Community and creativity are at the heart of several events happening this week in Long Beach; a fitting way to both kick off Black History Month and prepare for Valentine’s Day.

Check out a range of hands-on workshops, including an Augusta Savage-inspired clay workshop for teens at Burnett Neighborhood Library on Friday and a custom cowboy hat workshop Saturday at Rancho Los Cerritos. Plus, local kids can partake in Valentine’s Day craft-making with a charms class Saturday at Bach Neighborhood Library or a card workshop Thursday at Billie Jean King Main Library. 

Sports fans are invited to watch the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympic Games Friday evening at Sports Basement and the Super Bowl on Sunday aboard the Queen Mary. Additional community gatherings include a Black History Month listening party Tuesday at Billie Jean King Main Library and a virtual meeting for a proposed off-leash dog area at Junipero Beach on Wednesday. 

Sara Pilchman creates a divet in some spinning clay that she will turn into tiny pots inside her studio and warehouse in Signal Hill on Feb. 8, 2022. Pilchman and her employees produce about 1000 pots per week in this location. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)

Friday 2/6

Augusta Savage Clay Workshop: 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Teens and tweens are invited to honor Harlem Renaissance sculptor Augusta Savage with a hands-on clay workshop at Burnett Neighborhood Library (560 E. Hill St.). Participants will learn basic sculpting techniques and create a small bust celebrating someone they admire. All materials provided. Free.

Winter Games Opening Ceremony Watch Party: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Youth and families are invited to watch the Winter Olympic Games opening ceremonies with Mayor Rex Richardson at Sports Basement (2100 N. Bellflower Blvd.). The event will feature appearances by local former Olympians, youth sports performances, games for kids, and food and drinks available for purchase. All ages are welcome. Free.

Exhibit Opening Reception: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to an evening on the bluff at the Long Beach Museum of Art (2300 E. Ocean Blvd.) to celebrate the opening of “Robert Williams: Fearless Depictions.” This survey exhibition features 57 paintings from 2001 to the present, along with two large-scale sculptures by the Southern California artist. Reservations through Eventbrite are required. Free.

Homemade chocolate chip cookies entered in the Christmas bake-off competition on Nov. 23, 2014. (Courtesy of Justin Rudd)

Saturday 2/7

Community Run: 9 a.m. Long Beach Run Club, Open Gallery and Reinne’s Place is hosting a 5K run/walk, art gallery and coffee meet-up at 1738 E. Seventh St. 

Custom Cowboy Hat Workshop: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All skill levels are invited to make their own cowboy hats at Rancho Los Alamitos (6400 East Bixby Hill Road). Participants will choose their own hat color, band style and embellishments such as feathers or dried flowers. Light refreshments will be provided. Tickets can be purchased for $130 on Eventbrite.

Bake Sale: 10 a.m. to noon. Homespun will be hosting a community aid bake sale at the corner of Junipero Avenue and Second Street to raise funds for the Long Beach Community Table. Residents can bring their own baked goods to add to the cause if they get there before 10 a.m., or bring shelf-stable foods to donate. Cash and venmo will be accepted, and 100% of proceeds will go to the Community Table. 

Black History Family Storytime: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Families with young children are invited to enjoy stories, songs and crafts in celebration of Black History Month at Dana Neighborhood Library (3680 Atlantic Ave.). Free.

Grand Opening: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Celebrate the grand opening of Off Duty Beer + Wine at SteelCraft Long Beach (3768 Long Beach Blvd.). Attendees can enjoy live music from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m., as well as raffles, pup cups and specialty drinks. Free.

714 Market: Noon to 5 p.m. Sweethearts, friends and family are invited to stroll, eat, sip and shop from local vendors and small businesses at LBX (4150 McGowen St.). There will also be a Valentine’s photo booth, a DJ, face painting, free heart-shaped pens, glasses, tote bags and much more. Pet-friendly. Free. 

Teen Chess Club: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Teens and tweens ages 10 and up are invited to play chess at the Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.). All skill levels are welcome. Free.

Valentine’s Charms: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Children and teens are invited to celebrate Valentine’s Day by making a charm for someone special, a friend or themselves at Bach Neighborhood Library (4055 N. Bellflower Blvd.). All supplies will be provided. Free.

Vinyl Jam Session: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dance Music Initiative will be hosting a vinyl jam session at Foot Work Records (400 E. Third St.) for those 21 and older. Instructors will be spinning with the opportunity for students to jump in. Free. 

