You may need to time travel in order to make it to the overwhelming number of art exhibit openings (and a closing) on Saturday, but here’s hoping you make it to at least one to witness all that the city’s creative community has to offer. On top of that, QFilms is a main event happening now through Sunday, on top of the Belmont Shore Car Show, Long Beach Comic Con and Lobster Fest.
QFilms Festival
QFilms to celebrate 25-year milestone of annual LGBTQ-focused film festival
Put on by The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach, QFilms opens at The Art Theater tonight and continues the local celebration, now in its 25th year, of LGBTQ films through Sunday.
“The LGBTQ community is incredibly diverse, especially here in Long Beach, and festivals like QFilms give everyone in attendance the opportunity to not just see themselves reflected on screen, but also others who they may not engage with on a daily basis,” executive director of the center, Porter Gilberg, told the Post in an interview in August.
Tickets and more info can be found via the website here.
The Art Theater is located at 2025 E. Fourth St.
Long Beach Expo
Check out a never-before-seen $8 million historic coin collection and Olympic memorabilia at the Long Beach Expo that brings coin, currency, stamp and sport collections to the convention center Thursday through Saturday, including the Tyrant Collection and the 2018 World Olympic Collectors’ Fair.
For free admission to the expo, visit the website here and use the code “LBEPR”. The show runs Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Long Beach Convention Center, Hall A, is located at 100 South Pine Ave.
Long Beach Lobster Festival
Now in its 22nd year, the lobster fest will take place Friday (5 to 10 p.m.) and Saturday/Sunday (noon to 10 p.m.) serving up Fresh Live Maine Lobster, live music, karaoke, arts and crafts, a sports tent, a live reptile exhibit, the festival’s signature drink, the “Screaming Lobster,” and more.
For tickets and more information, visit the website here.
Rainbow Lagoon Park is located at 400 E. Shoreline Drive.
Historic Ranchos Walk
Walk a scenic crest trail linking Rancho Los Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos, connecting along the way with Cal State Long Beach, Reservoir Hill, Hilltop Park in Signal Hill and Longview Point at Willow Springs Park. If the full 9.4-mile route is a bit too much, there are two shorter route options.
More information on the three routes, shuttle schedule and more can be found on the website here. Share the Facebook event page with your friends via the link here.
Registration for the full 9.4-mile walk opens at 7:30 a.m. at 1200 Palo Verde Ave.
The Newly Moderne
The Long Beach Creative Group and The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach will reopen The Center Gallery, showing recent works by local painter Donald Tiscareno. In the early 60s and as an art major at Cal State Long Beach, Tiscareno spent summers in Paris where he was introduced to the French Arte moderne. His recent works are inspired by mid-century artists, including Robert and Sonia Delaunay, whose works he described as just outside the cubism movement.
The opening reception takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. around the same time as QFilms’ opening next door at the Art Theatre.
The Center Gallery is located at 2017 E. 4th St.
Buskerfest
A decade of Buskerfest: Summer and Music’s final event this year is its most celebrated
Now in its 10th year, Buskerfest will bring battling bands and artists to the East Village Arts District on Saturday. This free event is inspired by busking, those who shirk traditional venues and take to the streets to perform for the public no matter who says what. Headlining bands include The Blasters and Psychic Temple, with local outfits readying to compete including Janie, SLICE Leeann Skoda and more.
Buskerfest is free to attend and runs from 5 to 11 p.m. Food and drink will be available to purchase. More info can be found here.
The Summer and Music series event will be located in the East Village Arts District between Linden and Elm avenues and on Linden Avenue between First Street and Broadway.
Cauliflower Ear Opening Reception
Artist Christian Ramirez will be showing paintings, drawings and a sculpture at local art collective Creative Arts Coalition to Transform Urban Space (C.A.C.t.T.U.S.). Ramirez’ works explore his interest in the idea of action, examples include an arm wielding a tool, according to the artist’s website. Many of his paintings show scenes of violence, anxiety, horror and humor.
The reception takes place from 4 to 9 p.m. Viewers can check out the exhibit through Sept. 21 by appointment. Learn more about C.A.C.t.T.U.S. here.
C.A.C.t.T.U.S. is at 326 Elm Ave.
Practice and Pedagogy
Featuring works by Long Beach City College faculty of the Visual and Media Arts Department, the new exhibit at LBMAx explores their diverse studio practices, the pivotal role art schools have played in the history of modern and contemporary art, serving as incubators for experimentation.
Free and open to the public, the opening reception takes place Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. The exhibit runs through Oct. 28. Check out the Facebook event here for more info.
LBMAx is at 356 E. Third St.
Pop Life Closing Reception
Los Angeles-based Trew Love’s loud and colorful show incorporating cultural icons Salvador Dali, Snoop Dogg and more into her paintings and collage work invites the public to attend the closing reception for Pop Life on Saturday. Catch her at work on a painting, ask her questions about what inspires her and cop a limited edition poster (with the proceeds to go to a local nonprofit).
The closing reception takes place from 7 to 10 p.m. Check out the event page here for more info.
MADE by Millworks is at 240 Pine Ave.
Long Beach Comic Con
This Saturday and Sunday Long Beach Comic Con will bring artists, writers, celebrity guests and cosplayers to will pack the convention center in a celebration of comic books and the culture surrounding them.
The convention runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For tickets and more info click here.
The Long Beach Convention Center is at 300 E. Ocean Blvd.
Belmont Shore Car Show
More than 30,000 car enthusiasts are expected to take over Second Street as the 29th annual Belmont Shore Car Show zooms into town this Sunday. Check out the hot rods, rat rods, stock models, classic cars and more to be displayed up and down 14 blocks of the Shore’s busiest corridor.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more info, check out the website here.
The car show will be on Second Street. between Quincy and Claremont avenues, which will be closed to traffic from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day of the show.