Food, exhibitions and films are in the spotlight this week, offering an artistic way to get out of the house and beat the heat.
Ficklewood Ciderworks will host a hot dog eating contest for the brave (and hungry), while Saturday’s Ube Fest gets residents walking, talking and eating creative variations on ube, the Filipino purple potato. Get your artsy fix with the all-day Downtown Long Beach Art Walk on Saturday, the Cowboys exhibit at Ranchos Los Cerritos opening on Sunday, or summer-themed art workshops for kids.
Families can enjoy a variety of movies and concerts in the park throughout the week, as well as an indoor double feature of horror movies, multiple storytimes, flower-picking parties and more.
Friday, July 12
Concerts in the Park: At 6:30 p.m., the Long Beach Municipal Band will perform jazz, pop and patriotic songs at El Dorado Park West, 2800 N Studebaker Road. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food. Free.
Movies in the Park: From 8 PM to 10 PM, Cherry Park (1901 E 46th St.) will host an outdoor screening of the 2023 animated film “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food, and are encouraged to wear fun or unusual socks. The movie begins at sundown. Admission is free.
7/13 Saturday
Community cleanup: Volunteers are being asked to help clean up North Alamitos Beach, 518 Walnut Ave., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is being hosted by the City of Long Beach.
Barn Story Time: Children ages 5 and up and their families are invited to join us for a fun story time from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E Hill St.) where you can listen to stories and interact with live animals. Space is limited, so please call (562) 989-7323 to register. Participation is free.
Financial Skills Training: Residents are invited to learn how to build good credit at this financial literacy workshop, which will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Admiral Kidd Park, 2125 Santa Fe Ave. Participation is free.
Pick your own flowers: From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., residents can pick and take home their own flowers during U-Pick Day from local nonprofit Farm Lot 59, 2714 California Ave. Tickets are $55 and include a bucket to hold the flowers participants have selected. Tickets can be purchased online .
Khmer Storytime: 11:00 AM to noon. Parents are invited to bring their children to the Signal Hill Public Library (1800 E Hill St.) for Khmer storytime, music and movement hosted by local business Khemara Kids. This event is suitable for children of all ages, but especially for those ages 1-5. Free.
District 4 Listening Session: From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., local youth will gather at Horton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.) to give the Los Angeles County Youth Commission and the Long Beach Youth Development Agency their ideas on how to support and uplift the youth of Long Beach. Free food will also be provided.
Art Walk: Noon to late night. The fourth Downtown Long Beach Art Walk will activate various businesses throughout the day and allow residents to enjoy art, music, live performances, food and more. The Activation Map can be found on the Downtown Long Beach Alliance website. Participation is free.
Eco-friendly film processing demonstration: From noon to 2 p.m., a workshop will be held at Place LB, 2172 Pacific Ave., where participants can learn how to develop film using a coffee-based solution. A donation of $5 to $10 is asked for, but no one will be turned away for not being able to pay.
Hot Dog Eating Contest: A hot dog eating contest will be held all day from noon to 11 pm at Ficklewood Ciderworks (720 E Broadway). All participants will receive a punch card to record how many they have eaten. Participants must also finish the bun. All participants will receive 40% off their cider order. Cider prices vary. Admission is free.
Ube Festival: From 2pm to 8pm, various vendors will be selling a variety of foods made with ube, a purple yam from the Philippines, along First Street between Elm and Linden Avenues. Admission is free.
Summer Concerts: From 4 to 7 p.m., surf band Neptune Cocktail will play for the public at the Recreation Park Bandshell, 4900 E Seventh St. Free.
Sunday, July 14
Children’s Art Workshop: From 1 to 3 p.m., kids will be creating summer-themed tempera paintings at the Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave. All materials will be provided. It’s free.
Rethinking the American Cowboy: From 1 to 4 PM, Rancho Los Cerritos (4600 Virginia Road) will host an exhibit celebrating Black, Mexican and Native American cowboys and cowgirls of the Old West. The event will also feature activities and live performances. Barbecue will be available for purchase at Battambong BBQ. Admission is free.
Horror Movie Double Feature: At 8:30 p.m., Long Beach Art Theatre (2025 E Fourth St.) will host back-to-back screenings of the 1931 film “Frankenstein” and the 1935 film “The Bride of Frankenstein” for classic horror movie lovers. General admission is $13.50 for both films and can be purchased online or at the door at the door.
Monday, July 15
Family Bingo: Bingo fun for the whole family at 10 a.m. at the Signal Hill Public Library, 1800 E Hill St. All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Free.
Movies in the Park: An outdoor screening of the movie “Wonka” will be held at Pan American Park (5157 Centralia Ave.) from 8 to 10 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food. The movie begins at sundown. Admission is free.
Tuesday, July 16
Concerts in the Park: At 6:30 p.m., the Long Beach Municipal Band will perform jazz, pop and patriotic songs at Bixby Annex Park (at the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Ocean Boulevard). Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food. Admission is free.
Moonlight on the Beach Movies: See a screening of “The Princess Bride” from 7 PM to 10 PM at Granada Beach (5000 E. Ocean Blvd). The event features pre-show entertainment by local bands. This screening is part of the “Moonlight Movies at the Beach” series that runs all summer long. Attendees are asked to bring blankets and chairs. Food trucks will also be available. Movie screenings are family and pet friendly. No alcohol allowed. Free.
Movies in the Park: From 8 to 10 PM, McBride Park (1550 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.) will host an outdoor screening of the 2023 live-action film “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.” Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food. The film begins at sundown. Admission is free.
Wednesday, July 17
Children’s Movies: From 3 to 5 p.m., children ages 6 to 12 are invited to a screening of the PG-rated film “The Bad Guys” at the Harte Neighborhood Library, 1595 W. Willow St. Admission is free.
Artisan Market: From 5 to 9 p.m., the pop-up marketplace Creative Communal (195 Corona Ave.) will feature a variety of local artisans selling their wares. Friendly pets are welcome. Admission is free.
Board Game Group: from 6 p.m. to late night. Residents can meet fellow board game enthusiasts at this weekly gathering at Wicked Wolf (2332 Pacific Ave.).
Thursday, July 18
Parent Information Workshop: Noon. Parents and caregivers are invited to the Billie Jean King Main Building (200 W Broadway) to learn about speech and language development in children under age 5. Free.
Movies in the Park: An outdoor screening of the 2023 live-action film “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” will be held at Martin Luther King Jr. Park (1950 Lemon Ave.) from 8 to 10 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food. The film begins at sundown. Admission is free.
