These long summer nights beg families and friends to experience new things and make memories, and Long Beach has a perfect slate of fun and mostly free events to do just that.
It’s an artsy week in the LBC, kicking off with the Long Beach Museum of Art’s free AfterDark celebration Friday, continuing Saturday with Yap and Stitch’s first-ever craft fair at KUBO, and wrapping up Sunday with Rancho Los Cerritos’ painting workshop and Place’s zine and collage meetup.
Fans of live music can get out and groove all week long, with Long Beach’s Municipal Band performing patriotic tunes three consecutive weeknights, Good Luck Vinyl Club’s return of Cumbia y Vino dance party Sunday night, and live jazz at Alder & Sage Thursday evening.
Community-centric events this week include a nature walk with Community Land Trust Saturday morning, a bake sale for those impacted by ICE raids hosted by LB Rapid Response Saturday afternoon, a block party hosted by Care Culture Collaborative Sunday and a teach-in at LB Forward about ethical investments Tuesday.
Friday 6/26
AfterDark: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Long Beach Museum of Art (2300 E. Ocean Blvd.) will host its summer kick-off party, offering the community a night of free art and music as the museum stays open past its regular hours. There will be a vinyl DJ, food and drinks for purchase and the opening of their new exhibition “Positive Fragmentation: From the Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation.” Tickets are free and can be reserved at lbma.org/events/afterdark.
Fourth Fridays: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Various businesses along the Fourth Street corridor will be hosting activations, offering deals and welcoming the community to a pedestrian friendly hangout. Free.
Theatre Auditions: 6 p.m. Local community theatre and arts group Act Out Theatre is hosting auditions for its upcoming show “Sinister Soirée: A Villainous Cabaret” Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 8 a.m. at 3299 Walnut Ave. See more information about audition songs online. Free.
Cat Zine Fest: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Cool Cat Collective (2741 E. Fourth St. Suite C) will be hosting this zine fest with cat-themed zines from around the world. Free.
Movie in the Park: 6:30 p.m. Families and friends are welcome to watch a movie outdoors at Coolidge Park (352 E. Neece St.). The movie this week is “Kicking and Screaming.” Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, food and snacks. The film will begin at dusk, while activities such as a bouncy house, popcorn and raffles will begin at 6:30 p.m. Free.
Saturday 6/27
Nature Walk: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Join Community Land Trust and Tecolote of Mama Maíz and Flora y Tierra for this nature walk beginning at Bixby Annex Park (East Ocean Boulevard and Junipero Avenue). Guests will explore coastal native plants and the shoreline, then afterwards celebrate the summer season with snacks, good company and a shared vision for the future. RSVP at the link in the bio of @longbeachclt on Instagram. Free.
America’s 250 Celebration: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The City of Signal Hill is hosting this early celebration for the 250th anniversary of the founding of America at Discovery Well Park (2200 Temple Ave.). Festivities will begin with a Model T Hill Climb at 10 a.m., followed by live music, games, activities, community booths and food and drinks for purchase. Free to attend.
Knot Your Average Craft Fair: Noon to 4 p.m. Join Yap and Stitch for their first-ever craft fair at KUBO LB (3976 Atlantic Ave.), featuring 25+ crafty vendors, live music, coffee and a yarn installation. Free.
Recycling Workshop: Noon to 1:30 p.m. Khmer-speaking residents can receive tips on how to recycle correctly at the Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.). Free.
Bake Sale for Bonds: 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Long Beach Rapid Response Mutual Aid will be hosting this bake sale in front of Native Sol (2018 E. Fourth St.), selling a variety of baked goods such as sourdough, cookies, dog treats, vegan treats and gluten-free treats. All proceeds will go to families and individuals impacted by the ICE raids. There will also be T-shirts and buttons for sale. Free.
Perimenopause/Menopause Panel: 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. The Bixby Knolls Wellness Center is hosting this panel for people experiencing perimenopause and menopause at 4301 Atlantic Ave. Guests can expect real talk in a judgement free environment, tips from experts and holistic strategies. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online.
Learn to Play Game Night: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Locals can gather to learn a new card or board game, or teach their favorite game to neighbors at this community game night at Black Ring Coffee (5373 Long Beach Blvd.). Free.
