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3 Beach Streets pro tips from Long Beach's mayor
People on their bikes at a Beach Streets event in Long Beach.
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City of Long Beach
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Dancing at a Beach Streets event in Long Beach.
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City of Long Beach
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Music and food at a Beach Streets event in Long Beach.
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City of Long Beach
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Yoga at a Beach Streets event in Long Beach.
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City of Long Beach
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Bikes at a Beach Streets event in Long Beach.
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City of Long Beach
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Just Married bicyclers at a Beach Streets event in Long Beach.
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City of Long Beach
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Music at a Beach Streets event in Long Beach.
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City of Long Beach
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Long Beach is holding its own version of CicLAvia — the Beach Streets Midtown event — this Saturday, shutting off streets to cars from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Instead, they'll be open to bikes, pedestrians, skateboards, rollerblades and whatever else you want to stick on your feet. (Other than a car. No sticking cars on your feet.)
See the official map of the event here.
"We're closing off a huge part of Long Beach," the city's mayor Robert Garcia, told KPCC. "This Beach Streets in particular is fun because it's going right through the heart of Cambodia Town, which is the largest Cambodian population outside of Cambodia actually in the United States."
The route runs along Anaheim Street from Orange Avenue to the Pacific Coast Highway, and Garcia said that it runs through a lot of traditionally Asian, Cambodian and Latino markets and areas.
"It's going to be a great, diverse festival, and we're pretty excited about that," Garcia said.
The mayor offered his suggestions for what to do and how to take advantage of this Saturday:
- Music: "There's going to be numerous concerts throughout the day, at both ends of the route."
- Public transportation: "You can take the Blue Line directly to Beach Streets, so people can get off on the Anaheim Station and literally just ride right into the event."
- Get involved: "There's also going to be all sorts of displays on sustainability and the environment, and how to get involved in the community, and all the local groups from around Long Beach and the county region will be there promoting sustainability and also promoting to get out and walk and be active."
This is the third such event held by the city over the past two years, with tens of thousands of people in attendance over the last couple years, according to the Mayor's Office.
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Other highlights, according to a press release from the city:
- Free skateboard lessons
- Roller derby demonstrations
- Yoga
- A martial arts demonstration
- An obstacle circuit course skills track, with another version for kids
- And, of course, food
So get your preferred non-motorized method of transportation ready, whether it be a bike or some sweet new shoes, before this weekend's event.
Watch a promo for the event from Long Beach below:
Beach Streets Midtown promo video
See more from previous Beach Streets events:
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