The following is a curated roundup of weekend events in Long Beach published every Wednesday on the Hi-lo/Long Beach Post. Have an event to share? Email [email protected] with “Things to Do” in the subject line.
This weekend we’ve got a couple of new events in Long Beach. The first is the debut of a community furniture swap. The other is the return of a popular craft beer festival that’s landing in Long Beach for the first time.
The Special Olympics Summer Games will also be kicking off at Cal State Long Beach this weekend, with five sports competitions and a community festival.
Get to scrollin’!
BAD MOMS WINE NIGHT (Wednesday)
Newly opened cocktail bar The Wicked Wolf is hosting a special event for moms to relax with the Bad Moms Wine Night on Wednesday, June 7.
In addition to natural wine flights and tastings with wine curator Fanceska Herrera from Wines of Impact, the lounge will also be offering $6 and $10 glasses of wine from 6-10 p.m.
The event starts at 5 p.m. Click here for more information.
The Wicked Wolf is at 2332 Pacific Ave.
TASTE OF DOWNTOWN (Wednesday & Thursday)
The second installment of the Taste of Downtown, an annual event that allows the public a rare chance to sample food and drinks from Downtown’s many restaurants, is back Wednesday and Thursday, June 7 and 8.
Pine Avenue and The Promenade, between First and Third streets, will be closed down to traffic, where businesses will come outdoors to offer a variety of sample bites and drinks.
Over 15 businesses are slated to participate, including The Auld Dubliner, Agaves, Cafe Sevilla, The Ordinarie, The Breakfast Bar and many more. The event—which runs from 5:30-10 p.m.—is free to attend, but in order to dine, you’ll need to purchase sample tickets. Click here for more information and to buy tickets.
Taste of Downtown will take place along Pine Avenue and The Promenade between First and Third streets.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUMMER GAMES (Saturday & Sunday)
Hundreds of athletes with intellectual disabilities will be convening at Cal State Long Beach to compete for gold in the Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games on Saturday and Sunday, June 10-11.
In addition to competitions in basketball, soccer, flag football, bocce and swimming, there will also be a festival, ceremonies and free health screenings.
The event is free and open to the public. Click here to see the full list of programming.
Cal State Long Beach is at 1250 N. Bellflower Blvd.
LA INDEPENDENT BEER FEST (Saturday)
The LA Independent Beer Festival returns for its 14th year and for the first time in Long Beach on Saturday, June 10.
Over 75 craft breweries from Los Angeles County will be taking over Shoreline Aquatic Park in Downtown, offering over 150 unique pours to try. Guests can also expect live entertainment, games and food vendors.
General admission tickets are $60 and include a commemorative glass used to enjoy unlimited sample pours during the festival. VIP tickets, which cost $75, will include all that general admission does plus early entry to the festival and access to rare beers only available during the first hour of the festival. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Shoreline Aquatic Park is at 200 Aquarium Way.
CAL HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD FURNITURE SWAP (Saturday)
Point by Point Studio, a furniture repair shop that specializes in woven furniture, is hosting the first Cal Heights Neighborhood Furniture Swap at Roxanne’s on Saturday, June 10.
What makes this event unique to secondhand markets is that this swap requires all participants to bring their own furniture in order to participate. The event will then run similarly to a silent auction, where guests will be able to check out all of the furniture in the marketplace and make a “bid.” At the end, participants will determine which they think was the winning bid and exchange it for either money or another piece of furniture.
The Cal Heights Neighborhood Furniture Swap will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click here for more information.
Roxanne’s is at 1115 E. Wardlow Road.
PRIDE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET (Sunday)
In celebration of June being gay pride month, the shopping complex Long Beach Exchange (LBX) is hosting the Pride Neighborhood Market at The Hangar, on Sunday, June 11.
Over 30 creative makers will be setting up shop offering a variety of goods to take home. There will also be a live DJ, entertainment and photo opportunities.
The event is from 1-6 p.m. and is free to attend. Click here for more information.
The Hangar is at 4150 McGowen St.
LONG BEACH PLANT MARKET (Sunday)
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If plant shopping with a tropical tiki cocktail in hand sounds like a good time, then the Long Beach Plant Market at The Bamboo Club is just for you.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 11, local and regional plant vendors set up shop, offering a wide variety of house plants, cacti, succulents and other gardening supplies. And while you shop you can grab a cocktail and enjoy tunes by a local all-vinyl DJ, too.
The Long Beach Plant Market is free to attend. Check out their Instagram for more information.
The Bamboo Club is at 3522 E. Anaheim St.
SPONSORED BY INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE
INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE PRESENTS “INTO THE BREECHES” (Wednesday – Sunday)
International City Theatre production of Into the Breeches, June 2023. Photo courtesy ICT.
“Into the Breeches!” is International City Theatre’s latest show that takes place in 1942 Long Beach! It tells the tale of a group of inexperienced women who bravely take the lead in saving a Long Beach theatre during World War II by taking on all the roles once played by men who are now fighting overseas.
This vibrant, new comedy is full of laughs, heart, and wit, but also causes us to think about the realities and consequences of injustice, intolerance, and gender disparity. This historic and compelling piece of theatre will transport you back to the 1940’s and have you laughing all the way home!
Performances will take place June 9 through June 25 at the Beverly O’ Neill Theater located in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Two low-priced previews are set for June 7 and June 8. Tickets can be purchased at International City Theatre’s website, click here, or through the box office at 562-436-4610. Want more theatre? ICT is offering the final three shows of their season all for $99, plus get all the benefits of being a subscriber!
The Beverly O’Neill Theatre is at 300 E. Ocean Blvd.