1:30am | I’ve got a very busy weekend ahead of me and I hope that you do too, because being bored in Long Beach is practically a crime. At least a citation of some kind. And how could you be bored this weekend? There is so much going on that we had to combine everything into one big article. Read on to find the perfect event for your style this weekend.
Let’s start things off in chronological order. Local bookstore {open} will host the latest in their Hot Water Nights series that brings in live music and addresses the issue of eco-consciousness and the state of the earth’s freshwater supply. Tonight’s special guest is Kentucky-based cellist and vocalist Ben Sollee, who is in the middle of an unorthodox tour that he’s taking by way of bicycle. Yes, it’s an environmental statement, but Sollee says it’s also a way for him to connect with his surroundings, and the result is his unique and beautiful performance. Do your ears a favor and check him out at {open} tonight, show starts at 8:00pm with an $8 cover.
If you’re in the mood to participate in your local government this weekend, 5th District Councilmember Gerrie Schipske will host a Community Budget Meeting at 10:00am Saturday to give the public an opportunity to ask questions and address any concerns. City Manager Pat West will be in attendance, along with representatives from the Police, Fire and other City departments that all share the burden of balancing the 2010 budget with a current $18.5 million budget. If that sounds like a tall task, that’s because it is, and those officials will be there to explain the process and answer questions. Call the Council office at 562.570.6932 for more information on the event, which will be held at Emerson Elementary at 2625 Josie Avenue.
Just a few miles away, 6th District Councilmember Dee Andrews will host a Saturday event of his own with a free day at the pool for families and kids at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Pool next to the Boys & Girls Club at 1910 Lemon Avenue, in King Park. All ages are welcome and the fun will run from 1:00-4:00pm. “Summertime is a great time to get out and enjoy the company of your neighbors,” Andrews said in a press release. “This is what this event is about and it will keep you cool enough to stay all afternoon.”
Flugtag! More on that a little later today.
Directly after Flugtag! As a last-minute addition to the popular Summer And Music series that’s taken Long Beach over in the last few weeks, singer/songwriter Mike Pinto and his band will play beneath the ferris wheel at The Pike on Shoreline Drive from 4:30-7:00pm as nearly 100,000 people (estimated) recover from their Flugtag high. Pinto and his band played more than 200 shows in 2009 so their reggae-style set will be primed and ready for the Long Beach masses. A perfect outdoor (solar-powered!) concert to cap off the perfect outdoor extreme sports event.
If Flugtag isn’t really your thing! The historic Art Theatre is boasting a great lineup of shows this weekend, from critically-acclaimed new thriller Winter’s Bone to critically-acclaimed dramedy The Kids Are All Right through the weekend. The theatre is also hosting a three-film series of surfing films hosted by Shelter Surf Shop, which is one of Long Beach’s only surf shops and resides right down the street from the theatre. The series begins with One California Day at 9:00pm tonight, followed by a free (!) live musical performance by The Black Apples at 6:00pm on Saturday to lead into the world-premiere of Stoked And Broke at 9:00pm. Cap it all off with Stylemasters at 9:00pm on Sunday and I’d call that a great way to spend a weekend. Tickets are $10 per movie, or $20 for a weekend pass. If you’re a movie buff but aren’t into surfing, the theatre is also showing Aliens on Friday and Saturday. ALIENS!
Did I say this was a busy weekend or did I say this was a busy weekend? If we left anything out, feel free to throw them into the Comments section below and we’ll add them to the slate. Enjoy the heat this weekend!
Disclosure: Summer And Music is an advertiser of the lbpost.com.