Cosplay, ping pong and community mural making are all in this week’s “The 7,” and some more relaxing activities, including yoga with cats. If you’re feline outgoing, scroll down to start planning a weekend chock full of overwhelming fun.

1. LONG BEACH COMIC CON (Saturday-Sunday)

Photo by Ed Crisostomo.

Long Beach Convention Center will once again play host to one of the most diverse mixes of talent on the convention circuit. In addition to some of the boldest cosplay in one of the most picture-friendly venues on the West Coast, the convention continues to celebrate Long Beach’s culture of inclusiveness and multicultural diversity with a panel and a perspective for every fan (find the program guide here). The diverse guests, the genre-breaking panels, the cosplay. All of it, but also the city and the venue and the MAD Productions team that puts it together. Long Beach Comic Con is more than a pop culture gathering, it’s a reminder of the creative journey we are all on and intimate enough to have real conversations with those that share it with us. (Steve Lowery)

Another great thing: Long Beach native Samantha Strelitz, who plays Old West outlaw Mary-Beth Gaskell in Rockstar’s runaway video game “Red Dead Redemption 2”—it made $725 million the first weekend it was available—will rally a posse of fellow RDR2 heavies—Penny O’Brien and Steve J Palmer—to join her on the convention floor for her first comic con appearance. The Old West was never easy but catching up with Strelitz will be.

Giving us a moment’s pause: Exactly how does one go about making a video game and can they Venmo me the $725 mil?

Long Beach Convention Center is located at 300 E. Ocean Blvd. For more information or tickets, click here.

2. PING PONG FIT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL (Saturday-Sunday)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1PJubtBUCW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The 2019 Ping Pong Fit International Festival will launch at the Long Beach Convention Center concurrently with the 9th Annual LA Open Table Tennis Tournament Championship. This will be two days of family-friendly events including community competitions, celebrity tournaments, arts, culture, music and, yes, ping pong, ping pong, ping pong! Ping Pong Fit, a creation of Global Creative Cities Coalition (GC3) in conjunction with the City of Long Beach and with the support of USA Table Tennis (USATT), looks to promote the sport as a great way to get some physical and mental exercise as well as encourage social interaction. GC3 plans to donate Ping Pong tables to be placed in local parks and non-profit youth and senior activity centers throughout Long Beach, which apparently has its sites set on becoming America’s first ping pong friendly city. (SL)

Another great thing: The festival, which is free to the public, will also feature well-known Chinese artists who will demonstrate the culture of silk embroidery, bamboo, ceramics, tea and calligraphy.

Giving us a moment’s pause: Organizers say they hope the tournament’s cultural aspects will promote better, deeper understanding and appreciation between Americans and Chinese, but then why would that be necessa … ooooooh, yeeeeah.

Long Beach Convention Center is located at 300 E. Ocean Blvd. For more information, click here.

3. CATS & MATS YOGA (Thursday)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1eTDSiJMTL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

You bring the mats, they’ll bring the cats. This Thursday evening, indulge in a restorative yoga class taught by a certified instructor and accompanied by approximately 25 adorable teacher’s assistants. The class will be held at the Feline Good Social Club, Long Beach’s first brick-and-mortar cat cafe, which officially opened its doors on Aug. 10. Though there’s a cap of 12 attendees, classes are set to take place on a semi-weekly basis. And, if you’d prefer your cats sans exercise, the club is set to offer craft nights, movies, kids club, or a less conventional work space for Long Beach’s cat-loving community. (Kendall Lowery)

Another great thing: These cats aren’t just here to look cute—they are all adoptable through the cafe’s nonprofit partner, Long Beach Felines. Your patronage of the cafe is socializing them with humans and the other kitties; this furthers their adopt-ability, preventing them from being euthanized and increasing their chances of finding a forever home.

Giving us a moment’s pause: Our utter lack of self control + 25 adoptable rescue cats.

Cats & Mats Yoga will take place from 6 to 7 p.m., Aug. 29 at 301 Atlantic Ave. Tickets are $20 and may be purchased at this link.

4. FELLOW ROBOT (Thursday)

There are lots of reasons to like, love, Fellow Robot. For one, they’re a Long Beach band, so you know they’ve had to do this all on their own because, well, Long Beach. Next, the band seems deathly allergic to making two songs that sound the same, instead opting to create sonic landscapes that make up their own story universe, which is probably why Fellow Robot could become the main character in the debut sci fi novel “The Robot’s Guide to Music” by band member Anthony Pedroza. And then there is the band’s ongoing relationship with animation artists Michelle and Justine Prebich, sisters who graduated from Cal State Long Beach’s School of Art, who have a deft, sometimes funny, usually dark touch that just seem to sync up with Robot like “Wizard of Oz” with Pink Floyd. Check out their work above and check out the band, Thursday evening at the always charming Prospector. (SL)

Another great thing: Also on the bill, Frequency Within and Memory Bells.

