The following is a list of curated Long Beach events and paid placements 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.
Long Beach celebrates the last weekend of Black History Month with an African American Festival, a special family movie matinee and a tribute to the premier African American hub of Los Angeles.
International City Theatre (Feb. 19 to March 9) – sponsored listing
Long Beach’s award-winning professional theater company, International City Theatre, opens its highly anticipated 40th Anniversary season, “A Season of Premieres.”
Get ready for a toe-tapping, laugh-out-loud journey through the Wild West in the season opener “Desperate Measures,” a musical comedy that mixes witty fun with Shakespearean twists. Loosely based on “Measure for Measure,” it explores love, justice, and deception with a playful spirit.
When the charming but reckless Johnny Blood (Aaron Gibbs) is sentenced to hang by the narcissistic Governor (Christopher Karbo), Johnny’s fate rests in the hands of an unlikely crew: a clever sheriff (Daniel A. Stevens), an eccentric priest (Jason Whitton), a reformed saloon girl (Madison Miyuki Sprague), and a novice nun (Gabbie Adner).
Together, they navigate the wild frontier where laws are broken, and hearts are won. Directed by Todd Nielsen and Music Direction by Daniel Gary Busby this production runs select nights from Feb. 19 to March 9 at the Beverly O’Neill Theater. This hilarious and clever re-telling of a classic is not to be missed.
Tickets start at $44 and are available now by phone at 562-436-4610 or online at ictlongbeach.org.
Collectibles Show (Thursday, Feb. 20 to Saturday, Feb. 22)
The Long Beach Expo, the longest-standing collectibles show on the West Coast, returns to the Convention Center this weekend, daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Saturday.
This memorabilia bonanza will have something for every collectible enthusiast, including coins, banknotes, sports cards, stamps, antique jewelry and much more. Expert appraisers and dealers will be on hand to help guide your search for that one elusive item that will complete your collection.
The Long Beach Convention Center is at 300 E. Ocean Blvd. General admission is $12.51. For more information, click here.
Frantic/Tempest (Wednesday, Feb. 19 to Friday, Feb. 21)
The California Repertory presents “Frantic/Tempest” at the University Theater on the campus of Cal State Long Beach Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 p.m.
“Frantic/Tempest” is a highly physical production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” that utilizes Frantic Assembly’s world-famous Building Blocks Method of devising physical theater. Set in an urban Los Angeles warehouse against the backdrop of climate change and social isolation, the characters chase freedom, forgiveness and restoration amidst a time of great loss and the revenge of the natural world.
Cal State Long Beach is at 1250 N. Bellflower Blvd. Tickets cost $25 to $27. For more information and tickets, click here.
African American Festival (Saturday, Feb. 22 and Sunday, Feb. 23)
The Aquarium of the Pacific hosts its 23rd Annual African American Festival Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The festival will feature music, dance, historical displays, and the Aquarium’s Heritage Award ceremony. Guests can also experience presentations, including storytelling, hip-hop and break dance, drum circles, and live bands during the festival. They can also visit participating booths with displays.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is at 100 Aquarium Way. The festival is free with the cost of admission. For more information, visit aquariumofpacific.org.
Family Movie Matinee (Saturday, Feb. 22)
Long Beach Public Library presents its Black History Month Family Movie Matinee showing of “Hidden Figures” at the Brewitt Neighborhood Library from noon to 2:45 p.m.
“Hidden Figures” follows the lives of three female African Americans, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson who worked for NASA during the height of the Space Race. The movie stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae.
The Brewitt Neighborhood Library is at 4036 E. Anaheim St. For more information, visit longbeach.gov/library or call 562-570-1040.
Roots and Rhythm (Sunday, Feb. 23)
The Queen Mary hosts “Roots and Rhythm: Honoring the Past and Celebrating the Future” from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This event is a tribute to Leimert Park, Los Angeles’s historic hub of African American culture. Experience local art, music, and performances that honor its rich legacy.
The Queen Mary is at 1126 Queens Highway. The cost is $15 per person. For more information and tickets, click here.
Exploring California Wildlife: From Gray Whales to Garibaldi (Wednesday, March 5) – sponsored listing
California has a vibrant ocean. Over 1700 species are found in its waters. Join us for a deep dive into thirty of these marine animals.
Gray whales, California brown pelicans, and southern sea otters were once near extinction but made remarkable recoveries. Sunflower sea stars and white abalone have faced steep declines and require substantial conservation measures to preserve their future. Garibaldi and great blue heron have stable populations but still are impacted by human activities. Learn more about how these ocean neighbors are doing and the conservation interventions that ensure they are around for generations to come.
The thirty species are featured in the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Marine Species Report Card. This is a web-based resource that makes population monitoring and other technical information accessible to the public. You can learn about a species’ natural history, threats they are facing, and the actions people are taking to conserve them at: www.aquariumofpacific.org/reportcard
Following the talk, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy cocktails, conversations, music and crafts in our Art Gallery and experience our interactive Paint-a-Fish exhibit. This is an adult-oriented program.
For more info and tickets, click here.