Fall is officially here, which in Long Beach means it’s still 80 degrees, but we’re pulling out the flannel anyway because we’re committed to the bit. Pumpkin spice is flowing (iced), the skeletons are going up in yards from Bixby Knolls to Belmont Shore, and scary season is right around the corner. Before we hand the keys over to October, let’s take September out with a she-bang. If you’ve been scrolling for things to do in Long Beach this weekend, you’re in the right place. Grab your friends and let’s go.
Flesh&Edibles: Art Exhibit by Linda Estrela Ikeda
Address: Hellada Gallery, 117 Linden Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
Time: Opens 2:00 PM on Sept 12; closing day runs until 8:00 PM on Oct 3. Check gallery hours before you go.
Date: On view now through Saturday, October 3, 2026
Cost: Free
Details: Flesh&Edibles
You are what you eat, and Linda Estrela Ikeda has the art to prove it. Flesh&Edibles, now showing at Hellada Gallery in the East Village Arts District, explores the space where food culture meets the human body: how what we eat shapes our physique, our minds, and how the world sees us. The collection illustrates the many shapes and transformations of the human form through the lens of nutrition, both biochemical and psychological.
This is not some abstract concept piece, friends. It’s deeply personal. Ikeda has been intensely aware of what goes into her body since she was 12, and after health challenges in recent years that affected both her work and her well-being, this exhibit became a retrospective of her lifelong relationship with food, the body, and beauty. She’s been imagining some of these images since the late ’90s, which means you’re looking at decades of vision finally on the walls. The result is a cohesive, gorgeous, thought-provoking body of work that’ll have you rethinking your next snack.
It’s only up for one more week after this weekend, so if you’ve been meaning to go, this is your sign. Pair it with a stroll through the Arts District and a bite nearby (on theme, obviously).
Concert for a Cause – The Good Pawject’s Charity Concert for Animal Rescue
Address: At The Top, 105 W Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802
Time: 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Cost: Ticketed. General admission is first-come standing tables, there’s a limited buy-one-get-one-free deal, and you can reserve a VIP table for your group. Get tickets on Eventbrite
Details: Concert for a Cause on LBC Vibe
Live music AND rescue pups and kitties? Say less. The Good Pawject is taking over At The Top in Downtown Long Beach for an afternoon-into-evening fundraiser that brings our local music scene and animal rescue community together in one place. Five SoCal bands are hitting the stage, covering indie, pop, emo, and punk, so whether you’re a Warped Tour survivor or a certified indie sad girl, there’s a set with your name on it. Come for your favorite band or stay the whole five hours. Nobody’s judging.
Every dollar raised goes to The Little Lion Foundation and Hollywood Huskies, two rescues providing lifesaving care for homeless and abandoned cats and dogs across Southern California. Want to give beyond your ticket? There’s a silent auction, merch, donation opportunities, and a pet supply drive, so bring that bag of kibble your picky dog refused to eat. And because this lineup wasn’t extra enough, there’s also a rock-themed pinup pageant. Yes, really. Iconic.
This one is all ages, sponsored by the Port of Long Beach, and designed to get people back downtown supporting local musicians, local businesses, and local nonprofits. Heads up: parking is paid and tickets are non-refundable, so plan accordingly.
Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy + Clyde & The Milltailers at Alex’s Bar
Address: Alex’s Bar, 2913 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804
Time: Doors at 8:00 PM
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Cost: $18.54 (all fees included)
Details: Tickets and info on DICE
If your idea of a Saturday night involves a sticky floor, a cold drink, and a band loud enough to rattle your fillings, Alex’s Bar has you covered. Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy are headlining with Clyde & The Milltailers plus special guests, and honestly, can we talk about the delicious irony of a band named after the most famous hatchet-swinging anti-booze crusader in American history playing one of Long Beach’s most beloved dive bars? We love a band with a sense of humor.
Alex’s is a Long Beach institution for a reason. It’s an intimate room with a 300-person capacity, which means you’re up close and personal with the stage, not squinting at tiny figures from the back of an arena. This one’s 21+, so leave the kiddos at home and bring your ID. Tickets live securely in the DICE app, and the price you see is the price you pay, no surprise fees at checkout. Refunds are only available within 24 hours of purchase or if the show is rescheduled or canceled, so commit to it.
Pro tip: Pair this with The Good Pawject earlier in the day and make it a full-on Saturday of live local music. Rescue pups in the afternoon, rowdy rock at night. That’s a Long Beach Saturday done right.
Paint it Forward: A Pottery Play Day for a Cause
Address: Bixby Park, 130 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
Cost: FREE
Details: RSVP and info on Eventbrite
Free, family-friendly, AND for a good cause? Long Beach, you spoil us. Hustle & Play is teaming up with Sara Pilchman Ceramics and the Volunteer Center for a laid-back Sunday afternoon of painting handmade ceramic bowls in Bixby Park. Bring your friends, your kids, your crafty aunt, or just yourself and your questionable brush skills. They’re providing the music and all the supplies. You just show up and play.
