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 we’ve found events that traditionally might feel out of your age bracket, like fingerpainting and bingo, but are actually just as fun for us run-of-the-mill adults, particularly when imbibing is involved. Saturday’s festivities include the return of a music festival near the Queen Mary, and a popular beer tour in Bixby Knolls. Best part is the ride is free.
There’s more but you know what to do.
Get to scrollin’!
WONDERS OF ELDERBERRY WORKSHOP (Thursday)
Join Julie James, owner of Green Wisdom Herbal Apothecary in an hourlong workshop on how to make a syrup out of elderberry, which is made from a helpful little berry most commonly associated with cold and flu remedies. No doubt you’ve seen the gummies and lozenges at your local drug store.
What’s cool about this class is that the same process you’ll be learning to make the elderberry syrup can also be used to make a variety of other herbal syrups. The workshop promises to be fun, aromatic and a little bit messy but you’ll walk away with a syrup of your own and a little wiser in the fields of chemistry and botany.
The class will be at Compound, an art gallery and wellness center in the Zaferia district, and costs between $5-$25 depending on how much you can afford to donate to Compound.
Click here for more information and to register.
Compound is at 1395 Coronado Ave.
FINGERPAINTING WITH FINESSE (Friday)
At local art studio, StudioPick, Friday’s are “fundays” for adults. This week’s art session on Friday, Aug. 19 will teach participants the style of pour painting that will incorporate fingerpainting to create an expressionistic island sunset portrait, like the one pictured above.
If you’ve never heard of pour painting, or managed to evade the barrage of videos all over social media, just know it’s an art form that commonly employs acrylic paint that you pour onto a canvas. People have used a number of methods to move the poured paint around the canvas, such as spinning or a blow dryer, but with this art class, you’ll be getting your hands a little dirty and moving that paint around with your fingers.
The class costs $50 to join, and includes all the materials plus two glasses of wine. You can also opt to bring your own beverage.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
StudioPick is at 4356 Atlantic Ave.
BREWERY KNOLLS BEER BUS TOUR (Saturday)
Climb aboard a double-decker Big Red Bus Saturday, Aug. 20 for a tour of all the breweries, gastropubs and wine bars in Bixby Knolls.
The trolley tour is a popular and free affair—the ride anyway, not the beer—that carts passengers around to enjoy all of Brewery Knolls’ offerings for four hours (2-6 p.m.)
Though drinkers will have to be 21 or older, the ride is open to all ages and many of the restaurants along the route don’t require any age minimums to patron. So, bring the kiddos!
Click here see the route map and for more information on the tour.
FREESTYLE FESTIVAL (Saturday)
Tickets are still available for the Freestyle Festival happening at Harry Bridges Memorial Park (formerly known as the Queen Mary Events Park) Saturday, Aug. 20.
The daylong festival promises a day of multi-genre music, featuring hit artists from the 1980s through the early 2000s who made lasting marks in the pop, reggae, rock, hip-hop and rhythm and blues music worlds.
Festival headliners include ’80s pop sensations Lisa Lisa (of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam), Taylor Dayne and Exposé.
Tickets start at $99 and VIP tickets are also available.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Harry Bridges Memorial Park is at 1126 Queens Highway.
BEACHWOOD BREWERY AND DISTILLERY GRAND OPENING (Saturday)
Saturday marks the grand opening of Beachwood Brewing’s new taproom and distillery in Bixby Knolls at what was formerly Liberation Brewing Co.
Visitors can check out the new space and 24-tap tasting room (the spirits will come in a few months) from 4-8 p.m. There will also be food pop-ups by Patricia’s and Nonna Mercato, giveaways and live music.
Beachwood Brewing & Distillery is also one of the stops along the Brewery Knolls beer tour happening on Saturday, so capitalize on that free ride.
Beachwood Brewing & Distillery is at 3630 Atlantic Ave.
ALOHA RUN (Sunday)
The Aloha Run is a Hawaiian-themed 5k & 10k run (or walk) happening at Shoreline Aquatic Park Sunday, Aug. 21.
Participants are highly encouraged to dress up festively in Hawaiian spirit with grass skirts, coconut bras, flower leis—whatever you feel like, really. The end of the run will feature a luau with live music, dancers and drummers.
Registration is still open for the run, with tickets ranging from $30 for 5k youth runners to $45 for the 10k. Everyone who finishes the run will receive a finishers medal and chip-timed results.
Click here for more information and to register.
Shoreline Aquatic Park is at 200 Aquarium Way.
SUNDAY TIKI BINGO (Sunday)
Local Tiki bar, the Bamboo Club, is launching a monthly bingo game every third Sunday of the month.
Livening up the game will be host Christopher Wonder, a comedian, magician and a self-proclaimed “glorious magical trainwreck” of a performer known for putting on circus-themed adult entertainment.
Sunday Tiki Bingo is free to attend (food and drinks are not free) and winners will win prizes. Bingo starts at 2 p.m.
Bamboo Club is at 3522 E Anaheim St.