Giving us a moment’s pause: The little robot in the video gets all better, right?

The show runs from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The Prospector is located at 2400 E. Seventh St. For more information, click here

5. TASTE OF DOWNTOWN (Wednesday-Thursday)

https://www.facebook.com/downtownlongbeach/videos/867619113616669/

This is your last chance to get your fill of Downtown’s smorgasbord of culinary offerings this summer on Wednesday and Thursday night (or both, you animal). Tickets are just $1 to exchange for, say, a 5-ticket hearts of palm tostada from Padre or short rib dip sandwich from The Ordinarie, or a 4-ticket carrot butter pecan whoopie pie from Ladie Kakes or a 3-ticket mini grilled cheese and tomato soup from The Harbor (or all of these things, because we’re all animals). You can also expect beer education from staff at the Auld Dubliner, cocktails and wine, a scavenger hunt, art installations and live entertainment—DJ Dennis Owens will be spinning Wednesday night and DJ Caveman Leo Thursday night. (Asia Morris)

Another great thing: There will be fireworks on Wednesday.

Giving us a moment’s pause: You’re probably reading this too late to have caught the fireworks, but at least Thursday you can have your tastes and craft beer in peace.

Taste of Downtown at the Waterfront runs from 6 to 10 p.m., Aug. 28 and 29 at 401 Shoreline Village Dr. There will be a box office tent on site to purchase tickets; cash, credit cards accepted. For the full culinary lineup, and more info, click here.

6. LONG BEACH FUNKY QUAFFLES OPEN PRACTICE (Sunday)

Courtesy Facebook/Long Beach Funky Quaffles.

If you’ve peeked out from under your rock at any point within the last 2 decades, chances are you’ve read or watched some form of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series. And, if like me, you read and watched the series countless times over, you can make your childhood Quidditch dreams a reality this Sunday at Whaley Park with the Long Beach Funky Quaffles, a competitive adult community team that is celebrating their sixth year of sportsmanship. In their first season as a team, the Funky Quaffles fought their way to the seventh Quidditch World Cup in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and since then, they’ve maintained this athleticism as well as their adherence to their cardinal commitment to “Stay Funky.” (KL)

Another great thing: If you’re in search of an afternoon workout, the sport is surprisingly physically intense. Non-wizard (muggle?) Quidditch was developed by college students in the early 2000s by combining rugby, dodgeball, and tag; now, the sport boasts teams at hundreds of colleges and dozens of high schools, a 16-team pro league, and international competitions.

Teams are made up of seven athletes who play with brooms between their legs at all times. These teams consist of three “chasers” who advance the ball down the field, a “keeper,” who defends the goal hoops, two “bludgers” who aim to disrupt the game by “knocking out” other players, and finally, a “seeker” who tries to catch the “snitch.” The “snitch” is a ball attached to the waistband of the snitch runner, a neutral athlete in a yellow uniform who uses any means to avoid capture.

Giving us a moment’s pause: “Funky Quaffle” may be the least appetizing phrase I’ve heard in recent memory.

The Long Beach Funky Quaffles Open Practice will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 1 at 5620 E. Atherton St. Learn more about the event at this Facebook page.

7. COMMUNITY MURAL PAINTING DAYS (Friday – Saturday)

Courtesy Facebook/Arts Council for Long Beach.

Described by its artists, Bryan Amburgey and Kenny McBride, as being the opposite of a wall that divides people, the concept of a new mural at Washington Middle School depicts Lady Liberty, hand outstretched and welcoming, to people stepping through a heart shaped hole. Its working title is “Love Beyond Borders,” said Amburgey.

The design was initially conceived as a protest sign by Amburgey in 2017 for a march against Trump, he said. McBride illustrated the idea and the two submitted it to the First District Council Office’s and Arts Council for Long Beach’s call for murals as part of an initiative to add public art to the area. Several of the artist’s concepts were proposed to the Washington Neighborhood community. This was the one they chose, and are helping to create.

Just over a week has gone by since the artists got to work, and it’s truly a community project. On top of Long Beach Rescue Mission volunteering over 40 hours of assistance from their clients at the women’s shelter, the partnership also includes Habitat for Humanity, Southern California Edison and Dunn-Edwards Paint, not to mention, passersby picking up a paintbrush to contribute.

“There were a number of times where people were just walking down the street and then they picked up a paintbrush and added to the wall,” Amburgey said. “It’s been really awesome how just the act of creation has brought people together already.”

Now you can help, too. The ACLB has designated Friday and Saturday as community mural painting days. The mural is expected to be completed by Sep. 6 with an official unveiling on Sep. 24. (AM)

Another great thing: Amburgey said there will be an augmented reality activation of the mural during the unveiling.

Giving us a moment’s pause: We may already be living in an augmented reality.

Stop by on Friday and Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. to volunteer; Washington Middle School at 1450 Cedar Ave. The mural is located on the back wall of the school at 15th Street and Pacific Avenue. Click here for more info.