South Bay by Jackie Weekend Guide July 2, 2015

The South Bay hosts an astounding variety of special events and activities year round! The South Bay by Jackie Weekend Guide offers concise, yet extensive, coverage of the greater South Bay area. The Weekend Guide is updated every Thursday morning so be sure to check in each week or, you can sign up for our email list or RSS feed to receive your copy of the South Bay by Jackie Weekend Guide every Thursday!

South Bay Weekend Guide for July 2, 2015

The South Bay is not a large region, geographically speaking – it’s only about 15 miles from El Segundo to the Hill – but with all the traffic on the 4th of July, getting from Point A to Point B can be gridlock hell. Luckily for locals, there are several holiday events planned throughout the area that most of us can walk or bike to. It’s really the only way to go, considering the influx of inlanders that will flock to the coast. So put the car keys away, put some air in the tires and put on your helmet – getting around will be a lot less stressful. Have a wonderful Independence Day weekend and if you must drive, please, please, don’t drink.

The City of Torrance Community Services Department invites the public to stop by for some Fun in the Sun at a variety of parks this summer. The program will offer innovative group-based, outdoor games designed to stimulate and challenge participants. The program is non-custodial and participants are free to come and go as they please. This program is FREE and will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at a dozen different parks. For additional information and complete schedule, visit the website at http://www.TorranceCA.Gov/Parks or call (310) 618-2930.

The Redondo Beach Pier Association presents the Summer of Music Concert Series every Thursday and Saturday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. starting tonight, July 2 and running through August 31. The first concert of the season features Woodie & The Longboards. These concerts are free to the public, so gather your family, friends and neighbors for a casual, relaxing evening of entertainment,. For additional information, directions and concert schedule, visit the website athttp://www.redondopier.com/event/summer-of-music-free-concerts-on-the-pier-5/. The Redondo Beach Pier is located at 100 Fisherman’s Wharf at the western-most end of Torrance Boulevard, west of Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach.

Before the barbeques and fireworks begin, kick off the big birthday celebration at the annual Village Runner 4th of July 5K Run/Walk & Firecracker Dash presented by UCLA Health. This very popular local event gets underway at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 4 in front of the Village Runner store in Riviera Village. The route starts on Catalina Avenue and heads north three blocks to Avenue I for a left turn west to the Esplanade. The course continues north to Torrance Boulevard for a U-turn to retrace the route back to the finish line. There will be chip timing, water stations, sponsored refreshments, age division awards and cash prizes to the top three overall male and female runners in the 5K and all participants will receive a 4th of July Run t-shirt. For additional information and registration, call 310-375-2626 or visit the website athttp://www.villagerunner.com/4th-of-july-5k/. The Village Runner is located at 1811-A South Catalina Avenue in Riviera Village in Redondo Beach.

The community is invited to celebrate our nation’s birthday at the 2015 Redondo Beach 4th of July Family Fireworks Spectacular! This family and kid friendly special event will feature first come, first serve seating throughout the Seaside Lagoon. Bring your beach chairs, blankets and umbrellas (tents are not permitted). Gates open at 2 p.m. and lifeguards will be on duty. All day fun for the kids includes swimming with family in the warm water lagoon, inflatable slides, arts & crafts, party music with a live DJ, and a special menu of food and beverages from Ruby’s Diner. Attendees are also welcome to bring prepared foods and drinks. The event will be alcohol free; no alcohol sales inside the lagoon and no outside alcohol will be permitted. Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children. Parking at the Marina lot is $15 and guests MUST arrive by 3:30 p.m. for a guaranteed space in the lot. Redondo Beach 4th of July Family Fireworks Spectacular offers a safe, family-friendly atmosphere to celebrate the 4th of July! For additional information, visit the website at http://redondofireworks.com/. Seaside Lagoon is located at 200 Portofino Way in Redondo Beach.

The El Segundo Recreation & Parks Department proudly presents the 4th of July Community Celebration and Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday, July 4. The celebration is an all-day event with activities for the entire family and takes place in Recreation Park. The fun gets underway at 10 a.m. with a Hula Hoop contest, water balloon toss, sack races and more. The El Segundo Kiwanis Club is sponsoring a pie eating contest at 1:30 p.m. followed by a watermelon eating contest at 2:15 p.m. sponsored by the El Segundo Rotary Club. Proceeds from the food and snack booths will benefit local community and school groups. Enjoy live music at the softball field from 5 to 7 p.m. The music continues at Stevenson Field from 7 to 9 p.m. The fireworks show sponsored by Chevron blasts off at 9 p.m. with expanded seating opportunities including general admission, senior citizen and resident priority seating. For additional information, call 310-524-2700. Recreation Park is located at 401 East Sheldon Street in El Segundo.

Join the City of Rancho Palos Verdes this 4th of July as they celebrate our nation’s birthday! This year’s 4th of July Celebration features live entertainment, food booths, kiddie carnival rides, games, arts and crafts, pie eating contest, a hula hoop contest and much, much more! The event will take place at Point Vicente Park and RPV Civic Center and runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and complimentary shuttle service along Hawthorne Boulevard will be provided. On-site parking will be available for $5. For additional information and complete schedule of events, call 310-544-5260 or visit the website at http://www.rpvca.gov. Point Vicente Park and RPV Civic Center are located at 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard in Rancho Palos Verdes. For vendor or booth information, contact Bell Event Services at 310-349-0743.