A seagull rests on one of the cables holding the retired oceanliner, Queen Mary, in its permanent location in Long Beach on Dec. 15, 2022. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)

Sunday 2/8

Kitchen Pail Distribution Event: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents with City-serviced green carts are invited to pick up a free kitchen pail for collecting food scraps at 1248 Orange Ave. Supplies are limited. Free.

Children’s Art Workshop: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Families are invited to visit the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.) to create handmade Valentine’s cards. All materials will be provided. Free.

“The Final Kickoff” Watch Party: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. The public is invited to the Royal Salon aboard the Queen Mary (1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach) for a Super Bowl watch party. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Children ages 3 and over are welcome. Tickets can be purchased for $11 on the Queen Mary’s website.

From left: Alex Piper (train conductor) and Susie McCarthy (Mrs. Hubbard) in the Long Beach Playhouse’s “Murder on the Orient Express.” (Photo by Mike Hardy)

Monday 2/9

Black Film Marathon: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Celebrate Black History Month with an afternoon of films highlighting Black voices at the Burnett Neighborhood Library (560 E. Hill St.). Attendees can drop in for a single film or stay for the full marathon. Free.

Open Call Auditions: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Long Beach Playhouse (5021 E. Anaheim St.) is holding open auditions for its upcoming community theater production of “Harvey” by Mary Chase. This volunteer production runs from April 4 through May 2, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., plus potential special performances. Actors of all ethnicities are welcome to audition for a variety of roles, including Elwood P. Dowd, Veta Louise Simmons, Myrtle Mae Simmons, Dr. Sanderson, Nurse Ruth Kelly and others. Auditions require a headshot and resume. Sides will be provided for cold readings. Rehearsals begin Feb. 14. Free.

North Long Beach business Saturation Room has a Y2K-era photo booth set up at The Norf Pole 2023 event, hosted by Norfside LB Outreach. (Courtesy of Hillary Nguyen)

Tuesday 2/10

Valentine’s Day Photoshoot: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Teens and adults ages 12 and up are invited to have Valentine’s Day photos taken at the Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway). Participants can bring their loved ones and/or themselves to have photos taken against a green screen with a variety of background options. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Free.

Planning for Housing: 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Residents are invited to the Bixby Park Community Center (130 Cherry Ave.) to learn about proposed changes to the Enhanced Density Bonus Ordinance and share their feedback. The evening will also feature the fourth installment of the HOME Roadshow, promoting dialogue on homelessness and housing. Attendees can talk with City staff from the Planning Bureau, Housing and Neighborhood Services Bureau, and Office of Homeless Strategy and Partnerships. Free. 

Black History Month Listening Party: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Teens ages 13 to 18 are invited to celebrate Black History Month at the Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) with a program highlighting Black creativity across generations. Participants will watch and listen to Tiny Desk concerts by Black musicians, share their favorite artists and discuss how music connects communities. While listening, teens will create a paper quilt inspired by the Gee’s Bend quilting tradition using pattern, color and repetition to tell their own visual stories. All materials will be provided. Free.

A young performer with Neiya Arts twirls her dress during a performance of traditional folklorico dance at the Museum of Latin American Art during the Dia de los Muertos celebration on Oct. 29, 2023. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)

Wednesday 2/11

Junipero Dog Beach Virtual Community Meeting: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Residents are invited to a virtual community meeting hosted by the City of Long Beach, where City staff will share information and gather feedback on a proposed new off-leash dog area at Junipero Beach. The Zoom link to the meeting can be found on the City’s online event calendar.

Dance Classes: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Participants are invited to learn Latin American and Caribbean dance styles in this beginner-friendly class at the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.). Space is limited. Tickets can be purchased for $20 on the museum’s website.

The City of Long Beach has released a survey to gather input for the upcoming Celebration of the Young Child. (Courtesy of City of Long Beach)

Thursday 2/12

Co-Regulation Parenting Workshop: 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Parents and caregivers are invited to this workshop at the Bay Shore Neighborhood Library (195 Bay Shore Ave.) presented by Lizette Bautista, founder of The Parent Theory. Participants will learn about co-regulation, how to support children in managing big emotions and strategies to help them develop self-soothing and emotional regulation skills. Free.

Valentine’s Day Cards: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Kids ages 4 to 12 are invited to make their own Valentine’s Day cards at the Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway). All materials will be provided. Free.

Black Lives Matter LBC: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. BLM LBC’s monthly meeting will discuss Keith Porter, a Black father of two who was killed by an off-duty ICE agent on New Year’s Eve and whose family and community are still demanding accountability, how the Olympics and gentrification are shaping the city, and other issues facing the community. RSVP at blmlongbeach.org/rsvp. Free.

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