Image courtesy of Beach Streets.
With a four-mile stretch of Broadway between Pine Avenue in downtown Long Beach and Euclid Avenue in Belmont Heights to be closed to vehicles in order to make room for pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters and runners, also known as Beach Streets, the Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA) want to ensure that on Saturday, March 19 the programming is up to and beyond par.
From 10:00AM to 5:00PM, all the activities will not be relegated strictly to downtown. Several different hubs, including Bixby Park in Alamitos Beach and Fourth Street in Retro Row, will also host car-free areas filled with events and activities. Alternative versions of existing DLBA signature events, such as Bike Fest and Live After 5, along with bike fix-it stations and valets, are set to highlight a variety of downtown neighborhoods.
When participants enter Beach Streets at Broadway and Alamitos, they can grab a guide produced by the DLBA and City Fabrick that will guide them toward points of interest featuring the downtown area’s impressive street art collection, historical architecture and other notable focal points within the area.
“The DLBA’s history of creating successful bicycle-centric events is a testament to the city’s love of bike culture—and we couldn’t be more honored to be a direct partner with the City of Long Beach for Beach Streets Downtown,” stated Gina Dartt, DLBA Marketing and Special Events Manager. “The DLBA is an essential part of Downtown so we want to assure people that Beach Streets Downtown truly lives up to its name in DTLB style.”
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Alongside a craft beer garden at the Promenade Parking Lot hosted by Beachwood BBQ & Brewery and Congregation Ale House, the following activities seek to serve the interests of Beach Streets participants:
Summer & Music’s 720 Pine: Pine Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets, 11:00AM to 5:00PM
Enjoy free, quality, live music throughout the summer as is tradition for the city’s premier music series, Summer & Music (SAM). This event taps into skate culture and its influence on music.
Dogs of Downtown: Promenade Park, 11:00AM to 5:00PM
This event not only connects dog owners, but also celebrates the dog-friendly businesses and their patios that make downtown such a pet-friendly place. The DLBA will fill Promenade Park with these businesses, as well as an agility course from Bark Bark Daycare and Grooming. Pussy & Pooch will provide nail trims, treats for animals (and their humans) as well as pet adoptions from their storefront on Broadway.
Bike Fest: East Village, 1st Street between Linden & Elm Avenues, 11:00AM to 5:00PM
Bike Fest is home to the Wolfpack Hustle Crit alongside a fixie competitions, gold sprints and a vintage bike contest. The DLBA will be bringing some new elements to this well-loved event for its Beach Streets version.
Summer & Music’s Buskerfest: Linden at 4th Street, 11:00AM to 5:00PM
Following in the footsteps of Cold War Kids, Delta Spirit and Tijuana Panthers, all previous performers at SAM’s signature event, a special “plugged-in” version of Buskerfest will fill the streets with music on the 19th.
Taste of Downtown: Pine Ave & Throughout Downtown, 11:00AM to 5:00PM
This event allows people to sample the best that downtown has to offer gastronomically. Restaurants are invited to Beach Streets to set up pop-ups in front of their business to offer small tastings of their best dishes. To be included in this free opportunity, please visit the Beach Streets website here and fill out both the Beach Streets Participant Form and the Beach Streets Exhibitor Agreement by Friday, March 11.
Live After 5: Promenade Parking Lot, 11:00AM to 11:00PM
The DLBA’s monthly free live music series will become a day-to-night event showcasing bands from the series. Stick around for a post-event finale by headlining bands, as Beach Streets comes to a close and downtown becomes its nighttime self.