The following is a curated roundup of weekend events in Long Beach published every Wednesday on the Hi-lo/Long Beach Post. Have an event to share? Email [email protected] with “Things to Do” in the subject line.

We hadn’t intended for this week’s round-up to be so concert-heavy, but the shows this weekend are some of those rare happenings you ought to know about. From a classical concert that’s doing things a little differently, to a classical institution that’s taking audiences on a blast through the past.

We’ve also found a sweet (and free) gardening playtime and workshop for children, an art exhibition all about monarch butterflies and a very loud and proud Irish fair and music festival in Downtown.

Get to scrollin’!

KONTRAPUNKTUS “THE ITALIANS” CONCERT – GRACE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (Friday)

Soloist Aubree Oliverson will be performing with the neo-baroque orchestra. Kontrapunktus for its six-day LA and OC tour of “The Italians.” The Long Beach concert will be at Grace First Presbyterian Church Friday, June 10. Photo courtesy Kontrapunktus.

If the notion of sitting through a classical concert inspires feelings of a lackluster variety, you’re not alone. But neo-baroque orchestra Kontrapunktus may just be the spark that fires up a new appreciation for the ages-old genre. In fact, that’s their very mission.

The modest chamber ensemble of seven is young and its performers are world-class, hailing from the Juilliard and Colburn schools of music. But more importantly, they are a group who are passionate about reimagining the classical concert experience, particularly with baroque music, in a more lively and modern style that will hopefully inspire and attract younger generations to the music.

Kontrapunktus is currently on a six-day tour performing “The Italians,” which includes pieces from Italian baroque masters Domenico Gabrielli, Francesco Geminiani, Pietro Locatelli, Domenico Scarlatti, Tomaso Antonio Vitali and Antonio Vivaldi. The show is on Friday, June 10 at Grace First Presbyterian Church. Tickets cost $29.95. Discounted tickets for students, seniors and veterans are $19.95.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

First Grace Presbyterian Church is at 3955 N. Studebaker Road.

GARDEN ADVENTURE – ADVENTURES TO DREAMS (Saturday)

A youth washes a carrot. Photo courtesy of Adventures to Dreams.

Since its founding in 2015, local youth-oriented enrichment nonprofit, Adventures to Dreams, has been working to help kids within the city’s most under-resourced communities better connect with nature and their food.

Of their many programs, which include art summer camps among other activities, getting kids to play and learn in their garden in the Willmore neighborhood is the program closest to their heart.

This summer the nonprofit is hosting several events, including the Garden Adventure, which invites children ages 6-14 to visit the garden to learn and participate in gardening. The free event from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 will also include arts and crafts and STEM-related activities.

Click here to see their events calendar and to learn more about the organization.

Adventures to Dreams is at 903 Fairbanks Ave.

“CHRYSALINE” EXHIBITION – LOITER GALLERIES (Saturday)

 

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In 2020, artist Jose Angel Castro became transfixed by monarch butterflies’ cycle of life. In this cycle, he saw a parallel between what the world was collectively experiencing through the pandemic: a period of immense change and rebirth and he sought to capture that parallel through art.

Two years later and Castro is debuting this work in the exhibition “Chrysaline” at Loiters Galleries in Downtown. The exhibition is a mixed media show of photography, painting, sculpture and time-based video art chronicling the life cycle of the monarch and swallowtail butterflies.

Opening night on Saturday, June 11 will also feature a special demonstration by the artist, one that showcases a unique “kinetic painting” technique he employs that combines movement inspired by his lifelong martial arts practices, notably tai chi.

“Chrysaline” is free to attend and will be on display for 45 days following opening night. Click here for more information and to RSVP. Reservations are not required to see the show.

Loiters Galleries is at 425 The Promenade N.

AFROHOUSE LONG BEACH – ELINOR (Saturday)

Entrance to Elinor drinkery. Photo by Abel Santana (@eskeleto_22).

