Community News

Art Exhibit

 “Toe Fo’i: The Return” is a community exhibit in May at Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum, 695 Alamitos Ave., in collaboration with five Pasifika artists that builds upon a series of story-circles. The project reminds visitors that the stories of those lost to COVID-19 are the stories of those who survived. Toe Foʻi is anchored to the role of artists as healers who move us collectively through the hurdle of misinformation, fear, mistrust and entitlement.

This event is part of WE RISE, a series of free community-led cultural events across Los Angeles County that support health and healing throughout Mental Health Awareness Month in May. For more information, visit https://whywerise.la/werisela/.

Heron Hike

Learn about the history of Los Cerritos Wetlands and look for birds during a nature walk on Saturday, May 7, 8-10 a.m.  Bring binoculars, if you have them, to view wetlands wildlife. This walk is appropriate for ages 7 and up. Closed toes shoes are required.

Park at the intersection of PCH and 1st St., just at the border of Long Beach and Seal Beach. For more information or to RSVP for the nature walk, contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@lcwlandtrust.org.

Candidates Forum

Continuing a tradition that began in 2014, Leadership Long Beach (LLB) will host a Candidates’ Forum at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 9, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in the Pacific Visions wing to provide Long Beach voters the opportunity to learn more about the future leaders of our community and their leadership skills as they seek office in the upcoming June 7 primary election.

The 2022 LLB Candidates’ Forum will feature candidates for Long Beach mayor, city attorney, city auditor, city prosecutor and the Long Beach Unified School District School Board.

Candidates will answer questions posed by LLB alumni moderators and screened questions from the audience. Answers will be timed so that all candidates will have an equal opportunity to share their opinions.

Reservations will be required as space will be limited. Reservations can be made at CandidatesForum@leadershiplb.org

Leadership Long Beach is the preeminent Leadership program in Long Beach with more than 1,800 alumni whose mission is “a catalyst that informs, activates and connects community leaders to more meaningfully serve Long Beach.”

The office of the city clerk will partner with Leadership Long Beach in hosting the forum. City Clerk Monique De La Garza will provide residents with voter information and how to register to vote and cast ballots.

Silent Films

Recognized as one of the world’s longest running annual celebrations of Silent Film, the 35th annual Avalon Silent Film Showcase presented by Catalina Museum for Art & History will return with two days of events on Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14.

On May 13, attendees will kick-off the annual showcase with an evening under the stars at the museum’s Ackerman Family Amphitheater. The evening will feature a woodwinds presentation with Jay Mason, one of the Los Angeles area’s busiest saxophone and woodwind “doublers” and a talk from silent film historian and author John Bengtson, who will introduce the evening’s feature comedy film Sherlock Jr. (1924) starring Buster Keaton with live improvised accompaniment by renowned pianist and composer Michael Mortilla.

The Silent Film Showcase continues on May 14, as the annual event returns to the historic Avalon Casino Theatre, William Wrigley Jr. ‘s 1929 Art Deco Movie Palace. Attendees will be treated to an authentic 1920s cinematic experience with the screening of comedy short The Campus Carmen with live accompaniment by Michael Mortilla followed by the 100th anniversary screening of the 1922 film, Blood and Sand starring Rudolph Valentino and Lila Lee with live musical accompaniment by Michael Mortilla & The Accompanists.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit catalinamuseum.org/calendar.

Youth Chorus’ Concert

The Long Beach Youth Chorus (LBYC) has three events coming up in the next two months: First: the LBYC Spring Concert, to be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 at Grace First Presbyterian Church in Long Beach. Then, in June, there will be two back-to-back events: the LBYC Summer Arts Institute from June 22-24 and the inaugural Long Beach Family Arts Festival on Saturday, June 25, both to be held on the grounds of St. Matthew Catholic Church in the Rose Park neighborhood of Long Beach.

The Spring Concert will be the first traditional choral concert for the chorus since December 2019 and will feature several of the chorus’ young singers in solos and duos. It will also be the first time that the new LBYC Young Musicians Program (grades 2-4) will perform on their own in one of the organization’s concerts.

The concert at Grace First Presbyterian Church, 3955 N. Studebaker Rd., will be a free-will donation event. There will also be a silent auction held to benefit the chorus in their fundraising for their 2023 tour to Washington DC in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

The Summer Arts Institute is an opportunity for children of all ages to explore all of the arts, not just chorus. There will still be music exploration, but students will investigate an intro-level dance intensive as well as activities in various styles of visual arts. The Institute will culminate in the LBYC’s inaugural Long Beach Family Arts Festival, which will feature performances by the Jazz Angels, Musique sur la Mer Youth Orchestra, Kick it Up Dance Studios and TKTC (The Kid’s Theater Company) in addition to the Long Beach Youth Chorus.

For more information on any of these activities, including registration for the Summer Arts Institute, visit the chorus’ website, www.longbeachyouthchorus.org, or contact Stan DeWitt at (562) 972-3324.

Raptor Ramble

A nature hike of the Hellman Ranch Wetlands takes place on Saturday, June 4, 8-10 a.m. This is a great opportunity to spot raptors such as ospreys and hawks. An added bonus is the focus on how Native Americans lived in and used the wetlands.

Meet on the inland side of the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and 1st Street, at the border of Long Beach and Seal Beach. This walk is appropriate for ages 7 and up. Closed toes shoes are required. To RSVP, contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@lcwlandtrust.org. Learn more about the wetlands at www.lcwlandtrust.org.

80s Dance Party

The Boathouse on the Bay restaurant announces the expansion of its outdoor summer concert series on June 12 with A Totally 80’s Dance Party benefitting the Long Beach Symphony. Conducted by Symphony Music Director, Eckart Preu, musicians from the symphony will be joined by a six-piece 80s rock band performing selections by George Michael, Wham, Bryan Adams, U2, Billy Joel, Bonnie Tyler, Scorpions, Starship, Sheena Easton and more.

The series also includes the popular July 3rd Big Bang on the Bay concert with fireworks. Boathouse on the Bay owner and entrepreneur, John Morris envisions presenting four to five concerts each summer, stating, “Bringing people together is my passion, and with the huge community support of the annual, successful Big Bang on the Bay benefit concert, we are thrilled to expand the series to benefit the symphony and other local charities.”

The outdoor concert series provides spectacular waterfront views while guests dance the night away to great entertainment. Guests have the option of purchasing the concert only, the concert with dinner tickets at one of 14 area restaurants, or a VIP package that includes reserved seating section, reserved parking, dinner, drink tickets, VIP tent access and a meet and greet with the band.

To purchase tickets for the June 12 concert, visit www.longbeachsymphony.org.

Category:

Add new comment

Beachcomber

Copyright 2024 Beeler & Associates.

All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced or transmitted – by any means – without publisher's written permission.