Events in Long Beach Highlights
- Long Beach has plenty of events this weekend that do not involve the Grand Prix, such as block parties and spring gatherings.
- Join the Rooted & Radiant Women’s Spring Gathering for yoga, art, and vendors on April 18.
- Celebrate a decade of 6th & Detroit at their free block party with local food and vendors on April 18.
- Head to Beachwood Brewing for a Vinyl Shop & Social with live DJs and craft drinks on April 19.
- Experience the They Won’t, We Will Fest on April 19, featuring local music, art, and community activism in East Long Beach.
Look, we love the Grand Prix. The energy is unmatched, the cars are loud, and downtown Long Beach becomes its own little universe for three days. But if bumper-to-bumper foot traffic and $22 parking aren’t exactly your vibe this weekend, good news: there are plenty of things to do in Long Beach this weekend that have nothing to do with race cars.
The rest of the city is very much alive and doing its own thing. Here’s where to be for the best Long Beach events April 18–19 if you’re skipping the chaos.
Rooted & Radiant — Women’s Spring Gathering
Saturday, April 18 | 9:30 AM – 2 PM | LBX Hangar Lawn | Free (RSVP required)
Start your Saturday slow and intentional before the city loses its mind. If you’re looking for feel-good things to do in Long Beach this weekend that actually fill your cup, this is it. This female-focused spring gathering at the LBX Hangar lawn kicks off with a grounding yoga flow with @rayogastudios at 9:30 AM — limited to 30 guests, so RSVP now or forever hold your peace.
Miss the yoga? Roll in at 10:30 AM for vision boards, ceramic painting, a candle making demo from @thegoodcandle and @simplycraftedmkts, and vendors through 2 PM. Little ones are welcome but the vibe is very much “me time.” Treat yourself.
6th & Detroit Turns 10 — And They’re Throwing a Party for All of Us
Saturday, April 18 | 11 AM – 4 PM | 412 Termino Ave, Belmont Heights | Free
If you know 6th & Detroit, you already know this is the event of the weekend — and honestly one of the best free things to do in Long Beach this Saturday full stop. Owner Michelle Qazi has spent a decade building one of the most genuinely community-rooted shops in Long Beach — part vintage store, part creative hub, part neighborhood living room — and she’s celebrating ten years by throwing a full block party and inviting basically everyone she loves.
The vendor and food lineup is a greatest hits of LBC makers: Three Pigs LBC, Loquat Oysters, Loverboy Provisions, Lemongrass Khmer Grill, and Butter Qream for food; Got Your Back LB on drinks; Recordbox LB spinning vinyl; plus leather goods from @grbgmade, woodwork from @altaloma.co, florals from @xylemflorals, and vintage from @niceone.vintage, @shopnuevintage, and @sang__house. New 6&D merch dropping too. This is the one, folks. Don’t sleep on it.
Vinyl Shop & Social at Beachwood Brewing & Distilling
Sunday, April 19 | 2–6 PM | 3630 Atlantic Ave, Bixby Knolls | Free
Crate diggers, this one’s for you. One of the coziest Long Beach events happening this Sunday, Beachwood Brewing & Distilling in Bixby Knolls is hosting a free vinyl pop-up and social with record vendors, live DJ sets on wax, and obviously — great craft beer and cocktails to sip while you flip.
Hosted by @quatre45cinq with @deadrockers, @45revolutions_ryan, @rogermars, @bossharmz, and @collectngdust.vintage all in the mix. This is what a Sunday afternoon in the LBC is supposed to feel like.
They Won’t, We Will Fest — Day 2
Sunday, April 19 | 2:30 PM – 1 AM | East Side Long Beach | Free | 21+ Organized by Clear Vision Collective
Okay, stop everything. This one deserves its own moment — and if you’re searching for things to do in Long Beach this weekend that actually mean something, look no further. While half the city watches cars go in circles downtown, the East Side is hosting what might be the most purely LBC thing happening all weekend. They Won’t, We Will Fest is a free, DIY, all-day celebration of local activism, music, art, and community — 20+ bands across four venues, plus guest speakers, workshops, artist booths, galleries, and visuals. The name says everything.
Organized by the Clear Vision Collective, this is community-built, artist-led, and completely free. Here’s how the day breaks down:
DyzzyOnVynyl — 2:30–8 PM Kicking things off early with DJ sets to ease you into the day.
Vine (2142 E 4th St)
3–10 PM The Sleeperz, Galaxy Twins, The Pangs (solo set), The Aquaponics, Quadroon & The Goons. Emceed by Quadroon. Natural wine, live music, good people — one of the best free Long Beach events you’ll stumble into this Sunday.
