Wednesday was the official start of summer, and there are all sorts of events taking place in celebration of the season right here in the South Bay. The following are just a few of the items I believe deserve your attention. There are plenty of other ongoing events happening every day of the week, so be sure to check the ‘Things to Do’ page and calendar listings by date at southbaybyjackie.com.
is kicking off the summer in style with their on Saturday, June 23. Guests are encouraged to slip on their summer whites for an evening of seasonal fun. The event features drink specials—$5 draft beer and 25 percent off wine—with the kitchen staying open late to dish out favorite appetizers. Those planning to dine from the regular menu will want to arrive early because at 9 p.m. the tables will be cleared out and the music and dancing will get underway. Sophie’s is located at 1708 S. Catalina Ave. in Riviera Village in Redondo Beach. For more information, call 310-540-8484 or visit the website at mysophiesplace.com.
Join on Saturday, June 23 for a fun-filled day of activities and entertainment as they raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The all-day event takes place at (1238 Hermosa Ave.) and (1220 Hermosa Ave.) in Hermosa Beach. There are three separate events scheduled: a poker tournament, scavenger hunt and iron man competition for kids. There will be live music and food and drink specials throughout the day with a silent auction, opportunity drawings and prizes. The entry donation is $10, unless you are registered for one of the events. For more information, visit the website at kure4kids.org. I heard from the organiers yesterday, and there are a few seats left for the poker tournament so if you want to attend, register now! I’ll see you there!
Celebrate the arrival of summer at the taking place Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24. This very popular yearly event takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days, and admission is free. There will be more than 250 vendor booths featuring arts and crafts, apparel, accessories, commercial, civic and non-profit organization exhibits and much, much more. Local acts and musicians will be performing live on the Community Stage both days, so be ready to rock. You don’t want to hassle with parking, so leave the car at home and take out the bicycles. The is sponsoring the free bike valet service which will be located on Vista del Mar and Camino de la Costa and operated by Beach Cities Cycling. A free shuttle service to and from the event will be available both days from the West High parking lot. For more information, call the event hotline at 310-531-8939 or visit the website at rvsummerfestival.com.
The City of Manhattan Beach presents the 34th Annual Concerts in the Park series kicking off Sunday, June 24. The series is a summer-long event held at Polliwog Park and takes place every Sunday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. This year, The City of Manhattan Beach is celebrating the Centennial Anniversary with the series featuring popular music from the last 100 years. 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. Polliwog Park is located at 1601 Manhattan Beach Blvd. in Manhattan Beach. For more information and the concert schedule, visit the website at citymb.info/index.aspx?page=1643.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department will be at the Manhattan Beach Farmers Market to host a free Child Safety Expo on Tuesday, June 26 from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m.. Learn about child safety and theft protection and have your children fingerprinted and photographed at no cost. Balloons will be on hand! This is just one more way to ensure your child’s safety. The Manhattan Beach Farmers Market is located at 13th Street between Valley and Morningside drives in Manhattan Beach. Metered parking is available in the underground Metlox parking structure. For more information, contact the MBPD Crime Prevention Office at 310-802-5186.
Are you ready for the hottest, most talked about event of the year? Walk With Sally is thrilled to announce the benefit presented by Momma Mia Worldwide on Saturday, July 21. The evening will feature the always decadent “Taste of the South Bay” with samplings from the most buzz-worthy restaurants, a silent auction and a traditionally raucous live auction. The highlight of the night is a live concert by best-selling, Grammy-nominated Smash Mouth. Tickets are on sale now and expected to sell out quickly! For more information and ticket purchase, visit the website at walkwithsally.org/whitelightwhitenight/buytickets.html. This is the one event of the summer you don’t want to miss!
Don’t forget, Triton Mixed Martial Arts Center offers a FREE Women’s Self Defense Class every Monday morning at their training facility in on Harbor Drive. This very valuable service is available free for women of every age and you don’t have to be a member of Gold’s or Triton to participate. Just check in at the front desk. For more information, visit the website at tritonmma.com.
As always, check the calendar links and ‘Things to Do’ page on my website, southbaybyjackie.com, for details on these and other events throughout the South Bay.
On The South Bay Show this morning, our guest was Nick Arquette, co-founder of Walk With Sally. Nick filled us in on all the details regarding the big White Light White Night benefit taking place next month. Don’t worry - if you missed it, you can listen to it online.
The South Bay Show presents ‘Preparing for Disaster in the South Bay’. This very instructive program airs every Friday morning on Blog Talk Radio at 7:00 AM. Tomorrow we’re going to discuss home and workplace preparedness. It will be an interesting and informative hour so tune in! You can listen to it live or at your leisure online.
Have a great South Bay weekend!
Jackie
