Looking for events and things to do in Long Beach? A diverse coastal city, Long Beach hosts a Grand Prix, major festivals, and a packed waterfront event calendar. This local guide covers Long Beach’s biggest annual festivals, recurring markets and events, seasonal highlights, and how to find out what’s happening this weekend — straight from the people who live here.
Long Beach’s biggest annual events & festivals
Long Beach’s signature events include the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (a legendary IndyCar street race), the Long Beach Pride Festival and Parade (one of the largest in the country), the Long Beach Jazz Festival, the Cambodia Town Culture Festival, and events aboard the historic Queen Mary.
Farmers markets & recurring things to do in Long Beach
Farmers markets run several days a week across the city (Downtown, Bixby, Marina); the waterfront, Shoreline, and Belmont Shore host regular festivals and concerts; and the East Village Arts District runs monthly art walks.
Long Beach through the seasons
Spring brings the Grand Prix and Pride; summer fills the waterfront with festivals, jazz, and beach events; fall offers cultural festivals; and winter features holiday events along the coast.
What to know about Long Beach events
The Grand Prix and Pride draw huge crowds downtown — plan transit and parking. The waterfront and Belmont Shore are the walkable event hubs. Many festivals are free and beachside.
What’s happening in Long Beach this weekend
Printed event calendars go stale fast, and the best local happenings — pop-ups, block parties, last-minute shows — often never make the official listings. The most current, honest answer to “what’s going on this weekend?” comes from neighbors. On Neighborhood Nurturers’ Long Beach community, real Long Beach residents post and discuss what’s happening right now. For more ideas any time, see our guide to the best things to do in Long Beach. Join your Long Beach neighbors free and never miss what’s happening →
The Long Beach angle
The best events here are seasonal and neighborhood-driven, so timing is everything. Half the fun of the local calendar in Long Beach is stringing it together with the places nearby. Belmont Shore is the landmark most people orient around, but neighbors will tell you the El Dorado Nature Center and the Naples canals are where the town really shows its character, with Bluff Park worth a look if you have the time. Use those as your reference points and this guide slots neatly into a day that feels like Long Beach, not a checklist.
Keep exploring Long Beach
If this was useful, these companion guides cover Long Beach from angles that pair naturally with it: Things to do in Long Beach, Free things to do in Long Beach, Things to do with kids in Long Beach. Together they add up to a full weekend without leaving town.
Ask a Long Beach neighbor
The best tips never make the guidebooks — they come from neighbors who know which spot is worth it this week. That is what the Long Beach community on Neighborhood Nurturers is for. Ask Long Beach locals what they would do, or join free and get honest answers from people who actually know Long Beach.
Frequently asked questions
What are the biggest events in Long Beach?
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Long Beach Pride Festival and Parade, the Long Beach Jazz Festival, and the Cambodia Town Culture Festival.
Does Long Beach have farmers markets?
Yes — markets run several days a week across Downtown, Bixby, and the Marina, alongside East Village art walks.
What’s happening in Long Beach this weekend?
Long Beach neighbors share the most current local events — from waterfront festivals to Cambodia Town celebrations — in our community.