancy Johnson and Janith Johnson. Always related through friendship, these two former sisters-in-law have combined their “retiring” passions, poetry and photography, to create “The Medicine Cabinet,” by Johnson and Johnson. This book is to be enjoyed as a helpful meditational tool— “words of wisdom and well-being for women.” Other items on display include: poetry greeting cards, photography, jewelry, and more. (www.freespirityoga.com)
• Vangie Ogg Photography and Pixie Toys, 3930 Atlantic Ave., invite participants to come play and get silly in their photo booth. (www.oggstudio.com)
• Averyboo Arts, 3908 Atlantic Ave., will showcase some easel paintings made by their very own Averyboo artists. Special pricing will be $10 for one hour of “create & play,” including unlimited access to painting easels, craft tables, block area, dress-up stage and more. (www.averyboo.com)
• Jammin’ Music, 3972 Atlantic Ave., will “bring the noise” with communal music-making and drum circles. (www.jamminmusic-lb.com)
• The Richard Goad Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Avenue, home of The Long Beach Shakespeare Company, will provide live theater from their New Writers Series. (www.lbshakespeare.org)
• Elise’s Tea Room, 3924 Atlantic Ave., will feature a music fusion of classic blues, new age, and percusssion by musical prodigy Haig, who’s been featured on Oprah. Haig and his band will perform with classical concert pianist Jon-Luc. (www.elisestearoom.com)
• It’s A Grind Coffeehouse, 4245 Atlantic Ave., will feature live music from Keith Hoffmann’s All That Jazz Band. The band is dedicated to the preservation of the great American standards from the 1940s.
• Salon Medusa, 4232 Atlantic Ave., will feature the art display of Big Brother, Little Sister: The Painfully Whimsical Art of Jamie & Sarah. The Jimenez siblings’ art is best described as colorful, non-pretentious, happy-go-lucky contemporary with a taste of urban edge. The exhibit will feature drawings, paintings, and photography created by the brother-sister duo during the last five years. As usual, Salon Medusa stylists will be featuring “Creative Hair Art.” Stop in and become a live hair art model for free.
• Baba Ghanouj Lebanese Restaurant, 4276 Atlantic Avenue will host Michelle Mangione’s return to First Fridays following the release of her new CD What Is A Saint.
More Information
www.firstfridayslongbeach.com
