This week offers many joyous gatherings, free entertainment for families and ways to unwind and recenter among the Long Beach and Signal Hill community.
Neighbors can connect with one another at various meetups like Good Time’s queer western movie night on Friday, a gardening workshop Saturday at the Signal Hill Community Garden, a beach clean-up and go-bag workshop at Bixby Park Sunday morning, a vinyl fair at Ambitious Ales Sunday afternoon, a “Love Island” viewing party Monday night, or various concerts and movies in parks throughout the week.
Residents can tap into their creative side with a few gatherings this weekend such as a public mural tour Saturday afternoon or a ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ screening Saturday night, as well as a junk journaling and trading event at Heartwell Park, Thundercat vinyl sessions at The Social List or a photography meetup and fair at The Queen Mary, all Sunday.
Free local resources include microchipping for cats and dogs Friday, a teen-focused substance abuse workshop for parents Saturday, a care package giveaway also Saturday, a men’s mental health conversation and yoga meetup Sunday and free groceries Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Long Beach Community Table.
Friday 6/27
Volunteer Opportunity: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Volunteers are needed to pack 1 million meals for people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires at the Queen Mary (1126 Queens Highway). People can sign up for two-hour shifts on Eventbrite. Free.
Free Microchipping: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Little Lion Foundation is offering free microchipping services to friendly dogs and cats in preparation for Fourth of July at 1179 E. Wardlow Road. Residents must live in Long Beach, Signal Hill, Los Alamitos or Cerritos and be able to provide proof of residence. First-come, first-served while supplies last. Free.
Queer Western Movie Night: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Enjoy line dancing and a western film screening of “Desert Hearts” at Good Time (1322 Coronado Ave.), with Hamburgers Nice serving up burgers and vegetarian-friendly options. Free.
Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. This week’s Municipal Band concert celebrates American pride through music at El Dorado Park West (2800 N. Studebaker Road). With stirring melodies, tributes to veterans and guest singer Meloney Collins, this concert is a perfect Fourth of July celebration. Families are welcome to bring blankets, chairs and snacks. Free.
Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. Families can bring blankets, chairs and snacks to watch the live-action/animated 2024 film “Garfield” at Orizaba Park (1435 Orizaba Ave.). There will be a jumper for kids, crafts and a raffle giveaway. Free.
Saturday 6/28
Gun Buyback: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Community members can turn in their unloaded firearms and receive gift cards ranging from $50-300 in return from the Long Beach Police Department at Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.). Free.
Great OutdoorFest: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy this festival at Sports Basement (2100 N. Bellflower Blvd.) featuring on-site gear demos, samples, clinics, giveaways, food and beer from Angel City Brewery. Attendees can also bring in gently-used kids clothing and certain gear to donate to LBUSD children for upcoming field trips. Free, but RSVP is requested on Eventbrite.
Teen Substance Abuse Workshop: 9 a.m. to noon. This workshop hosted by Roots through Recovery will teach parents how to help their teens struggling with substance abuse or addiction. There will be three sessions held at 3939 Atlantic Ave., #102, with breakfast and lunch provided. Call 562-473-0827 or email info@roots-recovery.com for more information. Free.
Care Package Giveaway: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. GP Care Packages and Blankets of Love is hosting their second annual giveaway for unhoused college students, local unhoused residents and youth at Ramona Park (3301 E. 65th St.). Giveaway packages will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. Free.
Fourth of July Dog Parade: 10 a.m. to noon. The 4th Annual Independence Day Vito’s Dog Parade will take place at Lincoln Park (101 Pacific Ave.) and will include resources for pets and veterans, an award ceremony and a dog parade. Owners can sign up their dog online. Fourth of July attire is strongly encouraged. Free.
Garden Workshop: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This workshop at the Signal Hill Community Garden (1917 E. 21st St.) will cover invasive plant species that may be hurting the biodiversity of your garden. Free.
Public Mural Tour: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hop aboard a Long Beach Transit bus to visit nine new vibrant murals across the city, alongside some of the artists who made them. The first tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the second tour will take place from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a party at Davenport Park in between from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Attendees should meet at Davenport Park (5450 Paramount Blvd.). Free, but RSVP is encouraged on Eventbrite.
‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’: 11:45 p.m. Enjoy this absolute pleasure of a show as the Long Beach Art Theatre (2025 E. Fourth St.) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the musical cult classic “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Audience participation, including dressing up in costumes, is highly encouraged. The shadow cast Bit of Mustard will also be performing throughout the film. Tickets are $15 for general admission and can be purchased online.