Every Independence Day, a local resident provides a spectacular 4th of July Fireworks Show from a barge off Torrance Beach. Jackie Briles has been arranging and picking up the tab for this fireworks display for many years, much to the delight of locals. The fireworks were originally part of a birthday celebration that eventually turned into an annual neighborhood event. It has never been advertised, but when the City of Torrance cancelled the annual fireworks show at Wilson Park a few years ago, all the displaced revelers headed west. Now, thousands of people gather on the beach and Esplanade to enjoy the show. If you plan to attend this year, please be patient. The City takes drastic traffic measures and blocks off most of the residential streets, so getting in and out of the area can be frustrating. After the show, the surrounding area is a parking lot and it can take up to two hours just to get to PCH. If at all possible, leave the car at home and walk or bike to the beach.

The City of Palos Verdes Estates proudly presents An Old-Fashioned Fourth of July on Saturday, July 4 beginning at 9:30 a.m. Now in its 54 year, this free community event is a favorite with locals and visitors alike. Pack a picnic basket and plan to make a day of it. If you plan to take part in the Apple Pie Contest, you should arrive early to submit your entry. Children are encouraged to decorate their bicycles in red, white and blue and participate in the Patriotic Bicycle Parade. Enjoy family games, face painting, the Jim Gamble All-American Puppet Show, patriotic music, food and more. For additional information and the schedule of events, visit the website at http://www.pvjuly4.org/index.php. All activities take place on the playing fields of Malaga Cove School located at 300 Paseo Del Mar in Palos Verdes Estates.

The City of Manhattan Beach presents the annual Concerts in the Park series kicking off Sunday, July 5 and running through September 6. The series is a summer-long event held at Polliwog Park and takes place every Sunday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. Musical offerings will include Dixieland, Country Western, Alternative Rock, Surf music, Woodstock, Beatles, Elvis & Neil Diamond tributes and Salsa/Latin among others. Every year, The Hyperion Outfall Serenaders, the ‘Official Band of Manhattan Beach’, opens the series. These performances are free to the public. There are no dogs, barbecues or wheeled vehicles allowed at any time in the concert area. Umbrellas and pop-up tents may be set up before and after the concert but once the concert begins, you will be required to take them down. Get out your beach chairs, blankets and picnic baskets and head to Polliwog Park for some good old-fashioned summertime fun! Polliwog Park is located at 1601 Manhattan Beach Boulevard in Manhattan Beach. For more information and the concert schedule, visit the website at http://www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us/city-officials/parks-and-recreation/cultural-arts/concerts-in-the-park-2013get=”_blank”>http://www.citymb.info/index.aspx?page=1643.

The Malaga Cove Business & Professional Association, in cooperation with the Palos Verde Police Officers Association, is proud to present Concerts in the Park. The concerts will take place beginning July 8 and running through August 26, at Farham Martin’s Park adjacent to the Malaga Cove Library. The music starts at 7 p.m. but concert goers may arrive at the park as early as 3 p.m. to spread a blanket and claim a prime parking spot. The first concert on Wednesday, July 8 features Eric the Reggae Man. The Malaga Cove Library is located at 2400 Via Campesina in Palos Verdes Estates with the Library parking lot off Via Pinale. For more information, visit the website at http://malagacoveconcerts.com/.

Here’s a heads-up on a few future events you’ll want to plan for now!

http://www.southbaybyjackie.com/shakespeare-by-the-sea-july-11-august-4-2013/

http://www.southbaybyjackie.com/dinela-restaurant-week-july-13-26-2015/

http://www.southbaybyjackie.com/el-segundo-art-walk-june-18-2015/

http://www.southbaybyjackie.com/white-light-white-night-july-18-2015/

These are just a few of the events taking place, so be sure to check the Calendar links, Things to Do page and Daily Blog post on my website http://www.southbaybyjackie.com for details on these and other events happening throughout the South Bay.

On The South Bay Show yesterday morning, we launched a brand new weekly program, Redondo Beach – More to Sea! This program is produced by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and will air every Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. on Blog Talk Radio. You can listen to yesterday’s show here: http://www.southbaybyjackie.com/redondo-beach-sea/. Be sure to tune in every Wednesday morning for the latest and greatest from Redondo Beach!

This morning on The South Bay Show – South Bay Spotlight, our guest was Robert Resnick, President of the Redondo Pier Association. We discussed several of the big events happening at the Redondo Pier this summer! Don’t worry, if you missed the program, you can listen to it here: http://www.southbaybyjackie.com/redondo-beach-pier-events/. Tune in every Thursday at 8 a.m. to keep up with what’s going down in the South Bay!

Happy 4th of July and have a fabulous South Bay Weekend!

Jackie

http://www.southbaybyjackie.com