Elinor, the woman-owned and -focused drinkery, was closed for a long while during the pandemic. Now, the business, which is named after Elinor Otto, the last living original member of the Rosie the Riveters, by the way, is reopened and back to hosting live events.

On Saturday, June 11 local lady DJ Lancia will be behind the turntables spinning a setlist of Afrobeats, soulful house, deep house and amapiano tunes. That last genre is a relatively new style of house music characterized by its blend of deep house, jazz and lounge music that emerged from South Africa.

If you’ve never been to Elinor, take note that all of the offered beverages of cider, wine, beer, hard kombucha and soda come from hyper-local, women-owned businesses. So if you’re looking for a new sip, it’s a great spot to consider.

Afrohouse Long Beach is free to attend if you RSVP but patrons must be 21 or older to enter and present proof of vaccination. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Elinor is at 250 N Tribune Ct. The entrance is at the alley behind MADE by Millworks.

IRISH FAIR AND MUSIC FEST – THE PIKE OUTLETS (Saturday & Sunday)

 

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A fair and music festival celebrating Irish culture and traditions will be going all out at the Pike Outlets Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, with Irish food, drinks, music and dance.

The two-day festival is a popular affair in Orange County but this year Long Beach is getting in on the action. The day-long events are packed with programming, from a giant parade, bagpipe showcases, Irish dance lessons and demonstrations, plus a concert featuring a lineup of some very popular Irish bands. Headlining is The Young Dubliners, considered to be one of the leading Celtic Rock bands around.

Single-day passes for the festival are $20; two-day passes are $40. Children 12 and under can get in for free if accompanied by an adult.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Irish Fair and Music Fest will be at the Pike Outlets on the corner of Shoreline Drive  and Pine Avenue at 92 S. Pine Ave.

LONG BEACH SYMPHONY PRESENTS: TOTALLY ’80S DANCE PARTY – BOATHOUSE ON THE BAY (Sunday)

Boathouse on the Bay at the Alamitos Bay Marina. Photo courtesy Long Beach Symphony.

A new summer concert is bringing the Long Beach Symphony out of its gilded home at the Long Beach Terrace Theater and onto the shores of the Alamitos Bay Marina this weekend with a special themed program featuring the greatest hits from the ’80s.

The show on Sunday, June 12, adjacent to Boathouse on the Bay is akin to the symphony’s playful POPS! shows at the Long Beach Arena, a concert series in which popular music gets the symphony treatment. Music by George Michael, Wham!, Bryan Adams, U2, Billy Joel, Bonnie Tyler and others will be performed by a full 28-piece symphony orchestra and the ’80s rock and roll cover band Rewind, who performed with the symphony last in 2019.

The show will have stadium-style seating, however, there is some grassy area for guests to picnic if so inclined. Attendees are also allowed to bring their own food and beverages, but there will also be food and drinks available for purchase on-site.

Tickets are available for the concert ($100) and special dining options with 14 participating restaurants in the area for $150. Tickets to dine at Boathouse on the Bay are $500 but include a $50 dining credit, guaranteed seating in the first five rows in front of the stage, exclusive VIP tent access with a private bar, two drink tickets, reserved parking, and a meet-and-greet with the band. Those who dine at one of the other restaurants will get general admission seating but will get a $50 dining credit at the participating restaurant.

All ticket sales benefit the Long Beach Symphony. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Boathouse on the Bay is at 190 North Marina Drive.

CREATIVE COMMUNAL MAKERS MARKET – 2ND & PCH (Sunday)

 

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Since near the outset of the pandemic, 2ND & PCH has blocked off Seaport Way, its main road inside the shopping center, to traffic, allowing guests to freely roam about.

This Sunday, June 27, taking over Seaport Way is the Creative Communal locals market inviting locals to come check out the wares from over 30 local and regional artists and makers, which is free to attend.

There will also be food and live music on-site.

The event is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. click here for more info.

2ND & PCH is located at 6400 Pacific Coast Highway.