Despite the chilly weather ahead, residents can fill up the first full week of summer with movies and music in various parks, pride events, cultural festivals and more.
Annual summer programs such as Movies in the Park and the Long Beach Municipal Band will make its return this week. Friends and families can carpool to local parks throughout the week for live music and cinematic classics from their blankets or chairs. Bixby Knolls’ Concerts in the Park(ing Lot) is also kicking its season off at Bixby Joe’s Coffee & Tea parking lot Monday night.
A plethora of pride events are being held throughout the week, such as the drag performance Sunday morning at the Bamboo Club and a Pride Nite at Plantiitas Thursday night. Residents can celebrate Japanese culture with a festival Saturday or learn traditional dance forms at the Museum of Latin American Art Sunday.
Friday 6/23
West African Dance Class: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. All ages and levels of experienced dancers are invited to learn West African dance moves at the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach (4321 Atlantic Ave.) Entry is free, but donations are encouraged.
Comedy Show: 7 p.m. Those 21 years old and older are invited to a comedy show at Ficklewood Ciderworks (720 E Broadway) hosted by The Friendzone. There is no cover charge, though there is a two-drink minimum. Attendees are asked to register on Eventbrite.
Silent Short Films: 7:30 p.m. Cinema Sonica will feature silent short films from local filmmakers at SpaceTime Collaborative (3312 Lime Ave.). The first hour will feature short films and live music, followed by food, conversation and an open jam session with supplementary projections and films. Though the event has no age limit, some of the content may not be suitable for all ages. Free.
Saturday 6/24
Wrigley Neighborhood Clean-Up: 9:30 a.m. The Wrigley Clean Team is hosting a neighborhood clean-up beginning at the corner of Golden Avenue and Willow Street. Trash pickers and bags will be provided. Free.
Summer Homeowners Water Workshop: 10 a.m. The Long Beach Office of Climate Action and Sustainability will be holding a workshop at DeForest Park (6255 DeForest Ave.) to teach local homeowners tips on how to conserve water over the summer. Space is limited, and attendees are asked to register ahead of time at longbeach.gov/sustainability. Free.
Moms Connect Bixby Knolls: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Moms living in the Bixby Knolls neighborhood are invited to share the joys and challenges of parenting with each other at the Dana Neighborhood Library (3680 Atlantic Ave.). This event will be a potluck, and attendees are encouraged to bring a dish to share with the group. Please register ahead of time by emailing rachelrmcbride@gmail.com. Free.
Cal Heights Party: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The California Heights Neighborhood Association is inviting neighborhood residents to grill and share food together in the parking lot of Cal Heights Market (3766 Orange Ave.). Attendees are encouraged to bring a dish from home. A grill will be provided. Free.
Together We Can: Noon to 3 p.m. MHALA Project Can and the Boys and Girls Club invites local families with children to enjoy food, games and more together at the Freeman E. Fairfield Center (1835 W Willard St.). Free.
Cajun Food Fest: Noon to 6 p.m. A wide variety of cajun dishes will be available for purchase at Ten Mile Brewing (1136 E Willow St.). Featured vendors include Battambong BBQ and Shady Grove Foods. Free to attend.
Pride Trivia Party: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Teens are invited to Brewitt Neighborhood Library (4036 E Anaheim St.) to celebrate Pride with trivia, pizza and prizes. Free.
Japanese Festival: 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Long Beach Japanese Cultural Center (1766 Seabright Ave.) will be hosting a cultural festival for the public, featuring ondo dancing, taiko drums, games, Japanese food and more. Free to attend.
Psychic Temple of the Holy Kiss Tour: 4 p.m. Creative agency Intertrend (228 E Broadway) will be hosting a tour of its new studio at 228 E Broadway. During the event, the starting date of the local art festival, Long Beach Walls, will be announced. To register to attend, visit Eventbrite. This event is part of the Los Angeles Design Festival. Free.
Sunday 6/25
Long Beach Cultural Dance Festival: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This dance festival at the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.) will give cultural and traditional dance groups a chance to share traditional dance forms while educating the community. Free to attend. On-site parking at MOLAA is $15.00 per vehicle.
