Kick off the month with a variety of artistic events and cultural celebrations in Long Beach and Signal Hill, including micro art galleries, a museum opening reception, Lunar New Year parties and Black History Month events.
Friday night the Long Beach Museum of Art will premiere its newest photography exhibit “Wires Crossed,” exploring skateboarding culture in the 1990s and 2000s, while two micro art galleries will open to the public Saturday night in the Wrigley neighborhood.
Place LB will host an intro to sewing workshop where attendees can sew a tote bag Sunday afternoon, while the Museum of Latin American Art invites residents to sew a plushie for $5 Thursday evening.
Black History Month events are taking place throughout February, kicking off with the EXPO Art Center’s two-day celebration Friday and Saturday and a movie screening at Los Altos Library Tuesday evening. The Japanese New Year will celebrate the beginning of a new year, with a gathering Sunday afternoon at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden and a new year-themed craft at Los Altos Library Thursday afternoon.
Friday 2/2
Food Giveaway: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Local nonprofit Love Beyond Limits will be giving away groceries to families and individuals at the McBride Park Social Hall (1550 Martin Luther King Blvd.). Free.
Black History Month Celebration: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The EXPO Arts Center (4321 Atlantic Ave.) will kick off Black History Month with a celebration during Bixby Knolls’ monthly First Fridays corridor activation, and festivities will continue Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The center will feature an African marketplace, a Martin Luther King, Jr. photo exhibit, an artist showcase and activities for children. Free to attend.
Art Opening Reception: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to the opening reception of the exhibit “Wires Crossed” by photographer Ed Templeton at the Long Beach Museum of Art (2300 E Ocean Blvd.). The exhibit focuses on skateboarding in the 1990s and 2000s. General admission can be purchased for $10 on Eventbrite.
Intimate Concert Series: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Local artists take the stage each Friday at the Wicked Wolf’s (2332 Pacific Ave.) upstairs space. Lucy Morningstar will perform her original songs, which blend ska, reggae and folk styles for an intimate live audience. The performance will also be streamed on Twitch. Entry is free.
Saturday 2/3
Women’s Association Meeting: 9:30 a.m. The American Association of University Women’s Long Beach branch will host its monthly meeting and hear a presentation from Eric Witten on his charitable work in Kenya, drilling water wells and other charitable opportunities. The program will begin at 11 a.m., with socializing and business beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Long Beach City College (4900 E Conant St.). Free.
Tepthida Sankranta & Singing Contest: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Cambodian American Cultural Center will introduce the Cambodian New Year with a singing contest and other activities at the Recreation Park Bandshell (4900 E Seventh St.) Residents can shop from cultural vendors for food, drinks, clothing and other merchandise as well as learn about local resources. Free.
Wellness Social: 10 a.m.to noon. Plantiitas (2011 E Fourth St.) will be hosting this event where attendees can meet local therapists that may suit their needs. Sample questions to ask potential therapists will be provided. Free.
Parent Education Workshop: 10 a.m. The Long Beach Health Department and Long Beach Public Library are teaming up to host a series of educational parent workshops. This workshop at Los Altos Library (5614 E Britton Drive) will address supporting healthy speech development, and will ensure that parents are connected to supportive services if needed. Free.
Los Cerritos Restoration: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Residents are invited to this monthly restoration effort, focusing on pulling non-native weeds to preserve native plants. The effort will be led by trained naturalists and educators. Children 14 years old and under must be accompanied by an adult. Closed-toed shoes, a hat, sunscreen and a reusable water bottle is recommended. Participants will meet at the corner of PCH and First Street.
Free Tennis: Noon to 2 p.m. Bridge the Gap Tennis is hosting another Free Tennis Play Day at El Dorado Park (2800 N Studebaker) with live music, food, drinks, face-painting, balloon art, prizes and more. All ages and skill levels are welcome. RSVP online. Free.
Micro Art Gallery Opening: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Micro galleries 17 and 23 in the Wrigley neighborhood will have their opening receptions at 2483 Eucalyptus Ave. Local artists Cory Bilicko and Amy Bauer will open their micro galleries “Black Pioneer of Punk” and “Anatomically Incorrect,” respectively. Free.
Comic Ballet: 8 p.m. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the all-male comic ballet company, will wrap up the West Coast portion of its 50th anniversary tour at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center (6200 E Atherton St.). Tickets start at $55 and can be purchased at https://www.carpenterarts.org/.
Sunday 2/4
Silent Sundays: 11 a.m. In a celebration of the silent film era, the Long Beach Art Theatre (2025 E Fourth St.) will feature a silent film on select Sundays all year. The theater will show the 1924 film “He Who Gets Slapped,” about a bitter clown trying to save the woman he loves. An introduction on the history of clowns in cinema will take place before the film. Tickets can be purchased on the Art Theatre’s website.
Japanese New Year Celebration: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Year of the Dragon will be rung in through the annual New Year Sekku Cultural Festival at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden (1250 Bellflower Blvd, adjacent to parking lot G4). Residents can enjoy music, cultural celebrations, crafts and activities. Tickets are $10 for a group of up to six people, and $5 for members and can be purchased online. Parking will be free.
Intro to Sewing: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. During this workshop at Place LB (930 Pacific Ave.) participants will learn to create a tote bag using a sewing machine. All skill levels are welcome. To register, visit Eventbrite. Free.
Monday 2/5
Signal Hill School Community Meeting: 2:30 p.m. The Signal Hill School Site Council, organized by local residents with children attending Signal Hill Elementary School are invited to a meeting discussing the 2024 budget in the school’s library (2285 Walnut Ave.). Free.
Read to Dogs: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Young children can practice reading to certified therapy dogs at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E Hill St.). Reading to dogs is meant to build a child’s self confidence as they learn to read. Free.
Tuesday 2/6
Fire Station Toddler Time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Caregivers and toddlers are invited to enjoy songs, rhymes, dancing and play at Fire Station 8 (5365 Second St.). Space is limited, and available on a first come first served basis. Free.
Black History Month Movie Night: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The public is invited to this screening of the film “Hidden Figures” at the Los Altos Neighborhood Library (5614 Britton Dr.), in honor of Black History Month. Popcorn and refreshments will be served. Free.
Wednesday 2/7
Teen Movie Screening: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Teens and tweens are invited to the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.) for a screening of the Studio Ghibli film “My Neighbor Totoro.” Free.
Aquarium Education: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way) hosts educational presentations on the first Wednesday of each month. This month will feature a talk on sustainability in Long Beach, with a focus on the Long Beach Port’s mission to become carbon-neutral from guest speaker Bonnie Nixon from the Long Beach Container Terminal. Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door. Parking is $6 and the event will include a cash-only bar.
Thursday 2/8
Lunar New Year Craft: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. People of all ages are invited to create a Lunar New Year-themed craft at the Los Altos Neighborhood Library (5614 Britton Dr.). Participants will create decor pieces inspired by traditional red envelopes. Space is limited, so registration is recommended. To register, visit the City’s website. Free.
History on the Hill: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Local historian David Ferrari will be leading a discussion on the history of Signal Hill at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E. Hill St.). Registration required. To register, call the Library at 562-989-7323. Free.
Community Art Workshop: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Teaching artist Christal Cotton will be teaching participants how to sew their own pillow plushies during this workshop at the Museum of Latin American (628 Alamitos Ave.). All materials will be provided. Admission costs $5.
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