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.
Long Beach offers something for everyone this weekend. Whether you have a young child who just wants to play and have fun for a while, or you want to hop on over to the Cherry Blossom Festival. If you’re into Black dance or want to see a construction truck up close, this weekend’s events have everything covered.
Celebration of the Young Child (Saturday, Apr. 27)
The city of Long Beach hosts the fifth annual Celebration of the Young Child at the Billie Jean King Main Library and at the adjacent Lincoln Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This event will provide educational hands-on activities and will showcase vendors who provide services and resources for children up to 8 years old. Feature performances will include Latin Grammy-winner and author of “Paletero Man,” Lucky Diaz and Wacko the Magician. Additional activities will include music and movement for toddlers and preschool-aged children hosted by library staff, read-aloud story times, and a sensory exploration area.
Billie Jean King Main Library is at 200 W. Broadway.
Cherry Blossom Festival (Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, Apr. 28)
2ND & PCH invites the community to its first Cherry Blossom Festival at E. 2nd Street and Pacific Coast Highway from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Attendees will discover an array of handcrafted treasures, artisanal delights and unique finds from local Japanese-inspired vendors, meet and greet with special characters and anime mascots, and Japanese cultural performances at this inaugural event. From Japanese crafts to delectable treats, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Special anime character appearances and a performance by the Long Beach Kokoro Taiko Kai Drummers will also be featured.
For more information, visit 2ndandpch.com.
Celebration of Black Dance (Sunday, Apr. 28)
The CRay Project hosts the fourth annual Long Beach Black Dance Festival at the Long Beach Playhouse, at 5021 E. Anaheim St. from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Long Beach Black Dance Festival is a yearly event dedicated to celebrating Black culture, amplifying dancers of color, and providing a platform for their voices to be seen, felt and heard. This year’s theme will be “Mo.sa.ic: Diversity as a Coherent Whole,” exploring the differences in dance as they relate and connect to culture, society, and tradition in the Black diaspora. The festival will offer free community dance classes, workshops and a community dance concert for all ages and performance levels.
For more information, visit crayproject.org/lbbdf.
Touch-a-Truck Event (Sunday, Apr. 28)
Justin Rudd presents the eighth annual Long Beach Touch-a-Truck interactive event in the beachfront Granada Avenue parking lot, 5000 E. Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
About 100 large trucks, tractors, military, public safety, and construction vehicles will be on display to the general public. Kids and adults who pre-register will receive wristbands when they check in (names will be on the list at the check-in tents) and are invited to sit in the driver’s seats of the vehicles. All registrants will still be able to attend and get close to the vehicles.
To register for the event, visit justinrudd.com.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to show we jumped the gun on Mother’s Day.
SPONSORED BY AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC
Nursery Earth: The Hidden World of Baby Animals and the Amazing Ingenuity of Life presented by Dr. Danna Staaf with book signing
(Wednesday, May 1, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Aquarium of the Pacific)
It’s time to pay attention to baby animals. From egg to tadpole, chick to fledgling, they offer scientists a window into questions of immense importance: How do genes influence health? Which environmental factors support — or obstruct — life?
Entire ecosystems rest on the shoulders (or tentacles, or jointed exoskeletons) of animal babies. At any given moment, babies represent the majority of animal life on Earth. Their tiny, hidden lives reveal some of nature’s strangest workings: A salamander embryo breathes with the help of algae inside its cells. The spotted beak of a parasitic baby bird tricks adults of other species into feeding it. Mouse embryos can absorb cancerous cell grafts — and develop into healthy adults. At once incredibly vulnerable and incredibly vital, baby animals are not just beings in progress, but beings in their own right. And our planet needs them all: the maggots as much as the kittens!
The presentation will be followed by a cocktail and social hour with music, crafts, and a book signing of Nursery Earth: The Hidden World of Baby Animals and the Amazing Ingenuity of Life in out Art Gallery. Purchase advance tickets for $5 here: pacific.to/3vEpEn2