Community News

7th Annual Regatta

The Long Beach Yacht Club Heroes Regatta will return Saturday August 13, 2022, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The Heroes Regatta was created to honor and thank Long Beach first responders – firefighters, police, lifeguards, military, etc.- and hosts the teams and their families. A partnership between the Long Beach Yacht Club’s Sailor Support and the Long Beach Sailing Foundation, the inaugural event was held in 2014.

Racing under the close eye and advice of skilled sailor/coaches, teams vie for bragging rights and the chance to get their name on the perpetual trophy. The day includes a four-race series aboard a fleet of one-design Catalina 37 keelboats, which keeps the competition level and tight. The experience is best expressed by a past participant, “This was awesome, from the training to the teamwork ... Our coaches had us focused and staying on-point the whole time.”

This year’s Heroes lineup includes teams representing the Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach Police Department, Homeland Security, Long Beach Coast Guard, Long Beach Lifeguards and local Navy teams. Long Beach Fire Department Station 4 will be back to defend their 2019 win, with unmatched skill and enthusiasm to win the perpetual trophy.

Racing takes place off the City Beach and the public is welcome to view the action from the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier.

Complimentary Events

The Sounds of Summer music series at 2ND & PCH brings live musical performances to the grand staircase 6-8 p.m. every Tuesday evening through Aug. 30. Visit 2ndandpch.com for a performance schedule.

Young adventurers can discover the fun at Summertime Explorers kids club Wednesdays 10 a.m. to noon through Aug. 31, located on the grand staircase and Seaport Way. The free weekly series features hands-on, educational crafts, entertainment and activities that encourage kids to learn and explore with different topics each week. Activities include face painting and balloon twisting plus a unique custom themed backdrop. Summertime Explorers is best suited for ages 2 - 10 years.

Weekly themes include:

• Aug. 17: Dino Adventure
• Aug. 24: All Aboard!
• Aug. 31: End of Summer Jams

PCH Movies & Moonlight continues weekly on Seaport Way every Friday at sunset through Aug. 19 with pre-show entertainment 7-8:30 p.m. on the grand staircase stage. Movies are complimentary to the community; self-seating will be available on a first come first serve basis. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. 2ND & PCH offers an array of restaurants, retailers and specialty services within the center for the community to enjoy before, during or after the movie.

The movie lineup for August includes:

• Aug. 12: Sing 2
• Aug. 19: The Boss Baby: Family Business

Creative Communal Makers Market returns on Sunday, Aug. 21, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. along Seaport Way. This uniquely curated open-air market is the ideal location to shop for handcrafted treasures featuring over thirty local makers, photo ops and live music, 2-5 p.m.

For more information on events and a complete list of tenants visit 2ndandpch.com.

Chorale Seeks Singers

Following a successful return to in-person performances, the Long Beach Chorale & Chamber Orchestra is preparing for another full season and will be holding auditions for the upcoming 2022-2023 season. Auditions will be held by appointment at Grace First Presbyterian Church on Studebaker Road. Rehearsals take place on Monday nights and will begin in September.

Interested singers are invited to visit the website at www.longbeachchorale.org, contact the chorale at (562) 427-1931 or by email at info@longbeachchorale.org for information or to schedule an audition. Singers in all voice parts are welcomed; the ability to read music is required. Auditions are brief, informal and non-threatening. To help ensure the health of our singers, the chorale requires members to be vaccinated.

Led by Artistic Director Matthew Martinez the Long Beach Choral is comprised of more than 50 talented volunteer singers of all ages and backgrounds. For over 30 years the chorale has consistently earned high praise and rave reviews for its performances of a wide variety of repertoire.

Jim Ruggirello of the Grunion Gazette has called the ensemble Long Beach’s “best local chorus,” and said of their 2019 performance of Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, “Long Beach Chorale has the ideal sound for late classical music. The timbre is not only beautiful, but the sections are well balanced and blended and the textures crystal clear.”

Camerata New Season

The Long Beach Camerata Singers (LBCS) will return to the stage for the 2022-2023 season, with a schedule of five self-produced concerts plus two engagements with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. The LBCS will also debut its new professional chamber group; The Catalyst Ensemble. Both ensembles will be led by Grammy-award winning Artistic Director Dr. James K. Bass.

OPENING NIGHT GALA – Thursday, Oct. 6, Terrace Theater Lobby – LBCS will host its annual Opening Night Gala Event on October 6th, with great cocktails, food and entertainment. When the community comes together to support choral music, everyone benefits. This year, LBCS will honor Public Affairs Professional and Philanthropist Mark Guillen, Long Beach Harbor Commissioner Sharon Weissman, and the RuMBa Foundation, with the Beverly O’Neill Arts and Leadership Award.

CAMERATA PEACE PROJECT VI – Sunday, Oct. 9, LBPAC Arena Lobby – LBCS will begin its season with an examination of how we co-exist together, with a focus on the LGBTQIA+ community. The concert will be anchored by excerpts from “Considering Matthew Shepard,” as well as other pieces that reflect both the pain and joy of learning to live in our diverse community. The theme of Peace Project VI is “Community.”

CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD - Sunday, Nov. 14, Beverly O’Neill Theater – Extending the important conversation started in LBCS’ Peace Project performance, LBCS will perform a fully staged version of this important contemporary Oratorio by Craig Hella Johnson in its entirety. This performance will debut Camerata’s new professional chamber ensemble, the Catalyst Chamber Singers, to the community.

HANDEL’S MESSIAH – Thursday, Dec. 22, & Friday, Dec 23, Beverly O’Neill Theater – Say “Hallelujah” as we ring in the holidays with this annual tradition, now in its 15th year! This year LBCS will partner with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and professional soloists to bring you two performances of this holiday classic.

CHORALFEST LONG BEACH – Sunday, March 26, Beverly O’Neill Theater – In 2023, Choralfest boasts exquisitely crafted choral music presented by the Catalyst Ensemble for their second performance of the season. The main Camerata chorus is engaged to perform Carmina Burana with the Long Beach Symphony simultaneously. See below for our other performances.

AN EVENING OF SONG – May 13th, Beverly O’Neill Theater – An Evening of Song displays a lively performance of solos, ensembles and choruses that showcases the talents and personalities of the individual singers within LBCS. This upbeat event is full of surprises and spontaneity.