Queens of Paradise: 11 a.m. Those 21 and older are invited to enjoy brunch and a drag performance at the Bamboo Club (3522 E Anaheim St.). Tickets can be purchased for $10 on Eventbrite.
AnimeFest: noon to 6 p.m. Residents can enjoy cocktails, cosplay and more at Roxanne’s (1115 East Wardlow Road) annual AnimeFest. The all-ages-friendly event will feature vendors selling anime-themed items, bands playing video game music, special guests and more. Tickets range from $10 to $45 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Drag Story Time: 1 p.m. Local drag queen Robbie Osa will be reading the children’s book “Julian is a Mermaid” at the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.). Free.
Gallery Opening: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Ranchos Los Cerritos will be unveiling its latest historical gallery titled “Ranchos Los Cerritos: Then and Now” at the Visitor Center Gallery (4600 Virginia Road). Visitors can see the transformation Ranchos Los Cerritos has undergone while enjoying snacks, lemonade and activities for all ages. Free to attend, but attendees are asked to RSVP online or by emailing rancho@rancholoscerritos.org.
Monday 6/26
Meatless Mondays: 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. A variety of vegan food vendors will be selling their dishes at Trademark Brewing (233 East Anaheim St.). Free to enter.
Concert in the Park(ing Lot): 6:30 p.m. The famed Bixby Knolls concerts in the park(ing lot) are back for another summer, kicking off with King Salmon and the Funk Yard Horns in the Bixby Joe Coffee & Tea parking lot (4245 Atlantic Ave.). Residents can bring chairs and food. Free.
Movies in the Park: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to an outdoor screening of the PG-13 movie “Top Gun Maverick” at Coolidge Park (352 E Neece St.). Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic food. The movie will begin at dusk. Free.
Tuesday 6/27
Belmont Beach & Aquatics Center Project Community Meeting: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The City of Long Beach will be updating the public about the progress on the construction of the new Belmont Shore aquatics center. The meeting will be held in the Will Rogers Middle School auditorium (365 Monrovia Ave.). Free.
District 8 Community Meeting: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. City councilmember Al Austin will be hosting a meeting at the Boys & Girls Club (700 E Del Amo Blvd.), where the public can meet new City staff members and the new fire chief, as well as learn about homeless services in the local area. Free.
Long Beach Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. The Long Beach Municipal Band will be kicking off its 114th season at Whaley Park North (5620 E Atherton St.) with a theme of “Lights, Camera, Action.” The band will be paying tribute to music in movies with vocalist Nicole Kubis. Residents are invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnic food. Free.
Wednesday 6/28
Pan Afrikan Study Group: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The African American Cultural Center of Long Beach (4321 Atlantic Ave.) is holding a weekly online group to discuss Black history in the United States. The discussion will be led by Baba Olufemi Viltz. The Zoom ID number is 991 3386 7044. Free.
Bixby Karaoke: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Every Wednesday, those 21 and older are invited to sing karaoke at Dutch’s Brewhouse (4244 Atlantic Ave.). Free to enter.
Long Beach Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. The Long Beach Municipal Band will be performing its 114th season at Los Cerritos Park (7500 El Cerritos Road) with a theme of “Lights, Camera, Action.” The band will be paying tribute to music in movies with vocalist Nicole Kubis. Residents are invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnic food. Free.
Thursday 6/29
Stars, Stripes & Microchips: 8 a.m. to noon. Pets will be able to receive vaccinations, microchips and flea treatments ahead of Independence Day at Scherer Park (4600 Long Beach Blvd.). Humans are asked to bring their confirmation email to their pets’ appointment. This event is organized by Long Beach Animal Care Services, Bixby Animal Clinic and CatPAWS Snips Ahoy. Free. To make an appointment visit https://bit.ly/3qAjCAC. Free.
Pride Nite: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Plantiitas and Queer Scouts will be hosting a celebration in honor of Pride at 2011 E Fourth St. The event will feature a dress up workshop from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., a game of millennial loteria from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and a drag show from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event is free, but registration through Eventbrite is required.
Long Beach Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. The Long Beach Municipal Band will be kicking off its 114th season at Recreation Park behind Blair Field (4900 E Seventh St.) with a theme of “Lights, Camera, Action.” The band will be paying tribute to music in movies with vocalist Nicole Kubis. Residents are invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnic food. Free.
