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 weekend’s list of things to do around town leans into games and activities you likely enjoyed as a child. For instance, a kite festival will be flying high above Granada Beach on Saturday. There’s a weekend special offering unlimited pinball play, and then there will be a chance to see a Vegas-level magic show.
Plus, you can catch a special graphic novel launch party at the Xela Institute of Art honoring a famous Cambodian singer.
Get to scrollin’!
UNLIMITED PINBALL (Friday – Sunday)
Those looking for an afternoon of pinball play without the jingle-jangle of coins may consider visiting I Need A Miracle Tickets this weekend.
The ticket reselling business, which has a generous collection of pinball machines inside its office, will be selling eight hours of unlimited playtime on the machines for a flat rate of $25.
Usually, the free play costs $30, but those who mention they found this deal on Facebook (click here) can play for $25. This deal is only available Friday through Sunday, Oct. 6 through 8.
I Need A Miracle Tickets is at 5541 E. Spring St.
LONG BEACH SHAKESPEARE COMPANY POETRY SERIES (Friday – Sunday)
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Beginning Friday, Oct. 6, and through the weekend, the Long Beach Shakespeare Company is celebrating prose and poetry with three days of live readings, workshops and performances from the company and guest poets at the Helen Borgers Theatre.
Night one, on Friday, will feature a typewriter poetry session, where poet Bernadette D. McComish from The Los Angeles Press will type poetry on the spot using a vintage typewriter. Afterward, several poets from the L.A. area will perform live readings.
On Saturday, Oct. 7, attendees can sign up for a sonnet-writing workshop led by accomplished poet Linda Ravenswood, who, among her many accolades, is a recipient of the Oxford Prize in poetry. The day will continue with live readings from local poets, including recently published poet Nancy Lynne Woo of Long Beach. Saturday evening will close with a staged reading of “The Shakespeare Collection: Shakespeare on the Dark Side,” which includes scenes from some of Shakespeare’s darker plays.
On Sunday, Oct. 8, there will be a two-hour live reading session with Linda Ravenswood and other L.A.-area poets. The series will close with a staged reading of the poetry adaptation of “Frankenstein” titled “How to Make a Monster” written by Ravenswood and directed by poet Brian Sonia Wallace.
All three days will include open mic opportunities for those who’d like to share their work. Visit the Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s website here for more information and to purchase tickets.
The Helen Borgers Theatre is at 4250 Atlantic Ave.
“THE GOLDEN VOICE” GRAPHIC NOVEL LAUNCH PARTY (Saturday)
Few figures in the Cambodian music world are as famed and beloved as singer Ros Serey Sothea, who was the biggest rock star during Cambodia’s golden age of music in the 1960s. But when the Khmer Rouge regime rose to power in Cambodia in the 1970s, she disappeared. Despite her fame, very little is known about Sothea’s life. Fascinated by her story, writer and film director Gregory Cahill created a short film about Sothea that is now also being published as a graphic novel with Humanoids.
A launch party for the novel, “The Golden Voice: The Ballad of Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen,” is happening at the Xela Institute of Art on Saturday, Oct. 7. The event, themed as a 1960s dance party, will offer guests a first look at the new book and a chance to meet the author and other surprise guests connected with the book.
The launch party will also feature music performances from Chhom Nimol and Zac Holtzman of Dengue Fever, a Cambodian rock band from L.A. that performs covers of some of Sothea’s most popular songs. There will be a documentary showing and art displays celebrating Sothea.
Admission to the event is free, though an RSVP is required. Guests can also purchase the book for $25 to have signed during the event. Click here for more information.
Xela Institute of Art is at 2176 Pacific Ave.
BELMONT SHORE SIDEWALK ART CHALK CONTEST (Saturday)
Over 35 artists are expected to break out the colored pastels (we’re going to pretend it’s chalk) and compete for cash prizes on Saturday, Oct. 7 during a favorite local event of sidewalk art-making presented by community activist Justin Rudd and his nonprofit, Community Action Team.
