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.
While weather forecasts of rain might dampen your weekend, there’s still plenty to enjoy while staying dry. This week we’ve found a couple of new theater productions, a dazzling drag show and some unique dining and drinking events.
Get to scrollin’!
LONG BEACH SHAKESPEARE COMPANY PRESENTS “KING LEAR” (Friday – Sunday)
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The Long Beach Shakespeare Company is returning to its roots with a new production of “King Lear” showing at the Helen Borgers Theatre Friday through Sunday, Feb. 24-26.
The fully staged production will retell the classic tragedy of an arrogant king who rips apart his country, family and ultimately himself in his quest to pass on his crown.
Tickets for the show cost $23. Guests who attend the matinee performance on Sunday will also be treated to a Q&A with the cast and crew after the show.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
The Helen Borgers Theatre is at 4250 Atlantic Ave.
HARD PRESSED DRAG SHOW (Saturday)
Ficklewood Ciderworks is hosting a free drag show with the lovely Long Beach ladies Missy Vee, Vanity Halston, Kristinia Minka and host Envi.
The show begins at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come-first-serve, no RSVP required. Click here for more information.
Ficklewood Ciderworks is at 720 E. Broadway.
MAKING BLACK AMERICA CELEBRATION (Saturday)
The African American Cultural Center of Long Beach has teamed up with PBS SoCal and KJAZZ to present a celebration of Black culture inspired by the PBS show “Making Black America,” a four-part series that chronicles the social networks and organizations created by and for Black people through the decades.
The three-hour event will feature a variety of music and dance performances, food, a screening of the series and conversations with community leaders. There will also be workshops and activities for children. Guests are encouraged to dress up in 1920s-1970s attire.
“Making Black America” will be held at the Expo Arts Center in Bixby Knolls and is free to attend. The event starts at 4 p.m. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
Expo Arts Center is at 4321 Atlantic Ave.
LONG BEACH OPERA PRESENTS “ROMANCE OF THE ROSE” (Saturday)
Audiences who missed the Long Beach Opera’s newest production, “Romance of the Rose,” last weekend will have one last opportunity to see it live on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro.
The new and highly anticipated opera was written and composed by Kate Soper, a creative known for making clever, thought-provoking musical works from the unlikeliest of sources—in this case, a Medieval French allegorical love poem about love and reason and identity.
Audiences can expect vibrant music and characters, humor and a striking set design that upholds LBO’s reputation for creative innovation and abstraction within the art form. Tickets range from $55-$165. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
The Warner Grand Theatre is at 478 W. Sixth St., San Pedro.
PLANTS AND PINTS (Sunday)
Cozy up with a beer and some succulents during the Plants & Pints workshop event at Beachwood Brewing and Distilling in Bixby Knolls Sunday, Feb. 26.
Guests will get to create a 4-inch succulent arrangement and pick from plants more suited for indoors or outdoors, depending on your preference. All the materials, plus a beer of your choice from the brewery, are included in the $35 ticket.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. The event is from 4-5:30 p.m.
Beachwood Brewing and Distilling is at 3630 Atlantic Ave.
MAYAPALOOZA AT FUEGO (Sunday)
Those who dine at Fuego restaurant for brunch on Sunday, Feb. 26, will also enjoy a live performance by Mesoamerican dance group Copali-Copili and photo opportunities afterward.
The show is part of Fuego’s Mayapalooza, an ongoing celebration of Mayan culture at the restaurant with dance performances, interactive animal experiences and other events put on throughout the year.
The show is free to attend but does require a brunch reservation. Guests can call (562) 435-7676 or to RSVP online, click here.
Fuego is located inside Hotel Maya at 700 Queensway Drive.
ARTS & CRAFTS MARKETPLACE (Sunday)
Every Sunday at the Marketplace Long Beach, over 30 vendors set up shop, selling handmade, one-of-a-kind gifts and goods.
Check out a variety of crystals, soaps, jewelry, plants, pots, clothing, purses, home decor and more at the fair located behind the Trader Joe’s off of Second Street and Pacific Coast Highway.
The arts and crafts fair is free to attend and is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Click here for more information.
The Arts and Crafts Fair is at 6475 Pacific Coast Highway.
SPONSORED BY THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC
‘THE LADY AND THE OCTOPUS’ AUTHOR TALKS ABOUT LATEST BOOK AT FIRST WEDNESDAYS (Wednesday, March 1)
In “The Lady and the Octopus: How Jeanne Villepreux-Power Invented Aquariums and Revolutionized Marine Biology,” author and marine biologist Danna Joy Staaf explores how one woman and a female octopus were more capable than they were given credit for and made ripples in natural history.
Staaf will talk about her book at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s March First Wednesdays event, sharing details about 19th Century inventor and explorer Villepreux-Power and experiments the woman conducted in the first-ever research aquariums to discover where argonauts—a group of octopuses—get the shells they use to brood their eggs. The remarkable story offers a window into the history and future of marine biology.
With a doctorate from Stanford University, where she studied Humboldt squid, Staaf’s writing has appeared in “Science,” “Atlas Obscura” and “io9.” The San Jose resident’s first book “Squid Empire: The Rise and Fall of the Cephalopods,” was named one of NPR Science Friday’s best science books of the year. “The Lady and the Octopus” has made Booklist’s Top 10 History Books for Youth.
On Wednesday, March 1, 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, book sale and signing, music and a craft activity in the Pacific Visions Art Gallery. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door. RSVP online or call 562-590-3100.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is at 100 Aquarium Way.
SPONSORED BY THE LONG BEACH SYMPHONY
LONG BEACH SYMPHONY POPS WELCOMES ALL DANCING QUEENS FOR ABBA TRIBUTE CONCERT (Saturday)
My, my, how can you resist Long Beach Symphony’s celebration of “The Music of ABBA,” with the beloved tribute band ARRIVAL from Sweden.
The audience will feel the beat from the tambourine, dance, jive and have the time of their lives with Long Beach Symphony Pops, under the direction of energetic Guest Conductor Anthony Parnther.
The concert, with the 10-member tribute band playing and singing with the orchestra, will feature ABBA classics such as “Money, Money, Money,” “Take a Chance on Me” and, of course, “Mamma Mia!”
ABBA songs will rock the Long Beach Arena on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m., with the doors opening at 6:30 for indoor picnicking for those who bring or order picnics. And, bring your dancing shoes to take over the dance floor. Individual concert tickets start at $30. Tickets are available now online at LongBeachSymphony.org or by calling 562-436-3203, ext. 1.
The Long Beach Arena is at 300 E. Ocean Blvd.