Community News

Classes and Camps

Registration for a variety of new and existing recreation classes and camps offered by the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) began May 1. More than 700 activities in art, music, nature, fitness, special interest subjects, adult sports leagues and aquatics will begin in June and continue throughout the summer months.

The new class additions for the summer include options for every age range, including:

Preschool

Multi-sport class to build skills in a variety of sports for children ages 2 to 3 and 4 to 5.

Preschool Cake Design for children ages 2 and a half to 6 years old.

Little Music Maker (Introduction to Music) for children ages 3 to 5.

Youth

Adventures in STEM Using Lego Materials Specialty for ages 5 to 7.

Sonic! Dance and Gymnastics Camp for ages 5 to 10.

D-Up Ballers Basketball for ages 7 to 16.

Shotokan Karate for ages 5 to 16.

Soccer 1 Techniques and Teamwork for ages 5 to 6.

Adults

Drawing Fundamentals, Adult Tap Dance, Jujitsu, Aerobics Lite and Yoga.

Residents can register for classes online, in person or by mail: For more information visit LBParks.org or call (562) 570-3111.

Residents can browse the new and existing summer classes in the latest issue of Recreation Connection, PRM’s programs catalog, at LBParks.org or at Long Beach park community centers and Long Beach Public Library branches. In addition to fee-based classes, Recreation Connection lists free and low-cost activities for families including youth sports leagues, teen centers, senior centers, Be S.A.F.E. extended supervised recreation programs at designated parks, free movies, concerts and much more.

Free Shredding

Sponsored by Realtor Michele Kreinheder at Compass, bring your sensitive documents for free shredding or drop off your electronic items (TVs, computers, printers) for recycling on May 6, 9 a.m. to noon at the CSULB Walter Pyramid. No newspapers, magazines or batteries.

Rancho Happenings

Cool Crafts Roundup Series – May 11, June 8, July 13 and August 10, 1:30-4 p.m. Free admission; no reservations required.

Families are invited to get creative at Rancho Los Alamitos! Drop in for a craft project and join in on storytelling – all connecting to water, nature and sustainability. We will have storytelling in English and Spanish in May and June.

Fold and Roll – Workshop on the Art of Origami and Sushi Making, Saturday, May 13, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30, $85/per person ($65/RLA members)

The Rancho Los Alamitos Gift Shop welcomes you to participate in a workshop focusing on Japanese culture and culinary arts. Refreshments such as coffee, tea, sake and mimosas will be provided! You will be able to take home your origami and a sushi kit and learn all the skills needed to make sushi at home. All participants will be able to receive a 10% discount on all store items after the workshop.

2nd & PCH

Support local artisans at the Creative Communal Makers Market Sunday, May 7, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring more than 35 local artisans and enjoy complimentary kid activities, live entertainment, photo ops and more.

Dance through the decades of the “oldies” but goodies with the center’s new live music concert series PCH Raising Decibels, Thursday, May 11, 5-8 p.m. Ernando and the Nandos will headline the concert on the Seaport Way stage, 5-6 p.m., followed by local favorites, The Hodads, 6:30-8 p.m. Free face painting and airbrush tattoos will be available from 5 to 7 p.m.

Visit 2ndandPCH.com for additional event information.

Hopes and Dreams

On Saturday, May 13 at 7 p.m., the Long Beach Youth Chorus, led by Artistic Director Stevie Hirner will kick off an exciting and busy end to their 2022-23 season with a spring concert at Grace First Presbyterian Church. Hopes and Dreams will highlight the power of optimism and resilience as a primary tenet of the human experience through American music and songs from countries across the globe.

The chorus currently has 42 singers in two groups: the Long Beach Youth Chorus (grades 6-12) and the Young Musicians Program (grades 2-5), led by Assistant Director Hillary Ngo. Both groups will perform for the concert.

Then, on May 26, the LBYC embarks on its inaugural tour, a three-day trip to San Diego. According to Executive Director Stan DeWitt, the chorus will tour every other year and eventually will take international tours.

The chorus hosts its second annual Summer Arts Institute (SAI), June 19-23. The institute is an immersive summer program for grades 2-12 that will offer experiences beyond singing, including visual and other areas of performing arts and will include a field trip to L.A. to learn about aerial arts and a trip to the Grammy Museum. The SAI will culminate in the LBYC’s Long Beach Family Arts Festival to be held on Saturday, June 24.

Evening of Song

Long Beach Camerata Singers presents “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” on May 13 at 4:30 p.m. in the Wilson High School Auditorium

 The event will feature Broadway Music, including selections from “Phantom of the Opera,” “State Fair, Guys and Dolls,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and more, plus solos, duets and ensemble numbers showcasing the talents of outstanding singers.

Tickets are $40/$55/$65. www.LBCamerata.org. Info: (562) 900-2863.

Learning Center Honorees

Long Beach City College Lifetime Learning Center is honoring Carmen O. Perez, Pat and Ray Smith for a “Lifetime of Service” on May 23 at The Grand.

Individual tickets are available for $60 each and there are tables and sponsorship opportunities still available. Email tbrunella@lbcc.edu or call (562) 938-3047.

Carmen O. Perez is passionate about her involvement in the community but first and foremost she is devoted to her large family. As a Latina leader for over 50 years, she has fought disparities in health and has volunteered and served on boards and commissions for education, the public sector, non-profit organizations and politics. Her career highlights include Chief Deputy for Supervisor Kenny Hahn and Hospital Administrator at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

Pat and Ray Smith love staying involved in the Long Beach community. Together they volunteer as docents for Rancho Los Alamitos and the Long Beach Playhouse. Ray volunteers at the Aquarium of the Pacific and is a Long Beach Fire Ambassador. Pat has made a thousand quilts for charities and over 2300 face masks for schools and charities during COVID. Ray worked for the telephone company for 32 years and Pat is an aid to educational disabled students and has been for over 34 years. They have been together since 1964 and they live by their family motto “love one another.”

The Lifetime Learning Center is a non-profit organization under the LBCC Foundation that offers programs to engage older adults mentally, physically and socially.