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

The first weekend of August brings a plethora of events to Long Beach. Houghton Park hosts the Uptown Jazz Festival while Shoreline Aquatic Park hosts a torch run supporting children and families affected by childhood cancer. The Salvation Army holds a workshop geared toward empowering girls going into middle school. Charlie Chaplin’s iconic masterpiece “The Kid” plays at the Art Theatre accompanied by a modern twist. Rounding out the events is a classic car show and an artist reception.

13th Annual Uptown Jazz Festival (Saturday, Aug. 3)

The city of Long Beach and the office of 9th District Councilmember Joni Ricks-Oddie present the 13th Annual Uptown Jazz Festival, headlined by BJ The Chicago Kid at Houghton Park from 2 to 7 p.m.

The afternoon event will feature a lineup of incredible music and entertainment, a food and beer garden, a kids zone, and a variety of vendor and community resource booths.

Houghton Park is at 6301 Myrtle Ave. For more information, click here.

Champions Run for Life “Torch Run” (Saturday, Aug. 3)

Photo courtesy MemorialCare Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital.

MemorialCare Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital of Long Beach presents Champions for Life “Torch Run,” supporting the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute at Shoreline Aquatic Park starting at 8:30 a.m.

Support children and families affected by childhood cancer and serious blood disorders. This Olympic-style relay race will be filled with uplifting moments as patients carry a torch — a symbol of hope for a cure — while they walk, run, wheel or are carried through a one-eighth-mile celebratory lap.

Shoreline Aquatic Park is at 200 Aquarium Way. For more information and to register for the event, click here.

Empowerment Workshop (Saturday, Aug. 3)

Join Getting Inspired 4 Real Life Success (4GIRLS) for an Empowerment T-workshop for girls going to middle school at the Salvation Army from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Transitioning to middle school can be challenging, and 4GIRLS wants to support you in taking this big step. Learn what to expect when you go to middle school. Learn how to handle new situations, stresses and challenges. Build more confidence, and connect to the 4GIRLS community.

The Salvation Army is at 3000 Long Beach Blvd. For more information and to register, visit 4girls.org.

‘The Kid,’ featuring the Jack Curtis Dubowski Ensemble (Saturday, Aug. 3)

The Art Theatre in Long Beach presents Charlie Chaplin’s iconic masterpiece, “The Kid” (1921), as you’ve never seen it before, featuring the mesmerizing sounds of the Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble at 7 p.m.

As the silver screen illuminates with Chaplin’s comedic brilliance and poignant storytelling, let the Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble guide you through this cinematic gem with their innovative live score. Composed with precision and passion, their music breathes new life into the classic tale, complementing every scene with a symphony of emotions.

The Art Theatre of Long Beach is at 2025 E. Fourth St. For more information and tickets, call 562-438-5435 or click here.

Artist Reception (Sunday, Aug. 4)

The Zena and Pauline Gatov Gallery at the Alpert Jewish Community Center presents the reception of “Skondovitch: Abstract Expressionist Art” by Alfred Skondovitch from 2 to 4 p.m.

A sampling of the vast work of the late abstract expressionist painter, Alfred Skondovitch. Of Jewish background, Skondovitch was born in London to Eastern European immigrants. His life events ranged from evacuation as a child from London to the countryside during the war to avoid the bombings, to living in New York City as a young man in the midst of the abstract expressionist movement, and on to California where he met art students in Claremont and with whom he joined to fight forest fires in Alaska. Ultimately, he settled in Alaska, worked and raised a family, and continued painting.

The Alpert Jewish Community Center is at 3801 E. Willow St. For more information, call 562-426-7601.

Sultans 31st Annual Classic Car Show (Sunday, Aug. 4)

The Sultans Car Club, established at Jordan High School in the late 1950s, has long been a fixture at Long Beach car shows, including the one pictured here in Belmont Shore. Photo by Kat Schuster

Hundreds of classic cars will be on display at the Sultans 31st Annual Classic Car Show at Marina Green Park from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Get ready to see a stunning display of classic cars and trucks, along with custom vehicles and the picturesque Long Beach Shoreline. There will also be live music.

Marina Green Park is at 386 E. Shoreline Drive. For more information and tickets, click here.

SPONSORED BY THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC

First Wednesdays: Lecture Cocktails Music: Innovating the Future of Seafood

Presented by: Shannon Cosentino-Roush

The demand and consumption of aquatic (blue) foods is at an all-time high, up 483% since 1961, and only projected to increase. Yet, the production from wild-caught fisheries has leveled off and, for the first time in history, been surpassed by aquaculture. Simultaneously, our global ocean faces a dual climate and biodiversity crisis, standing to further affect its productivity and the number of people relying on aquatic foods for nutrition, food security, and employment. It’s unquestionable that we stand at a critical juncture faced with the task of figuring out how to balance global food security, livelihoods, and the sustainable management and health of our ocean.

This talk will move from problem to solution statement by showcasing examples of the key role innovation can play to reduce the impact of wild capture fisheries, improve the benefits received by local communities, trace our seafood from vessel to plate, create efficiencies in aquaculture operations, discover new methods of producing alternative seafood (plant-based and cell-cultured), and launch new sustainability-oriented products and offerings. We all can play an important role in advancing and leveraging the innovation ecosystem for the benefit of the ocean and the many that depend on it.

Following the talk, guests will have the opportunity to visit our new exhibit: FROGS “Our Neighbors” Gallery. Guests will also experience our Paint-a-Frog and Paint-a-Fish interactives and enjoy music, crafts, and a cash-bar in our Art Gallery.

DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 2024

TIME: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

COST: $5.00 per ticket for advance online reservations or $10.00 per ticket on the day of the event at the door (pending availability. Please check first).

Parking is $6.00 for the first 2.5 hours in the structure located directly across from the Aquarium. Cash bar.

More info and tickets are avaialble here.