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.
It’s interesting, isn’t it?
We, as a (western) society, have decided that after a little holiday break, we’ll hit a soft “reset” button on the past 12 months; a mental and temporal “refresh,” if you will. We’ve decided that no matter how bad of a year it’s been, the next one will be better.
Instead of simply starting to better ourselves immediately, we wait until the calendar flips back, pinning our hopes and dreams on the day it turns Jan. 1 again. And we’ve decided to celebrate that. And many of us will be really, really inebriated for that.
So you go ahead and make those resolutions and look forward to next year. We’ll show you where you can party. But we’ve also got some family friendly activities that are on the more wholesome side.
This week, we’ve got a Disney ice skating show, library pajama party for the kids and New Years Eve celebrations for the kids over 21. Be sure to also check out our roundup of where to ring in the new year in Long Beach.
Get to scrollin’!
Long Beach Beer Lab Paint & Sip (Thursday)
In collaboration with 3P Artistry, Long Beach Beer Lab is hosting a “paint and sip” session on Thursday, Dec. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m., where attendees will learn to paint “Snowy Road.”
You should arrive early to order a drink and grab a bite before taking your seat. It also might be a good idea to dress comfortably and in something you don’t mind getting paint on.
They’ll provide all painting supplies including canvases, easels, paint, brushes and aprons. You can take friends and family along, or come solo and make new friends.
Tickets go for $40 a person and can be bought here. More information here.
Long Beach Beer Lab is located at 518 West Willow St.
Disney on Ice: Frozen & Encanto (Thursday – Sunday)
Performed at arenas across North America, “Disney on Ice” comes to the Long Beach Arena from Thursday, Dec. 28 through New Years Day, bringing two of their most popular recent films to life.
Families can watch as Elsa, Anna and Olaf tell a story of sisterhood in “Frozen” in Act One before singing along with Mirabel, Isabela, Luisa and Bruno in “Encanto” during Act Two.
The show is hosted by the iconic Mickey and Minnie Mouse, featuring high-flying acrobatics, special effects and world-class ice skaters in detailed costuming accurate to the films.
You can also pay a little extra for the Elsa and Mirabel Character Experience, a preshow event with music, dancing, games, storytelling, arts and crafts and photo opportunities with the star characters.
Tickets start at $25 for standard admission and can be purchased here. More info here.
The Long Beach Arena is located at 300 E. Ocean Blvd.
Noon Year’s Eve Pajama Party @ Brewitt Library (Friday)
Those looking for some fun, cozy story time with the kids can check out the Noon Year’s Eve Pajama Party at Brewitt Library on Friday, Dec. 29 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Guests can enjoy a bilingual story time followed by themed activities and even a lively early countdown to 2024, complete with a balloon drop, noisemakers and a dance party.
Admission is free to the public. More information can be found here.
Brewitt Neighborhood Library is located at 4036 E. Anaheim St.
New Years Firework Show (Sunday)
Long Beach will again put on its annual New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the waterfront on Sunday, Dec. 31 with not one, but two rounds of fireworks. The first starts at 9 p.m., and the second will begin at midnight to ring in the new year.
For prime viewing, you might want to snag a spot near the Downtown waterfront, in Rainbow Lagoon Park, Shoreline Village or Alamitos Beach.
Lots of bars and restaurants throughout Downtown will also be open with DJs, drink specials and more celebrations. You can check our list of places you can make dinner reservations here.
If you’re feeling a little fancy, you can also enjoy the spectacle on the water, either aboard the Queen Mary or on a Harbor Breeze Cruise. Tickets start at $169 and $90, respectively.
More information on the city’s free fireworks shows, hosted by the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, can be found here.
Hip Hop & RNB NYE Masquerade Ball (Sunday)
If you’ve ever wanted to go to a masquerade ball like in the movies and prefer a bit of mystique at your shindigs, you can do that in Long Beach on Sunday, Dec. 31 at Tap 24 Bar & Grill starting at 8 p.m.
There will be a midnight champagne toast, food, free parking, and a dance floor featuring hip hop, R&B and more from DJs King Charles, Mount McKinley, Supa and Timtation tha Don. Be sure to bring your mask and dress your best, as they say the dress code is “upscale.”
Tickets start at $40 for the current early bird discount and $50 for general admission, which can be bought here.
Tap 24 Bar & Grill is located at 4750 E. Los Coyotes Diagonal.
New Year’s Eve at Bamboo Club (Sunday)
The Bamboo Club, like many other places, will host a New Year’s Eve celebration on Sunday, Dec. 31 from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
They’ll have two stages providing entertainment. The outdoor stage in their heated tent will feature a live burlesque performance with Kara Spade and her troupe of showgirls as well as DJ Londres. Tickets for this must be purchased as a bundle that includes four tickets, a reserved table and complimentary champagne toast.
Meanwhile, the other stage is indoors with DJ Dennis Owens of Good Foot. Ticket bundles include a table which can be yours for the evening with access to indoor and patio bars as well as complimentary champagne toast at midnight.
Tickets start at $20 for general admission presale and $125 for the ticket bundle, both of which can be bought here.
The Bamboo Club is located at 3522 E. Anaheim St.
New Year’s Eve Downtown Bar Crawl (Sunday)
Can’t pick just one place to celebrate New Years? Then you can join over 300 other guests on Nasstive Entertainment’s annual New Year’s Eve bar crawl on Sunday, Dec. 31 starting at 8 p.m.
Attendees can kick things off at The Harbor, where there will be a pre-party event with exclusive drink specials, free New Year’s Eve handouts and a social meet and greet.
Tickets start at $29 for discounted tickets, which can be purchased in advance here. Tickets include all-access passes to over 10 New Year’s Eve parties, food and drink discount tickets as well as lounges and nightclubs including Shannon’s Pub and Broadway Pizza.
The Harbor is located at 130 Pine Ave.
SPONSORED BY AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC
Film Screening of National Parks Adventure (Wednesday, Jan. 3)
Join us for a special screening of National Parks Adventure, narrated by Academy Award winner Robert Redford, which will take you on an adventure in the nation’s great outdoors and unnamed wilderness. Immersive cinematography takes viewers soaring over red rock canyons, hurtling up craggy mountain peaks and into America’s most legendary outdoor playgrounds, including Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Yosemite, the Everglades and Arches.
This program will include a brief talk with Peter Kareiva, President and CEO of the Aquarium of the Pacific, on the connection between nature and human health.
Program will be followed by cocktails, conversations, crafts, and music in the Pacific Visions Art Gallery. The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m., and tickets are $5 for advance online reservations or $10 day of the event at the door. To purchase your tickets, click here.