As school enters full swing and holidays begin to creep closer, Long Beach and Signal Hill are hosting a slew of festivals, parties, community gatherings and volunteer opportunities to fill your days.
It’s a week for festivals, kicking off with the Moompetam American Indian Festival all day Saturday and Sunday at the Aquarium of the Pacific. A four-legged gathering for people and their pups will roll in at Marina Green on Saturday while Long Beach youth and families are invited to the annual Youth Festival for food, entertainment and resources at the LBCC PCC campus.
An art show celebrating the trans community will host its closing reception Friday night and the CSULB Art Museum will host its opening reception Thursday night. Nature lovers can flock to Ranchos Los Cerritos Wednesday morning for a bird walk, families can spend Saturday gardening with Ground Education and residents can create their own terrarium at Plantiitas Sunday morning.
Friday 9/8
Hazardous and E-Waste Collection: 9 a.m. The public is invited to dispose of their electronic waste and household hazardous waste materials. For a full list of items that are being accepted go to longbeach.gov/lbrecycles.
Closing Art Reception: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Residents have one last chance to see the art show “This is Trans,” which showcases the “beauty, strength and resilience of the transgender community.” A variety of art mediums will be on display and multiple artists will be present to speak with the community about their works at Work Evolution Laboratories (235 E Broadway #800). Admission is free, but donations are accepted through Eventbrite.
IRL: 9 p.m. Local musicians Reaper Mook, Jay Worthy and Palmtree Papo will be performing at the Edison Theatre (213 E Broadway), followed by DJs Alexander Spit, Harlie and NiceGuyXVinny. General admission tickets cost $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Saturday 9/9
Moompetam American Indian Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 19th annual Moompetam festival will take place at the Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way) and will feature storytelling, crafts, music performances and cultural dances from American Indian scholars and activists, particularly native from California tribes. Tickets are included in general admission at $45 for adults, and $30 for children ages 3 and older and can be purchased online.
Ready Long Beach: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This annual event promotes emergency preparedness in Long Beach. This year’s event will be held inside California State University Long Beach’s Walter Pyramid (1250 N. Bellflower). Emergency supplies will be sold by numerous vendors. Free to attend.
Puptopia Festival: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This festival for dogs and the people who love them will be held on the Marina Green (386 E Shoreline Dr.), and will feature a playground, lounge, spa and more amenities specifically for dogs. General admission tickets cost $35 and can be purchased on the festival’s website. Each ticket is good for one human and two of their dogs.
Community Planning Meeting: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Residents are invited to contribute to and learn more about the Long Beach Downtown Plan and Downtown Shoreline Vision Plan at the Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W Broadway). Free.
Youth Festival: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Made New Foundation will be hosting a celebration for youth between the ages of 11 and 26 at the LBCC PCC Campus (1305 E Pacific Coast Highway). The event will include food, entertainment, community resources and free merchandise from the brand Vans. Free.
Garden Adventures: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Adventures to Dreams and Ground Education invites children between 5 and 16 years old to spend an educational day in the garden (903 DeForest Ave.). Lunch and snacks will be provided. Free.
Sunday 9/10
Belmont Shore Car Show: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This car show will include hundreds of vehicles on display alongside numerous vendors. This community event will stretch over multiple blocks along Second Street in Belmont Shore. Free.
Fathers First: 10 a.m. to noon. The City of Long Beach invites fathers to learn about their children’s developmental milestones, the importance of play and literacy for development and wellness. The program location will be shared with those who sign up. To sign up, visit bit.ly/BSCLBDADS. Childcare and language interpretation will be available. Free.
Terrarium Workshop: 10 a.m. to noon. Attendees will learn how to make and care for a terrarium at Plantiitas (2011 E 4th St.). General admission tickets cost $38 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Community Caretaking Day: 10 a.m to 4 p.m. 10 a.m. The public is invited to help care for and learn about the sacred site Puvungna. Volunteers are asked to meet in the CSULB G2 parking lot (1250 Bellflower Blvd.). Volunteers are encouraged to bring chairs, water, a pot-luck style dish, gloves, rakes, flat shovels and weed whackers. Free.
