Summer is slowly but surely coming to a close, accompanied by back-to-school events, sporadic rains and the last few weeks of movies and concerts in Long Beach and Signal Hill parks.
Residents can soak up the last weeks of school-free summer fun with a slew of free events in the city. Spend some time in nature by volunteering at Willow Springs Park Friday afternoon. For those who prefer their plants with a side of alcoholic cider, Ficklewood Ciderworks is hosting a workshop on how to repot a tropical plan Wednesday evening.
Celebrate local businesses at Amarte’s one-year anniversary summer market Saturday evening or connect with local artists at the kick-off event for Long Beach Walls on Sunday evening.
Friday 8/11
Restoration Fridays: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help care for native plants and pull weeds at Willow Springs Park (2745 Orange Ave.). Volunteers are encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle, comfortable shoes and sunscreen. Free.
PCH Movies & Moonlight: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Families can watch the Dreamworks animated film “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” as the sun sets on Seaport Way. The movie begins at 8 p.m., but residents can enjoy free airbrush tattoos and pre-show entertainment starting at 6 p.m. Free.
Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to an outdoor screening of the PG-13 movie “Beauty and the Beast” at Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.). Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic food. The movie will begin at dusk. Free.
Saturday 8/12
Money Tree Potted Gardens: 10 a.m. to Noon. Participants will create arrangements of money trees in 6 and 8 inch pots at this workshop hosted by Plantiitas (2011 E. Fourth St.). Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite, and cost $45 or $55, depending on the size of pot selected.
Back to School Drive: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pueblita Tortillas will be giving away free school supplies to students at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.). Students must be present at the event to receive supplies. The event will also feature food and music. Free.
Amarte Summer Market: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Small business Amarte will celebrate its one-year anniversary by hosting a variety of local vendors at its shop (4105a N Bellflower Blvd.) as well as live paintings. Free.
Sunday 8/13
Autism Family Morning: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way) welcomes adults and children with autism, along with their families, for a special morning at the aquarium. Attendees will be able to view all exhibits, excluding Lorikeet Forest. Advanced registration is required. To register, visit the Aquarium’s website. Tickets cost $12 and the event is free for Aquarium members and children under 3 years old.
Clean Streets: 8 a.m. Volunteers are needed to help clean the Los Cerritos neighborhood. Bags, trash pickers and reusable gloves will be provided. Volunteers should meet at Los Cerritos Park (3750 Del Mar Ave.) by the bathrooms.
Beach Clean-up: 8 a.m. Local nature group Hike, Explore, Repeat is inviting residents to help clean Junipero Beach (2100 E Ocean Blvd.) as part of their “save the environment” series. Message @Hike.Explore.Repeat on Instagram for details. Free.
Long Beach Jazz Festival: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. A three-day musical event at Rainbow Lagoon Park (400 E Shoreline Dr.) A variety of artists will be performing jazz songs. General admission costs $85.75. Tickets can be purchased at www.showpass.com/longbeachjazzfestival2023/.
Long Beach Walls Kick-off: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Residents can meet the artists who will paint the town in this year’s 8th annual Long Beach Walls event. Cocktails and mingling will commence at The Bungalow Long Beach (6400 Pacific Coast Highway Suite 200). Free.
Monday 8/14
Spanish Story Time: 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to bring children to enjoy stories told in Spanish at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E Hill St.). Free.
Family Bingo Night: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Signal Hill families can go to the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.) to enjoy games of bingo. Free.
Sunset Boxing: 6:30 p.m. Residents can take low-cost, beginner-friendly boxing and wellness classes with nonprofit Devotion Fitness every Monday and Thursday evening at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.) Attendees are asked to arrive with hands pre-wrapped, or arrive 15 minutes early to purchase and/or get help wrapping hands. Residents must RSVP through the Devotion Fitness app. Classes are ran on an affordable sliding scale and scholarships are available.
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.
Trivia Night: 7 p.m. Those 21 and older are invited to the Auld Dubliner (71 S Pine Ave.) to participate in a weekly trivia competition hosted by America’s Pub Quiz. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Free to attend.
Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to an outdoor screening of the PG-13 movie “High School Musical” at Stearns Champions Park (4520 E. 23rd St.). Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic food. The movie will begin at dusk. Free.
Tuesday 8/15
Rancho Storytime: 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Parents and caregivers are invited to bring young children to Rancho Los Cerritos (4600 Virginia Rd.) to enjoy stories from diverse authors. Families are welcome to bring blankets, strollers and snacks. Free.
Moonlight Movies on the Beach: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Watch a screening of “Back to the Future” at Granada Beach (5000 E. Ocean Blvd). The event will feature pre-show entertainment from local bands. This screening is part of the summer-long Moonlight Movies at the Beach series. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to sit on. Food trucks will be present. The movie screenings are family-friendly and pet-friendly. Free.
Wednesday 8/16
Blood Drive: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed to donate life-saving blood at the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.). Free.
Picnic in the Park: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Residents are invited to bring their lunches to Harvey Milk Promenade Park (185 E. Third St.) for a community picnic. DJ HoneyMee will be playing summer tunes and blankets will be provided. Free.
Concerts in the Park: 6:30 p.m. The ‘60s cover band Beach St. A Go Go will be performing at Signal Hill Park (2175 Cherry Ave.). Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. Free to attend.
Bear City Comedy: 7:30 p.m. A roster of stand-up comedians perform weekly at Que Sera (1923 E 7th St.). This event is for those 21 and older. Free.
Tropical Repotting Workshop & Ciders: 7 p.m. Attendees will learn how to repot a tropical plant that they can take home, while enjoying a flight of four alcoholic ciders at Ficklewood Ciderworks (720 E Broadway). Tickets cost $45, and can be purchased on Ficklewood Ciderworks’ website.
Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to an outdoor screening of the PG-13 movie “High School Musical” at Scherer Park (4600 Long Beach Blvd.). Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic food. The movie will begin at dusk. Free.
Thursday 8/17
Lego Club: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. School-aged children 6 years old and up are invited to build with Legos at the Los Altos Neighborhood Library (5614 Britton Dr.). Legos will be provided. Free.
Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to an outdoor screening of the PG-13 movie “Rock Dog 3: Battle the Beat” at Pan American Park (5157 Centralia St.). Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic food. The movie will begin at dusk. Free.
Hosting an event? Email all details to Newspaper@SignalTribune.com for a chance to be featured in our weekly Around Town. Submitting an entry does not guarantee publication and the Signal Tribune reserves the right to choose which events to promote.