Sunday 6/29
Emergency Go-Bag Pop-Up: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join various community groups like Long Beach Queers for Palestine, 7th Street Collective, Norfside LB Outreach, PLACE and Care, Culture, Collaborative for a beach clean-up and picnic from 10 a.m. to noon, and an emergency go-bag chat and workshop from noon to 2 p.m. at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.). Go-bags will be provided for free while supplies last. Free to attend.
Puerto Rican Festival: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Celebrate the culture of Puerto Rico with dancing, food, music and more at Rainbow Lagoon Park (400 Shoreline Drive). This family-friendly event will include arts and crafts, food vendors, a Kids Corner, beer and cocktails. Tickets start at $55 for adults, $30 for children 11-14 and children 10 and under are free.
Thundercat Vinyl Session: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Various DJs will be diving into the genre-blending musical genius of Thundercat at this listening session and brunch by Good Luck Vinyl Club at The Social List (2015 E. Fourth St.). Visitors can also enjoy coffee and matcha made by local coffee cart Brewsers. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Free.
Junk Journal and Trading: Noon to 4 p.m. DIY Babes Club is hosting this junk journaling and Sonny trading session at Heartwell Park (5801 Parkcrest Ave.). There will be junk journaling supplies for purchase, journaling between noon at 2 p.m., Sonny Angel trading, Sonny keychain making between 2 and 4 p.m., desserts for purchase and a raffle. Free.
Record Fair: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Shop for and swap records among fellow music lovers and enjoy live vinyl sets at Ambitious Ales (4019 Atlantic Ave.). Free.
National Camera Day: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Photographers can gather for a large photo walk at the Queen Mary (1126 Queens Highway) and peruse through booths from local camera shops, labs and clubs at this gathering hosted by Tuttle Cameras. There will also be a happy hour and a photo contest with prizes for the winners. Free to attend.
Men’s Mental Health Reset: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Through conversation, guided yoga and community connection, men will have a safe supportive space to explore the challenges of manhood, brotherhood, fatherhood and self at this event hosted by Pueblita’s Tortillas and Therapy With CassC. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online, and the location will be shared with attendees when they RSVP.
Monday 6/30
‘Love Island’ Viewing Party: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Every Monday is “Love Island” night at Roxanne’s Bar (1115 E. Wardlow Road), featuring a pre-show at 7 p.m., themed cocktails, food specials and large screens on the outdoor patio. Those 21 and under are welcome until 10 p.m.
Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. Families can bring blankets, chairs and snacks to watch the animated 2024 film “The Wild Robot” at McBride Park (1550 Martin Luther King Jr Ave.). There will be a jumper for kids, crafts and a raffle giveaway. Free.
Tuesday 7/1
Farmers Market: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Shop for fresh produce, home baked goods, handmade trinkets and more at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.). Free.
Free Pantry: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Residents can grab free groceries from Long Beach Community Table’s pantry at 3311 E. 59th St. Additional hours include Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. No appointment required, but residents are asked to only visit once per week. Free.
Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. This week’s Municipal Band concert celebrates American pride through music at Whaley Park North (5620 E. Atherton St.). With stirring melodies, tributes to veterans and guest singer Meloney Collins, this concert is a perfect Fourth of July celebration. Families are welcome to bring blankets, chairs and snacks. Free.
Wednesday 7/2
Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. This week’s Municipal Band concert celebrates American pride through music at Los Cerritos Park (3750 Del Mar Ave.). With stirring melodies, tributes to veterans and guest singer Meloney Collins, this concert is a perfect Fourth of July celebration. Families are welcome to bring blankets, chairs and snacks. Free.
Aquarium Lecture: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Every first Wednesday of the month, the Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way) will host a lecture series on animals, nature and conservation efforts. This week’s topic is how the aquarium rescued vulnerable species in Southern California following the fires in January and rehabilitated the animals until they were safe to return. There will be a cash bar available. Tickets are $5 in advance online or $10 at the door.
Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. Families can bring blankets, chairs and snacks to watch the animated 2024 film “The Wild Robot” at Heartwell Park (5801 Parkcrest St.). There will be a jumper for kids, crafts and a raffle giveaway. Free.
Thursday 7/3
Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. This week’s Municipal Band concert celebrates American pride through music at Larry Curtis Concert Park at Marine Stadium (5255 Paoli Way). With stirring melodies, tributes to veterans and guest singer Meloney Collins, this concert is a perfect Fourth of July celebration. Families are welcome to bring blankets, chairs and snacks. Free.
Horror on 16mm: 8:30 p.m. Enjoy a late night screening of the horror classic “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” in its original 16mm film format at the Long Beach Art Theatre (2025 E. Fourth St.). Tickets are $15 general admission and can be purchased online.
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