Sunday 6/28
Corazon y Tierra: Portraits of Yesterday: 10 a.m. to noon. This all-ages workshop at Rancho Los Cerritos (4600 N. Virginia Road) will use archival imagery from Rancho Los Cerritos to explore Mexican and Mexican-American iconography, cultural symbols and identity through painting. Long Beach Mexican-American artist Hely Omar Gonzalez will be teaching this workshop. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online.
Kids Bike Ride: 11 a.m. This community bike ride through Bixby Knolls invites children of all ages and their parents, neighbors and friends to ride around in the sun while enjoying free treats. The group will begin at Pixie Toys (3914 Atlantic Ave.). Free.
Zine and Collage Club: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you have a zine idea, or want to work on your current zine surrounded by fellow creatives, come to Zine Club at Place LB (3923 Long Beach Blvd.) on the fourth Sunday of each month. All zine formats, whether analog or digital, are embraced. Open to all ages and skill sets. Place can also print a prototype for attendees during these meetups, but full print runs will not be available. Free.
Long Beach Block Party: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Local mutual aid group Care Culture Collaborative is hosting this block party for the community at Bixby Park (at the corner of First Street and Cherry Avenue), featuring free barbeque food, vegan food, kids activities from Not Just A Mom Club, arts and crafts, free toiletries, hygiene supplies, live music, community resources and more. There will also be drag queen performances and storytime for kids hosted by the drag queens. Free.
Cumbia y Vino: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Good Luck Vinyl Club and Valeria Metz are hosting this cumbia dance party at Dolores (2105 E. Fourth St.), with a DJ set by Que Madre, a record pop-up from Twelves and live music from Dolores y su Conjunto. A portion of proceeds will go to Lucha Costa Mesa. Space is limited so seating is first-come, first-served. Free.
Monday 6/29
Movie in the Park: 6 p.m. Families, neighbors and friends can enjoy the animated film “Bad Guys 2” at Drake Park (951 Maine Ave.) during this outdoor movie series. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, food and drinks. Festivities such as a jumper, movie-themed crafts and raffles will begin at 6 p.m. while the movie begins at dusk. Free.
Cooking Workshop: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Learn how to make classic American dishes from Chef George Cigliano at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free.
Tuesday 6/30
Pet Disaster Preparedness Workshop: Noon to 1 p.m. Learn what to do to keep your beloved pets safe during a natural disaster at this workshop at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). Attendees will learn how to make a plan, build an emergency kit and learn valuable resources. A light lunch will be provided. Registration is required by calling 562-989-7330. Free.
Ethical Investment Policy Teach-In: 6:30 p.m. The Peace Action Liberation Initiative will be hosting this teach-in at LB Forward (2217 E. Sixth St.) about the Human and Civil Rights Investment Screening Policy. Residents can learn about the proposed policy before it goes in front of the Long Beach Budget Oversight Committee, and why residents and certain groups have been pushing for it. Free.
Long Beach Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. Enjoy one of Long Beach’s oldest traditions by listening to a live orchestral band at Whaley Park North (5620 Atherton St.). This week’s theme is “America the Beautiful: A Musical Tribute” – honoring the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence and celebrating the spirit of community and country. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, food and drinks. Free.
Wednesday 7/1
Board Games: 6 p.m. Game lovers and board game enthusiasts are invited to play games with those 21 and older at The Wicked Wolf (2332 Pacific Ave.) every Wednesday. Free.
Long Beach Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. Enjoy one of Long Beach’s oldest traditions by listening to a live orchestral band at Los Cerritos Park (3750 Del Mar Ave.). This week’s theme is “America the Beautiful: A Musical Tribute” – honoring the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence and celebrating the spirit of community and country. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, food and drinks. Free.
Thursday 7/2
Live Jazz: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Local business Alder & Sage (366 Cherry Ave.) will be hosting live jazz on select summer nights, with an accompanying happy hour. This Thursday’s performance will feature the band Jim Fisk Jazztet. Free.
Long Beach Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. Enjoy one of Long Beach’s oldest traditions by listening to a live orchestral band at the Larry Curtis Concert Park at Marine Stadium (5255 E. Paoli Way). This week’s theme is “America the Beautiful: A Musical Tribute” – honoring the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence and celebrating the spirit of community and country. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, food and drinks. Free.
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