This holiday-filled week leaves no room for boredom, as Día de los Muertos and various festivals offer free, fun things to do in Long Beach.
Residents can celebrate the Day of the Dead in plenty of ways, such as a community ofrenda at Place LB on Friday night, as well as Long Beach’s annual Día de los Muertos Grand Parade and Festival or a sugar cookie decorating workshop Saturday. Families and children can ring in the new month by connecting with the community at an LBUSD resources event Friday morning, youth mentoring Friday evening, a tamale-making workshop Sunday, as well as sensory play for toddlers at the library, a parent support circle and a networking event for moms all Thursday.
Those seeking a job can receive free professional headshots Monday, and can attend a Long Beach hiring event on Tuesday. Local plant lovers can attend a plant festival Saturday or a native plant sale Tuesday.
Friday 11/1
Loads of Kindness: 9 a.m. to noon. Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) families are invited to this event offering laundry services and connection to resources such as CalFresh, Medi-Cal and more at the Bubbly Mat (1176 E 10th St.). Free.
Noche de Ofrenda: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Place LB (2172 Pacific Ave.) welcomes the community to create an altar together for Day of the Dead. Attendees are asked to bring photos of loved ones that they want to include on the altar. The event will include workshops where participants will learn how to create a mini altar photo out of used instax cartridges, and how to create a mini-garland out of fresh marigolds. Free, but donations are welcome.
Youth Mentoring: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Youth ages 16 to 24 are invited to this weekly gathering to receive mentoring on life skills, job readiness and tutoring, while enjoying movies, games, music and more at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (1133 E. Rhea St.). Free.
Graveyard Tour: 11:59 p.m. Experience the Queen Mary’s (1126 Queens Hwy.) Graveyard Tour, a two-hour long after-hours guided exploration of the ship’s most haunted locations. This tour takes guests through rarely accessed areas, uncovering the legends surrounding the Queen Mary’s rumored spirits. This tour is recommended for ages 16 and up. Tickets can be purchased for $90.10 on the Queen Mary’s website.
Saturday 11/2
Long Beach Plant Fest: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hella Plants Market will be hosting this plant-centric festival at the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.). Explore rare and popular plants, engaging workshops and a variety of delicious food. VIP attendees receive early access at 11:00 a.m., plus a special goodie bag with plant-themed treats. Attendees are asked to bring their own bags for purchases. General admission tickets can be purchased for $12.51 on Eventbrite. Kids enter for free.
Día de los Muertos Grand Parade & Festival: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The City of Long Beach and Councilwoman Mary Zendejas invite the public to the 9th Annual Día de los Muertos in downtown Long Beach. The celebration begins with a grand parade at 11 a.m., traveling from Pine Avenue and East Third Street down to East Shoreline Drive. Following the parade, a festival at Rainbow Lagoon (400 E Shoreline Dr.) will feature traditional altars, art and live performances. Free.
Día de los Muertos Cookie Decorating Workshop: Noon to 2 p.m. Celebrate Día de los Muertos by decorating themed sugar cookies in this hands-on workshop hosted by Batter Up Sweetery at Trademark Brewing (233 E. Anaheim St.). Participants will learn decorating techniques through live demonstrations and step-by-step guidance, creating their own cookies to take home. Open to all skill levels. Children between the ages of 7 and 14 can participate, but only if they have a parent/guardian with them. Tickets can be purchased for $33.85 on Eventbrite.
Chrysanthemum Festival: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrate the start of fall at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden (1250 N. Bellflower Blvd.) with giveaways, crafts and music. Tickets are $10 for non-members and $5 for members. Free parking is available in lot G4.
Gender Affirming Closet: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach (2017 E. Fourth Street) invites people to take advantage of its gender-affirming clothing supply closet. Individuals can grab free gently-used clothing that aligns with their gender identity. Clothing will be available for ages 13 and up. A limited number of binders in sizes XS to M will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Center is also accepting donations of gently used clothing. Free.
Micro Gallery Opening Reception: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Artist Jared Schwartz will be unveiling his show “Dragging America Into the Future” at micro gallery 30 at 2543 Eucalyptus Ave. Schwartz will be there to answer questions and discuss the inspiration for his piece. Free.
Art Reception: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The public is invited to the opening reception of the exhibit “Digging Beneath Ghost Lake,” featuring the work of artists Dave Clark, Jennifer Gunlock and Katie Stubblefield at the Artist Co-Op (1300 Gladys Ave.). The event will also feature a discussion by the artists. Free.
Sunday 11/3
Greys of El Dorado’s 5th Annual Greyhound Picnic: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Celebrate greyhounds and other sighthounds with local nonprofit Greys of El Dorado during its annual Greyhound Picnic at the LBPOA Park (7390 East Carson St.). This gathering offers a fenced, one-acre, off-leash area where dogs can run freely, divided into sessions based on energy level, size, and breed. Greyhounds must wear muzzles in the off-leash area, but leashed dogs with their humans can roam without them in the rest of the park. The event features a picnic lunch with turkey, cheese, live music by the Chimera Band, a hot dog eating contest and a small auction. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chair, blanket, and beverages. Tickets can be purchased for $39.19 on Eventbrite, and all proceeds go towards park rental and event costs.