Que Sera (1923 E 7th St)
7 PM–1 AM Chroma Sea, Strawberry Pain, Acidtrain, Soundfrom, Plezzure, Bastardo Gerardo. One of Long Beach’s most historic and beloved music venues — this room has hosted legends and it is absolutely not stopping now.
Alex’s Bar (2913 E Anaheim St)
8 PM–12:30 AM YPPAH headlines. The Long Beach-based Ninja Tune artist brings his signature blend of shoegaze, post-rock, and electronic atmospherics to his home turf — and if you’ve never seen him live, this is your moment. Also on the bill: Palm Sugar, Ingredient10, Serotonin, and Big Hat Logan.
Artist booths all day from Abonormalize.Being, Univerdge, Ecopunk_Friday, Graphic Non-Violence, CAT911, WelcomeToPlutos, Yeahfuckyeah, and more. Speakers TBA.
This is exactly the kind of Long Beach event that doesn’t make the tourist guides. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s ours.
Long Beach Antique Market
Sunday, April 19 | 6:30 AM – 2 PM (Early admission 5:30 AM) | Veterans Stadium, 4901 E Conant St | Ticketed | Free Parking
On the opposite end of the city from all that Grand Prix noise, one of the most beloved recurring Long Beach events is doing what it always does. Over 800 vendors across 20 acres selling antiques, vintage clothing, collectibles, furniture, jewelry, and home goods — plus food and drinks on-site.
If antiquing is your love language, this is genuinely one of the best things to do in Long Beach on a Sunday morning. Early birds can get in at 5:30 AM. Regular admission starts at 6:30 AM. Confirm ticket prices and details at longbeachantiquemarket.com.
The Rest of the City Has Entered the Chat
Downtown can have its race cars. The rest of Long Beach? We’re antiquing at sunrise, dancing to Depeche Mode, watching women shred on motorcycles, crying into our last Wood & Salt cocktail, and closing out the East Side at 1 AM with YPPAH and a room full of people who built something real. That’s a weekend. That’s the LBC.
There’s a reason people who move here never leave. This city doesn’t need a spotlight — it just keeps doing its thing, loudly and unapologetically, in every neighborhood all at once. Grand Prix weekend is just another proof of concept.
See you out there. Stay off the 710. Tip your bartenders.
FAQs
Tons, actually. This weekend’s Long Beach events include the 6th & Detroit 10th Anniversary Block Party in Belmont Heights, the Long Beach Antique Market at Veterans Stadium, the Iron Goddess Motorcycle Show at The Pike, the Rooted & Radiant women’s gathering at LBX, a Vinyl Shop & Social at Beachwood Brewing in Bixby Knolls, the Makers Market at LBX, Mad World 80s dance night at Alex’s Bar, and They Won’t, We Will Fest — a free all-day multi-venue music and activism festival on the East Side. Plenty of things to do in Long Beach this weekend without going anywhere near downtown.
Absolutely. Most of the city’s neighborhoods are completely unaffected by the race. Bixby Knolls, Belmont Heights, the East Side, and the LBX area are all going about their weekends as normal — and honestly throwing some of the best events of the year in the process.
Yes — most of the events on this list are completely free. The 6th & Detroit block party, Iron Goddess Motorcycle Show, Rooted & Radiant women’s gathering, Mad World at Alex’s Bar, Vinyl Shop & Social at Beachwood, LBX Makers Market, and They Won’t, We Will Fest are all free admission. The Long Beach Antique Market and Myron McKinley jazz show require tickets.
They Won’t, We Will Fest is a free, DIY, all-day music and activism festival organized by the Clear Vision Collective. The Long Beach Day 2 takes place Sunday, April 19 across four East Side venues — Vine, Que Sera, Alex’s Bar, and DyzzyOnVynyl — featuring 20+ bands, guest speakers, artist booths, workshops, and galleries. 21+, free, and running from 2:30 PM to 1 AM.
6th & Detroit is a beloved vintage and design shop located at 412 Termino Ave in the Belmont Heights neighborhood of Long Beach. Their 10th anniversary block party is Saturday, April 18 from 11 AM–4 PM. Free, all are welcome.
Yes! The Long Beach Antique Market runs Sunday, April 19 at Veterans Stadium (4901 E Conant St), 6:30 AM–2 PM. Early admission is available at 5:30 AM. Over 800 vendors, free parking, and food on-site. It’s one of the best recurring Long Beach events and a perfect way to start your Sunday before the rest of the day kicks off. Grab tickets and details at longbeachantiquemarket.com.
