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.
This weekend locals can enjoy two Southeast Asian cultural festivals including the inaugural Long Beach Sankranta and the revered Cambodia Town Parade and Cultural Festival. We’ve also found a lovely choral concert, an Easter event for children and a bingo fundraiser put on by a local roller derby team.
And, Bill Nye—yes, the science guy—will be speaking at the Carpenter Center in a special conversation about mitigating climate change.
Get to scrollin’!
LONG BEACH SANKRANTA (Saturday)
The first Long Beach Sankranta, a New Year’s celebration observed in many Southeast Asian countries, will be taking place at Long Beach City College Saturday, April 1.
The inaugural event is organized by Long Beach Councilwoman Suely Saro along with the United Cambodian Community and the college to give our diverse community a cultural experience celebrated in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and some parts of India. Attendees can expect a broad lineup of musical entertainment, including performances by local and international artists. There will also be traditional games and dances, food and merchandise vendors.
The daylong event (from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) is free to attend. Click here for more information on programming.
Long Beach City College is at 1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway.
AN EVENING WITH BILL NYE (Saturday)
Bill Nye (the Science Guy) is coming to the Carpenter Center Saturday, April 1—his only appearance in California this season—for an evening talk designed to explore science’s role in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Joining the famed scientist will be moderator Chris Lowe, a professor in marine biology and director of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach. Audiences can expect an entertaining talk that will offer useful tips on what people can do to help protect the planet while also hearing about Nye’s mission to increase scientific literacy.
Tickets start at $65 and may be purchased online here. The evening event starts at 8 p.m. Click here for more information.
The Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing arts Center is at 6200 E. Atherton St. on the Cal State Long Beach Campus.
SPRING SPECTACULAR (Saturday)
Bring the kiddos out to the Long Beach Towne Center Saturday, April 1, for some fun Easter-themed festivities.
The two-hour event will have free Easter bunny photo opportunities, plus face painting, crafts and games.
The event runs from noon to 2 p.m. Find it at the Regal Promenade in front of the movie theater. Click here for more information.
The Long Beach Towne Center is at 7575 Carson Blvd.
LONG BEACH CHORALE CONCERT “MUSIC OF TRANSCENDENCE” (Saturday & Sunday)
For its 34th season, The Long Beach Chorale and Chamber Orchestra returns with a concert featuring the music of Bach and a full performance of French composer Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem,” a work considered to be one of the most beautiful pieces in choral repertoire.
The show will also include “Unclouded Day,” an American hymn written by the Rev. J.K. Alwood in 1885. Tickets to the shows on Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, cost $35 for general admission. Students who show a valid student ID may purchase tickets for $10.
The show starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday at Grace First Presbyterian Church. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Grace First Presbyterian Church is at 3955 N. Studebaker Road.
CAMBODIA TOWN PARADE AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL (Sunday)
Back for its 15th year in Long Beach, the annual Cambodia Town Parade and Cultural Festival returns Sunday, April 2.
The event will kick off at the intersection of East Anaheim Street and Cherry Avenue, which will be closed off to traffic, with an interfaith blessing at 9 a.m., followed by the grand parade at 10 a.m.
Afterward, parade attendees will be welcome to explore the cultural festival at MacArthur Park, which will feature traditional music, song and dance representing Khmer, Hmong and other local ethnic communities. Attendees can also check out a variety of food and artisan merchants, plus a very special photography exhibit at the Manazar Gamboa Community Theater showing the works of British photographer Colin Grafton.
The exhibit features photos never before shown in the U.S. from Grafton’s time working at the Thai-Cambodian border in the 1980s. Many of these photos include images of the Khao I Dang refugee camp, which was the most prominent camp Cambodian genocide refugees stayed at while seeking resettlement to other countries, including the U.S.
The festival is free to attend and ends at 5 p.m. Click here for more information.
MacArthur Park is at 1321 E. Anaheim St.
BADFISH BINGO AND BAKE SALE (Sunday)
The skaters of the Long Beach flat-track roller derby team, Badfish Roller Derby, are hosting a bingo and bake sale fundraising event to help their team grow and travel for upcoming bouts.
Bingo cards are being sold for $10 each (or $25 for three cards), and players will compete for prizes. There will also be freshly baked goods for sale. The team, which loves a themed event, is inviting visitors to dress up in “golden years” outfits, which is pretty perfect for bingo.
The event, which is from 9 a.m. to noon, will take place at Bixby’s Sports Bar. Click here for more information.
Bixby’s Sports Bar is at 720 E. Wardlow Road.
SPONSORED BY THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC
FIRST WEDNESDAYS EXPERT TALKS ABOUT MICROPLASTICS: THE LITTLE-BIG PROBLEM (Wednesday, April 5)
Microplastics that find their way into our oceans and waterways are the focus of the Aquarium of the Pacific’s April First Wednesdays event featuring guest speaker Shelly Moore.
Moore’s presentation is a chance to learn about how plastics that we use for convenience in our everyday lives breaks down into tiny pieces called microplastic and do not biodegrade. They are becoming increasingly more toxic to the environment. She’ll also talk about plastic recycling and new recovery techniques that are helping reduce pollution and waste.
The Executive Director of The Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research, Moore is also an adjunct professor at Santa Ana Community College and serves as president of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. She has nearly three decades of experience in the water quality field and specializes in microplastics, trash and marine debris in aquatic environments.
On Wednesday, April 5, the presentation and Q&A takes place from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Honda Pacific Visions Theater. The talk will be capped off with a cash bar cocktail hour, music and a craft activity in the Pacific Visions Art Gallery. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door. RSVP online, click here, or call 562-590-3100.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is at 100 Aquarium Way.