July events!

In case your family enjoys Wild Rivers in Irvine, it will be closing for good at the end of this summer. :-(

A great website to check out everything going on in Long Beach is 100daysofsummer.org

Finally, be aware that the 405 freeway will be completely CLOSED between the 10 and 101 freeways during the July 16-17 weekend.  This is really unprecedented and probably a good weekend to stay close to home.

Places to cool off besides the beach…Sigler Park in Westminster has a splash pad for kids which is free and open every day from noon-5pm...Another splash pad in Stanton at Harry Dotson Park, 10350 Fern Ave...Lakewood (scroll to bottom for info) has wading pools for little ones 3-7 at 6 sites…and there is Buccaneer Bay in La Mirada - go here for $2 off.

And now for all the goings on in our fair city!
Now: Adventure Playground is open; Aquarium of the Pacific discounted summer nights
June 25: Port of Long Beach 100 Birthday Celebration
June 25: Party with Julius and Paul Frank, Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood
June 25: Great American Backyard Campout
June 27-September 1: Movies in the Park
June 28-July 27: Long Beach Municipal Band Concerts in the Park
June 28: $1 summer ice-blendeds at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
June 28, July 12, & July 26: Family Nightlife Walk ($4)– El Dorado Nature Center – 7pm – RSVPs required
June 30, July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28: Food trucks at St. Isidore, Los Al - 5pm-9pm 

July 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29: LB Museum of Art - free every Friday
July 1, 15, & 29: Family Campfire ($3) - El Dorado Nature Center - 7pm - RSVPs required
July 2: Independence Day with Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, & John Adams at the International Printing Museum in Carson
July 2: Pirate Invasion, Belmont Pier
July 2: Fireworks preview and family festival, Rainbow Harbor
July 4: July 4th Bike Parade for kids, Granada Ave.
July 4: Independence Day fireworks shows: Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base ($5 parking) & along the shoreline - Long Beach
July 4: Fireworks show at Veteran's Stadium - $5/person
July 6: Deadline for LA County Fair entries – just need to send in the form; actual entries are delivered on July 23.
July 6, 8, 13, 15: Storytimes in the Garden – Rancho Los Alamitos – 6-9 years
July 6: LBSO Instrument Petting Zoo - El Dorado Library - 2pm
July 7 & 21: Summer Concerts at the Nature Center – 6:30pm

July 9: Long Beach Street Food Fest - Rainbow Lagoon
July 9: Bixby Knolls Dragster & Car Show
July 9: Health Fair - free bone density, stroke, & cholesterol screenings - 4401 Atlantic Ave. - free refreshments, prize drawings - 9am-1pm
July 10: DanceFest 2011 - Center Theatre - Free
July 11-15: Video game design camp – gee!
July 11-15: Harry Potter marathon at the Block in Orange

July 15-August 14: OC Fair
July 15: Get into the OC Fair for free - Noon to 1pm only on the first day
July 16-17: 405 Closure from the 10 to the 101
July 16: New Dinosaur Hall opens at the Natural History Museum
July 17: Origami Festival – CSULB
July 17: 50th anniversary at Der Weinerschnitzel - 61 cent hot dogs
July 19: Free day at South Coast Botanical Garden - Palos Verdes Peninsula
July 21: LBSO Instrument Petting Zoo - Dana Library - 3:30pm

July 22: Capture the Wind Festival and Youth Beach Day – Granada Beach
July 23: Take entries to LA County Fair - Pomona
July 25: Multiple Intelligences Parent Info Meeting – gee!
July 25: GlowMoms - Dance party for the mom set - $15 before 7/21

July 30-31: Civil War Re-enactment – El Dorado Park
July 30: Shakespeare by the Sea – King Lear – Rossmoor/Los Alamitos – Rush Park
July 31: Shakespeare by the Sea – Much Ado About Nothing – Rossmoor/Los Alamitos – Rush Park

Summer Concerts at the El Dorado Nature Center

Thursday, July 7
6:30pm-8pm
$3/adults, kids 12years+, under 12 free!

El Dorado Nature Center
7550 E Spring St
(562) 570-1745

Enjoy a sunset picnic by the lake with some of SoCal's local musicians. Bring low chairs or blankets and an earth-friendly picnic dinner.  Gates open at 6:30pm, and the concert will begin at 7:00 pm.

For more information, please visit our website or call (562) 570-1745 or e-mail us at lbparks@longbeach.gov.

More dates:
Thursday, Jul. 14 (6:30pm—8pm)
Thursday, Jul. 21 (6:30pm—8pm)
Thursday, Jul. 28 (6:30pm—8pm)
Thursday, Aug. 4 (6:30pm—8pm)
Thursday, Aug. 11 (6:30pm—8pm)
Thursday, Aug. 18 (6:30pm—8pm)

Garden Grove Strawberry Festival

A Memorial Weekend tradition.

THE GARDEN GROVE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 53^rd YEAR!
The Festival is held at the Village Green, between Euclid and Main Street Streets in downtown Garden Grove, CA 

MAY 27-30, 2011

Friday (11am to 10pm)
Sat & Sun (10am to 10pm)
Monday (10am to 9pm)
Admission is Free!
Carnival Ride Ticket Bargains Available
Garden Grove Strawberry Festival

Spring Camp at The El Dorado Nature Center!

Spring Break Workshops
April 25 - April 29
Join us for vacation fun at the Nature Center!
7550 E. Spring St., Long Beach

K-1st 9:30-11:30am
2nd-4th 1-3pm

Fee is $10 per class. Topics include:
• Mud Mania
• Potions, Lotions and Strange Plant Notions
•Weaving and Wearing
• Butterfly Bonanza
• Birds, Blooms and Bees

More information

Living Nativity

Portraits of Prince of Peace
A free Christmas Pageant for all

December 10, 11 & 12
Nightly from 7:30pm to 9pm
5500 block of Wardlow Road to Bellflower Blvd.
Free parking

Enjoy the story of Christmas with a candlelit outdoor walk.  Come follow the path through many scenes, complete with actors and animals.  Enjoy the choirs, musical groups, and refreshments provided by the churches.

Sponsored by: LB Christian Reformed, St. Cornelius, St. Luke's, Truett Memorial, University Baptist, and Calvary Chapel.

Knott's Merry Farm

Buy a toy, get admission to the park
December 4-19

Knott's Berry Farm

8039 Beach Boulevard 

Buena Park, CA

Knott's Merry Farm and the US Marine Corps Reserve team up to provide hundreds of toys for needy families throughout the Southland. Guests who purchase of a $15 gift from one of several merchandise locations in Knott's Marketplace receive free admission to the park.

Those wishing to bring their own new, unwrapped gift valued at $15 or more are given a voucher to purchase a regular Knott's Merry Farm admission for the discounted rate of $15.

Buy one, get one free at Starbucks!

http://www.starbucks.com/share/#/redcups

Buy one holiday drink, get one free. Nov 18-21, 2-5p.m.