One of my favorite Halloween events is the Long Beach Historical Society’s annual Cemetery Tour.
It’s returning on Saturday, Oct. 25 this year — with actors in period costumes once again set to portray the true stories of real people buried at the Sunnyside and Municipal Cemeteries, which sit right next to each other.
Back in 2023, I volunteered to be the emcee of the cemetery tour, where I got to tell one of my favorite stories about a local Psychic Temple.
Actors Mitch and Jane Nunn perform as Dr. W.R. Price and his wife during the 2023 Historical Society of Long Beach Historical Cemetery Tour. (Photo courtesy Jane Nunn).
Sunnyside and Municipal cemeteries welcome visitors on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 for the Long Beach Historical Society’s 25th Cemetery Tour in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Visitors check out a Dia de Los Muertos exhibit on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 at the Long Beach Historical Society’s 25th Cemetery Tour in Long Beach’s Sunnyside and Municipal cemeteries. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Madison Mooney, Long Beach Playhouse executive director, portraying Nina Cuthebert during the 2019 Historical Society of Long Beach Historical Cemetery Tour. (Photo by Kayte Deioma)
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Actors Mitch and Jane Nunn perform as Dr. W.R. Price and his wife during the 2023 Historical Society of Long Beach Historical Cemetery Tour. (Photo courtesy Jane Nunn).
Built in 1905 by spiritualist Dr. W.R. Price, the temple is now home to Intertrend — a global creative agency, and nonprofit Creative Class Collective — but it was once the former sanctuary of the doctor’s eccentric and controversial “new psychology” dogma.
During that year’s tour, actors Mitch and Jane Nunn portraying Dr. Price and his wife told the story of the Psychic Temple — and the doctor’s unconventional beliefs — helping to keep some of Long Beach’s weirdest local history alive.
This year, I’ll once again be volunteering again as an emcee on the tour, and I’ll be sharing the great story of former Long Beach Press-Telegram writer and editor Walter Case and his wife Ethel, who helped found the Long Beach Playhouse.
Walter Case was fascinated with Long Beach history — so much so that he wrote several books on it. I found one online that he wrote in 1927. And if you come to this year’s Cemetery Tour, I’ll tell you all about it.
Don’t miss your chance to learn about some great local — and spooky — history, handed over to you on a silver platter via easily digestible ten-minute performances.
For more details on HSLB’s Cemetery Tour, visit hslb.org.
Oh, and speaking of temples, the Downtown Long Beach Design District and LB Food Coma will be hosting a tour exploring the Psychic Temple and The Masonic Temple tonight, Thursday, Oct. 16.
The evening will include a journey through the two historic sites, beginning in the Psychic Temple and culminating with a dinner in The Masonic Temple (which is now home to Altar Society Brewery and Restaurant).
“Each course, cocktail, and soundscape is crafted to awaken the senses and stir the imagination, echoing the mysteries that linger beneath Pine Avenue,” the event’s website said. “This is not a ghost tour. It’s a haunting.”
The event will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and general admission tickets cost $125 per person.
More details are available at shorturl.at/OKi5T.
Milestones
New restaurants, understandably, always seem to get a lot of attention — but here’s your gentle reminder to support our tried-and-true eateries, including these three that just recently celebrated milestones.
Olive and Rose, the new restaurant run by brother-sister duo Philip and Lauren Pretty — who also run the Michelin-starred Heritage Restaurant on Seventh Street — celebrated its one year anniversary this past weekend. The restaurant is located inside the newly renovated City Center hotel.
Michelin-starred chef Philip Pretty and his younger sister and business partner, Lauren, at their new restaurant Olive & Rose on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
The grand opening of the Olive & Rose restaurant and the City Center Hotel on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Photo by Drew Kelley, Long Beach Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Olive & Rose in Long Beach delivers a casually extraordinary dining experience on the ground floor of a centrally located motel. (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
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Michelin-starred chef Philip Pretty and his younger sister and business partner, Lauren, at their new restaurant Olive & Rose on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Telefèric Barcelona also recently celebrated its one year anniversary. The family-owned restaurant chain originated in Sant Cugat, Spain, in 1992, but opened a Long Beach location last September.
Marlena, a restaurant offering pizza, small plates, and shareables alongside a large selection of wine and cocktails, is celebrating three years in Long Beach this month.
Their menu also currently features some seasonal dishes including roasted baby yams and a smoked turbot tart.
The Tremble Club
If you’re looking for an adult-friendly way to celebrate Halloween, The Bamboo Club has you covered.
This year, the bar, located on Anaheim Street, has unveiled its spooky alter ego — dubbed The Tremble Club. The bar is now decked out in Halloween garb, and will offer a limited special menu full of haunting drinks and treats through Nov. 2.
The Bamboo Club, tiki bar and restaurant in Long Beach will host a Valentine’s Day Burlesque Show on Friday, Feb. 14. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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The Bamboo Club, tiki bar and restaurant in Long Beach will host a Valentine’s Day Burlesque Show on Friday, Feb. 14. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The bar will also host various events each week, including DJ sets, performances, burlesque shows, bingo competitions, and even a Halloween costume party event.
For more on the bar’s offerings, go to bambooclublb.com.
Other local bars and restaurants, as mentioned in last week’s column, are also offering up seasonal delights — including Port City Tavern with a themed menu, The Ordinarie’s “Creature from the Black Lagoon” pop-up, Wicked Wolf’s special tea menu, and more.
Wine & cheese experience
Gelson’s Long Beach Wine Bar will be hosting a special wine and cheese tasting on Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The evening will feature five courses of plant-based artisan cheeses from Rebel Cheese paired with premier wines from Duckhorn Vineyard.
Tickets are $40 per person and capacity is limited. RSVP at shorturl.at/kHC3p.
Rumors
Not a day goes by when someone calls to say one of our local Rite Aid locations will soon be transformed into a Mothers Market, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s.
I hate to burst your bubble — but representatives from all three companies have denied any new Long Beach openings.
“We are actively looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country as we hope to open more new neighborhood stores each year,” said Trader Joe’s public relations manager Nakia Rohde. “At this time, we do not have any new locations confirmed in Long Beach.”
Representatives from the other two companies had similar answers.
Never fear, though — we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as any new business confirms plans to open up in Long Beach moving forward.
Originally Published: October 16, 2025 at 7:00 AM PDT