Classes may be over for some, but life goes on — Long Beach will have plenty to offer residents during the three months between the spring and fall semesters. Whether you’re a horror fanatic, music lover or looking to celebrate cultural events, these are just some of the events you can attend to have fun and connect with the city, its people and more.
June:
Rock the Queen returns to The Queen Mary on Saturday, June 3. Hosted by Los Angeles radio show The Woody Show, the line-up at this alternative rock event includes Smash Mouth, the Spin Doctors and Sugar Ray. Standing only tickets are on sale for $39.00, while seated tickets are selling for $49.00.
Pacific Islander Festival takes place June 3 and 4 at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Admission is free for Aquarium members or included with a general admission ticket for the Aquarium, which is $17.95 for children ages 3-11 and $29.95 for adults. The Fijian, Samoan and Tahitian cultures will be among the many recognized at the festival and will allow visitors to experience Hawaiian games, cultural crafts and traditional island dance and music.
The Southern California Special Olympics will host the 2017 Summer Games at Cal State Long Beach on June 10 and 11. Athletes will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in basketball, bocce, golf, gymnastics, swimming and track and field. Arts and crafts booths, live music, games and free health screenings for athletes and their families will also be available.
The Long Beach Marine Stadium Park will be hosting the Patchwork Show Long Beach Spring 2017 on June 11. Visitors can shop for handmade goods and food from over 150 vendors and food trucks. The event is family and dog friendly.
July:
Country music fans will have the chance to see stars like Jerrod Niemann, Lee Brice and the Swon Brothers when ShipKicker 2017 takes over The Queen Mary on July 1. Line dancing lessons, mechanical bull rides and a beer garden (an outdoor area where beer and food are served), will be included for 21+ fans who purchase a $49 ticket in advance online, or $59 on the day of the event.
This Independence Day, the “All-American July 4th Aboard the Queen Mary” will offer arts and crafts activities, a “patriotic theatrical movie” in The Queen Mary Theatre and a performance by The Pointer Sisters, a R&B group. Tickets are $44 per adult and $24 per child before the event and $49 per adult and $29 per child the day of. Children 4 and under enter for free.
For those who can’t wait until October 31 to get their fright on, the Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival will bring a taste of Halloween to the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center on July 29 and 30. Discussion panels from the creative teams behind Disneyland’s The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, ‘90s Nickelodeon show “Are You Afraid of The Dark?” and Halloween Horror Nights will be among the event’s special attractions.
If you’re looking for love, not fear, the Love Long Beach Festival 2017 will be held at the Shoreline Aquatic Park on July 29 and 30. $5 admission per day gives you entry to the festival which includes DJs, two dance stages, food trucks and vendors. Ages 16 and under enter for free at this event that aims to spread “the magic of Long Beach.”
August:
If you’re feeling charitable, Meals on Wheels of Long Beach 5K Run, Walk, Roll & Stroll will be held on August 5 at the Long Beach City College Veterans Memorial Stadium Parking Lot on Carson & Clark. The fundraiser aims to provide meals for disabled veterans, and participants will be gifted a t-shirt and medal. Entry for students and disabled participants is $25, while individuals and groups can register for $35 and $30, respectively.
R&B fans can look forward to the Third Annual Summer Breeze Festival on August 12 at The Queen Mary. Tickets are not yet on sale, but the festival will feature Bobby Brown, Brandy, Keith Sweat and Rome.
Comedian and star of FXX’s “Legit,” Jim Jefferies brings his Unusual Punishment Tour to Long Beach’s Terrace Theater on August 26. Tickets for this show range from $46.50 to $179, depending on seating.