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.
This fall weekend is full of music. The Long Beach Symphony is kicking off its 90th season and hosting a concert event for kids. The Carpenter Center also has two big shows, with trumpet player Keyon Harrold showcasing selections from his album “Foreverland,” and the incomparable John Denver being memorialized in a tribute show featuring his timeless classics.
There’s also a poetry festival at the Helen Borgers Theater, and if you want a way to help your community, the Willow Street Bridge is the place to be for the 34th Annual Great L.A. River Clean Up.”
Poetry Festival (Friday, Oct. 4 – Sunday, Oct. 6)
The Long Beach Shakespeare Company presents its 2024 Poetry Festival at the Helen Borgers Theater Friday through Sunday.
Through the weekend, writers, poets, and poet laureates will pay tribute to The Bard with performances.
The Helen Borgers Theater is at 4250 Atlantic Ave. Admission is $15. For more information, tickets and times, visit lbshakespeare.org.
A New World (Saturday, Oct. 5)
Long Beach Symphony celebrates its 90th anniversary as it opens the 2024-25 season with Beethoven’s Egmont Overture at the Long Beach Terrace Theater starting at 7:30 p.m.
The same overture inaugurated the Long Beach Symphony in 1934. It is revered as the “Victory Symphony,” which encapsulates the quintessence of Beethoven’s artistry.
Long Beach Terrace Theater is at 300 E. Ocean Blvd. Tickets start at $34. For more information, call 562-436-3203, ext. 1 or visit longbeachsymphony.org.
Foreverland (Saturday, Oct. 5)
Keyon Harrold presents “Foreverland” at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m.
Harrold, a jazz trumpeter, will perform selections from his new album “Foreverland.” Harrold calls himself a genre-fluid artist and cites Radiohead, Fleet Foxes, Fela Kuti, and John Coltrane as influences. He has toured and recorded with Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Cirque Du Soleil. He also played trumpet for Don Cheadle’s Grammy-winning Miles Davis biopic “Miles Ahead.”
The Carpenter Performing Arts Center is at 6200 E. Atherton St. Tickets start at $28.75. For more information and tickets, call 562-985-7000 or visit carpenterarts.org.
Great L.A. River Clean Up (Saturday, Oct. 5)
Friends of the L.A. River hosts its 34th Annual Great L.A. River Clean Up at the Willow Street Bridge starting at 8 a.m.
First-timers and seasoned volunteers are all invited to this cleanup, which organizers say is crucial to keeping the local ecosystem thriving.
Willow Street Bridge is at 2526 De Forest Ave. For more information and to register, visit folar.org/cleanup-2024.
Magical Musical Kingdom (Sunday, Oct. 6)
Long Beach Symphony presents “RuMBa Foundation Family Concerts: Magical Musical Kingdom” at the Long Beach Terrace Theater from 1 to 5 p.m.
This festival-style event will be filled with activities, live music, interactive booths, and kid-friendly food. Children will enjoy playing with symphonic musical instruments at the “instrument petting zoo” and crafting their own batons for “Conducting 101” with the symphony’s assistant conductors. There will also be arts and crafts, “Acting Out,” lawn games, and more. Children are encouraged to come in their favorite costumes.
Long Beach Terrace Theater is at 300 E. Ocean Blvd. Tickets are $20 for adults. Kids are free. For more information and tickets, call 562-436-3203, ext. 1 or visit longbeachsymphony.org.
Take Me Home (Sunday, Oct. 6)
The Carpenter Performing Arts Center presents “Take Me Home: The Music of John Denver Starring Jim Curry” beginning at 3 p.m.
This performance will be a celebration of John Denver’s music and caring message, including hits like “Rocky Mountain High,” “Annie’s Song,” and “Country Roads.”
The Carpenter Performing Arts Center is at 6200 E. Atherton St. Tickets cost $53.75. For more information and tickets, call 562-985-7000 or visit carpenterarts.org.