The city of Long Beach will shut down a full block of Downtown starting this weekend for a two-week series of festivals, pop-ups and celebrations to mark the close of summer.
Pine Avenue between East Broadway and Third Street will close to cars at 10 a.m. on Aug. 24 through Sept. 7 at 11 p.m. Long Beach residents and tourists are urged to take public transit, use detours and plan accordingly.
The first event to use the space will be the LB Living’s Big Gay Pine Ave Takeover from 4 to 10 p.m. on Aug. 24.
Events will continue every couple of days thereafter: a health and wellness fair hosted by the Long Beach Walking Club on Aug. 28, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; two roller disco events on Aug. 29 and Sept. 5 that will stage a retro-skate scene from 5 to 9 p.m.; and Long Beach Living’s Ascend on Sept. 6, a desert festival organizers likened to the Burning Man Festival in Black Rock City, Nev., held from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The series will close on Sept. 7, with Viva Long Beach, a free celebration of Latin heritage from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Our goal with these street closures is to reimagine urban spaces as dynamic places where the community can come together, celebrate, and thrive,” said Austin Metoyer, president and CEO of the DTLB Alliance, which organized the celebration. “These events not only foster a sense of belonging and unity but also contribute to the economic vitality and cultural richness of our city. We’re excited to see Pine Avenue filled with life and energy.”
In a news release Wednesday, Councilmember Mary Zendejas said that these closures serve as a good test for the public to adapt to larger-scale events, ahead of events like the 2026 Fifa World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics both scheduled to be held in Los Angeles.
“By temporarily transforming streets into pedestrian-friendly zones, Downtown Long Beach is paving the way for a more connected community,” Zendejas wrote. “As we look towards the Olympics and updating the Downtown Shoreline Plan this temporary closure acts as a test-run for closing down streets to vehicular access and encouraging pedestrian friendly cores.”
Motorists passing through must head to Long Beach Boulevard or Pacific Avenue to access north of Third Street on Pine Avenue or south of Broadway on Pine Avenue. Businesses within the street closure must have deliveries made available for pickup or drop-off on either Third Street or East Broadway.
Open carry of alcohol within the enclosure will not be permitted. The Downtown Long Beach Alliance will provide public seating and lawn games from Thursday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.