Take a stroll between St. Joseph and Glendora avenues on Second Street to see the artists working on their pieces starting as early as 9 a.m. If you’re less into the process and more into checking out the finished pieces, show up between 3:30 and 4:10 p.m. in front of Chase Bank (5200 E. Second St.) to see the judging and prize-giving. Best in Show will receive $350, first place will receive $250, second place $150 and honorable mentions will receive $50 each.
And if you’re an artist looking to participate, it’s not too late. Click here to sign up.
Chase Bank in Belmont Shore is at 5200 E. Second St.
SUPERSTARS OF MAGIC (Saturday)
The magic and mystique of Las Vegas illusionists will be bringing the dazzle to Long Beach Saturday, Oct. 7 with a new show at the Carpenter Center from some of the best talent in the industry.
The show features five award-winning illusionist acts, including duo Kalin and Jinger, Christopher Hart, Alexander Great, Whit Haydn and Henrik Bothe.
Tickets cost $45 and may be purchased online. Click here for more information.
The Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center is located on the Cal State Long Beach Campus at 6200 E. Atherton St.
LONG BEACH KITE FESTIVAL (Sunday)
This Sunday, Oct. 8, will be a fine time for kite flying, not just for the forecasted weather (breezy and sunny), but because the Pacific Kite Club is hosting its annual kite festival.
The festival at Granada Beach will have free kites for children, games and activities, live music and dance performances. Those who already own their own kites are encouraged to bring them and join the fun.
The festival is open from noon to 6 p.m. and is free to attend. Click here for more information.
Granada Beach is at 5100 E. Ocean Blvd.
LONG BEACH CAMERATA SINGERS: PEACE PROJECT VII CONCERT (Sunday)
The Long Beach Camerata Singers will open up their new season of music with Peace Project VII, an annual concert series that uses art as a vehicle for peace and understanding. This year’s Peace Project dives into environmental justice with water as its theme.
The concert at the Long Beach Arena will feature works that refer to water in its libretto including Samuel Barber’s “To Be Sung on the Water,” “The Prow” by local composer Matthew Lyon Hazzard, and the folk song, “Oh Shenandoah; The Wide Missouri,” among others.
Before the concert, there will be a free Enviro-Arts Fair in the Long Beach Arena featuring exhibitors offering information about the environmental issues and science around water usage, water pollution and water conservation.
Tickets for the concert start at $40. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
The Long Beach Arena is at 300 E. Ocean Blvd.
SPONSORED BY THE MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ART
GET READY TO BLUES THE NIGHT AWAY AT MOLAA’S UNFORGETTABLE EVENT (Friday)
Join us for an Evening of Soulful Sounds and Rhythmic Revelry on October 6th:
Are you ready to let loose, groove to the rhythm, and immerse yourself in the soulful tunes of the Blues? Well, mark your calendars for Friday, October 6th, as MOLAA (Museum of Latin American Art) and the Long Beach Blues Society present an unforgettable Blues Night at MOLAA!
It’s a musical extravaganza curated by the Long Beach Blues Society that promises to carry you away on a wave of fantastic tunes and captivating performances.
There are two ticket options to choose from:
- VIP: Priced at $45, includes two complimentary drinks,
- General: At $30
There are two ticket options to choose from:
VIP: Priced at $45, includes two complimentary drinks,
General: At $30
The evening schedule is packed with exciting performances and activities:
- Kick off the evening by exploring the exhibitions at MOLAA, immersing yourself in art and culture before the musical journey beings.
- Get into the groove with Acoustic Soul Express (Duo).
- Let the Jessica Kaczmarek Band captivate your soul.
- Feel the rhythm as the Bill Grisolia Band takes the stage.
- Prepare for a fantastic finale as Marguaret Love & the Lovesttes hit the stage.
Don’t miss this opportunity to let loose and immerse yourself in the magic of blues. Secure your tickets now, grab your friends, and head to MOLAA on Oct. 6 for an unforgettable night of blues, rhyth and pure musical bliss.
Click here to purchase tickets and for more information.