Here’s why it matters. Those bowls you paint are headed to the very first Empty Bowls Long Beach on November 7, bringing the nationally recognized Empty Bowls movement to our city for the first time ever. At that event, guests will gather at the First Congregational Church of Long Beach, enjoy soup donated by local restaurants, and take home a handcrafted bowl, all to raise awareness about food insecurity right here in our community. Every dollar supports Food for Kids, the Volunteer Center’s hunger-relief program that serves more than 325,000 meals a year to children and families across Long Beach and the South Bay.
So yes, you’re spending a sunny Sunday painting pottery in the park. But you’re also helping kick off what could become a brand-new Long Beach tradition. Cute afternoon, big impact. We love to see it. Mark your calendar for November 7, too.
Speed Dating on the Marina for Lesbians (WLW) | Ages 30+
Address: Ballast Point Brewing, 110 N Marina Dr, Long Beach, CA 90803
Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
Cost: $65 early bird (first 5 registrants), $75 regular. Get tickets on Eventbrite
Details: Speed Dating on the Marina
Ladies, put the phone down. Your thumbs deserve a break from swiping. This Sunday, The Connection Strategist is hosting an intimate speed dating afternoon at Ballast Point on the marina for lesbian and WLW singles ages 30 and up who are done with ghosting, done with five-year-old profile pics, and ready to meet someone in actual real life. The vibe alone is worth it: golden afternoon light, boats bobbing in the harbor, a drink in hand, and a cute stranger across the table. Romance, but make it Long Beach.
Here’s the deal. You’ll go on 11 mini-dates, rotating until you’ve met everyone in the room. When the rounds wrap, you’ll mark who you vibed with on a match form, and then the host does a live, game-show-style reveal right there on the spot. No anxiously refreshing your inbox the next day. If it’s mutual, it’s a match, and your first date is covered by the host that same day. Got more than one mutual match? Look at you. You’ll get to choose who you want to take on that first date. And for anyone who doesn’t lock in plans on the spot, all mutual matches get their contact info exchanged by email within 24 to 48 hours.
Your ticket includes one drink of your choice, hors d’oeuvres all afternoon, conversation cards for any awkward pauses, and that live reveal. Only 22 spots total, so this is quality over quantity. A couple of things to know before you buy: all sales are final with no refunds, and photos and video may be taken for promo, so show up looking like the catch you are.
That’s a Wrap on September, Long Beach
And that’s your lineup of events in Long Beach this weekend. Whether you’re getting your culture fix at Hellada Gallery, rocking out for rescue pets downtown, closing down Alex’s Bar, painting bowls for a cause in Bixby Park, or finding your person on the marina, there’s zero excuse to spend your last September weekend on the couch. Scary season starts next week, so squeeze every drop out of this one. Tag us when you’re out and about, support the small businesses keeping this city wonderful, and check back every Friday for more things to do in Long Beach this weekend. See you out there, LBC.
FAQs: Events in Long Beach This Weekend
What are the best events in Long Beach this weekend?
This weekend’s lineup includes The Good Pawject’s Concert for a Cause at At The Top, Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy at Alex’s Bar, Paint it Forward at Bixby Park, Speed Dating on the Marina at Ballast Point, and the Flesh&Edibles art exhibit at Hellada Gallery. Something for music lovers, art lovers, and hopeless romantics alike.
Are there free things to do in Long Beach this weekend?
Yes! Paint it Forward at Bixby Park on Sunday, September 27 is totally free. Paint handmade bowls from 1 to 4 PM to support Empty Bowls Long Beach and the fight against local food insecurity.
What are some family-friendly events in Long Beach this weekend?
Bring the kids to Paint it Forward at Bixby Park on Sunday afternoon, or catch The Good Pawject’s Concert for a Cause on Saturday, which is all ages. Budding punk rockers and rescue-pup lovers welcome.
Where can I see live music in Long Beach this weekend?
Saturday is your day. Catch five SoCal bands at The Good Pawject’s Concert for a Cause from 3 to 8 PM at At The Top in Downtown Long Beach, then head to Alex’s Bar for Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy with Clyde & The Milltailers, doors at 8 PM (21+).
Are there any charity events in Long Beach this weekend?
Two of them! The Good Pawject’s Concert for a Cause benefits The Little Lion Foundation and Hollywood Huskies, and Paint it Forward supports Food for Kids, the Volunteer Center’s hunger-relief program. Have fun and do good at the same time.
Are there LGBTQ+ events in Long Beach this weekend?
Yes. Speed Dating on the Marina for Lesbians (WLW), ages 30+, happens Sunday, September 27 from 3 to 6 PM at Ballast Point Brewing. Tickets are $65 to $75 and only 22 spots are available, so don’t wait.
What art exhibits are showing in Long Beach right now?
Flesh&Edibles by Linda Estrela Ikeda is on view at Hellada Gallery in the East Village Arts District through October 3. It explores how the food we eat shapes our bodies, our minds, and how society sees us.
How do I find more things to do in Long Beach every weekend?
Check back with LBC Vibe every Friday for our weekly roundup of events in Long Beach this weekend, and browse the full LBC Vibe events calendar anytime for what’s happening around town.