Tamales and Traditions: 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Rancho Los Alamitos (6400 E Bixby Rd.) is hosting a workshop exploring the cultural and historical significance of tamales, led by Tongva community leaders. Participants will learn about the connection between tamales and Tongva traditions, followed by a hands-on session to create tamales with step-by-step guidance. This event is recommended for adults, teens, and families with children aged 7 and older. Space is limited, and all tamales will contain meat. Free onsite parking is available. Rancho Los Alamitos is located on the Gabrielino/Tongva land, the ancestral home of the Tongva people. Tickets include all supplies and can be purchased for $20 on the rancho’s website.
Authentic Tamal Making Dinner Experience: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Join award-winning chefs Arcelia and Jerry Reynoso, champions of the 2022 and 2023 Long Beach International Tamales Festival, for an immersive cooking class at Partake Collective (456 Elm Ave.). Participants will learn to prepare their chicken and cheese tamales paired with fresh salsa de molcajete and a traditional Aztec champurrado recipe. A vegetarian option will be available. Following the class, attendees will gather around a communal dining table to enjoy the meal and connect with others. Tickets can be purchased on the website Locali Seasoned for $105.
on April 30, 2021. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
Monday 11/4
Irrigation Show: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. This four-day convention at the Long Beach Convention Center (300 East Ocean Blvd.) offers professionals in the irrigation industry attendees a variety of networking events, exhibitors, learning opportunities and discussions. Tickets can be purchased for $189 on irrigation.org.
Headshot Day: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Local business KW Pacific Estates’ (2883 E Spring St.) is offering complimentary professional headshots to the public. The headshots will be taken by photographer Geoff Kagy, and are ideal for business cards, social media or personal branding. Spaces are limited, so registration on Eventbrite is required to reserve a spot. Free.
Basketball Game: 7 p.m. Long Beach State’s men’s basketball team will be playing against the La Verne Leopards in the Walter Pyramid (1250 N Bellflower Blvd.). Tickets can be purchased for $37 on the university’s website.
Tuesday 11/5
Long Beach Hiring Event: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Job seekers are invited to this job fair at the Marriott in Downtown Long Beach (111 East Ocean Blvd.). This event connects attendees with hiring managers from various companies, offering opportunities for positions in areas such as sales, customer service, engineering, marketing and more. Come dressed in professional attire, and be prepared to network, apply and potentially interview on-site. Registration on Eventbrite is required to attend. Attendees who register will receive a full list of participating companies and job openings. Free.
El Dorado Nature Center Native Plant Sale: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Peruse a wide selection of California native plants for sale at the El Dorado Nature Center’s (7550 E Spring St.) annual Native Plant Sale. This sale lasts three weeks, and hundreds of plants will be available for purchase. Prices vary.
Wednesday 11/6
Sidewalk Vending Open Office Hours: 9 a.m. to Noon. Sidewalk vendors and mobile food operators are invited to open office hours hosted by the Long Beach Health Department (2525 Grand Ave.). Staff will be available to provide one-on-one assistance on topics like local and state regulations, permitting, requirements and food safety practices. Free.
Let’s Werk – A Weekly Coworking Date for Queers: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Take a break from working at home and join the queer community at Wood Coffee Co. (2728 East 10th St.), a plant-based, queer-owned coffee shop every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Queer individuals can connect, work on projects, and share ideas with each other. Stay for the whole time or part of it. Admission for this event is by donation, with limited free tickets available weekly on Eventbrite to keep the space accessible.
Drawing Clubs Unite: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Three local drawing clubs Ink and Drink, Art Clout’s Drink & Draw and the Taco Bell Drawing Club will join forces for this inaugural drawing event at Compound (1395 Coronado Ave.). Attendees can enjoy happy hour from Compound’s kitchen, meet fellow artists of all skill levels and learn about local drawing clubs. Some art supplies will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own. Free.
Wednesday Lecture Series: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Listen to a panel discussion at the Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way) on the impact and techniques of recycled water use in Southern California, featuring experts from the Long Beach Utilities Department and LA Sanitation District. Learn about how water is reclaimed, treated and reused to address limited freshwater resources. After the talk, guests are invited to enjoy music, crafts and a cocktail hour in the Art Gallery. Tickets are $5 online or $10 at the door, with $6 parking available across the street from the Aquarium.
Thursday 11/7
Toddler Sensory Play: 11 a.m. to Noon. Parents and caregivers are invited to bring little ones for an hour of sensory play at the Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.). Designed for babies and kids up to 4 years old, this event encourages toddlers to explore, get messy and engage in hands-on activities. Free.
Parent Support Circle: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parents can attend this free online gathering hosted by local nonprofit For the Child. Parents and caregivers can share their experiences and gain tools and insights from one another. This group is meant for parents and caregivers of children ages 0 to 5. Topics will vary each week. For more information, contact Maria Requeno MRequeno@forthechild.org or at (562) 317-2720. The meeting ID for this Zoom gathering is 875 4923 9943. Free.
Networking for Moms: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Long Beach Moms invites local mothers to network with each other during this business mixer at local business Modern Orthodontics (6543 E Spring St., Unit A6). Bring business cards and marketing materials. This event is $30 for general admission, and $15 for members of Long Beach Moms. To purchase tickets, visit linktr.ee/longbeachmoms.
To submit your event for our weekly Around Town edition, please send all information including date, times, location and pricing to newspaper@signaltribune.com. Submissions do not guarantee publication.
To guarantee promotion for your event, please contact legals@signaltribune.com and ask about our advertising options.