Vegan Brunch: 11 a.m. Vegan Cheese vendor O’Lavi and Tiny Wine will be hosting a vegan brunch at Good Time LB (1322 Coronado Ave.). The menu will include vegan bagels and lox, wine cocktails and eggless quiche. Prices will be available at the event.
Kitten Yoga: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pet Food Express (4220 Long Beach Blvd.) will host free yoga classes where adoptable kittens will roam around participants for an adorable exercise. Spaces are limited and require reservations through Pet Food Express’ Instagram page.
Monday 9/11
Meatless Mondays: 4 p.m. A variety of vegan food vendors will be selling their dishes at Trademark Brewing (233 East Anaheim St.). Free to enter.
Sunset Boxing: 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Residents can take low-cost, beginner friendly boxing and fitness classes with Devotion Fitness at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.). Classes must be booked through the Devotion Fitness app and are paid for on a sliding scale.
Group Run: 6:30 p.m. The Long Beach Running Club hosts a weekly run to the top of Signal Hill. Runners will meet at the intersection of Willow Street and Cherry Avenue outside the Home Depot. Free.
Tuesday 9/12
Senior Bingo: 10 a.m. Seniors are invited to play bingo together at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E Hill St.). Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. Free.
Parent University: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Parents of LBUSD students are invited to a workshop at Browning High School (2180 Obispo Ave.), where they will learn about how to monitor grades, contact teachers and school staff, and more. To register for the workshop, visit lbschools.net/parentureg. Free.
Wednesday 9/13
Bird Walk: 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Residents and birders can explore local bird species in this guided walk at Ranchos Los Cerritos (4600 Virginia Road). Staff will be available to answer bird and nature-related questions and residents are encouraged to bring their binoculars. Free, but registration is required.
STEAM Lab: 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Children between the ages of 6 and 12 will work on a STEAM activity together at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E Hill St.). Space is limited so registration is required. To register, call (562) 989-7323. Free.
Filipino Films of Resistance: 5:30 p.m. Anakbayan Long Beach will be hosting a screening of the groundbreaking documentary “Revolution Selfie,” which tells the story of a guerilla army in the Philippines. The screening will take place at Cal State Long Beach’s Anatol Center (1250 Bellflower Blvd.). To register for the film, visit tinyurl.com/revselfiecsulb. Free.
Alamitos Bay Community Meeting: 6 p.m. The City of Long Beach will hold a community meeting at the Long Beach Yacht Club (6201 E. Appian Way) about the Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement Project. Attendees will hear from the Public Works Department and contractors, who will provide updates on the project and answer questions. Free.
Thursday 9/14
HR Professionals & the Reentry Workforce: 9 a.m. to noon. The Long Beach Health Department is holding a series of workshops about the challenges faced by people reentering public life after jail or prison. In this workshop, people who work in Human Resources (HR) are invited to speak with public officials about issues surrounding hiring practices and the reentry community. Refreshments will be provided. To register for the event, visit the City’s online calendar.
Tai Chi for Beginners: 11:45 a.m. Anyone interested in learning how to practice Tai Chi is invited to 5608 E Los Santos Dr. for a lesson taught by Angie Sierra. Free, but donations are accepted.
Community Violence Listening Session: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Members of the public are invited to express their feelings and opinions about violence in the community at St. Mary Medical Center’s Parr Health Enhancement Center (1050 Linden Ave.). Free.
CSULB Museum Opening Reception: 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum (1250 Bellflower Blvd.) will host its opening reception for the new semester with drag shows, solo and group art exhibitions, games, DJ sets, refreshments and art activities. The exhibitions will be on display through Dec. 15 for those who cannot attend the opening. Free to attend.
