Long Beach Roads Will Be Closed To Cars For Beach Streets

LONG BEACH, CA — Major roads will be closed to cars in Uptown Long Beach as part of an event next month that will see pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders and others take over the streets.

The city's annual Beach Streets event will take place Nov. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year, the city is combining the event with its Veterans Day celebration as part of an effort to increase community engagement and highlight the Artesia Great Boulevard Project, according to officials.

“Beach Streets is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together, enjoy our beautiful city and celebrate sustainable living,” Mayor Rex Richardson said. “This year, we are especially honored to return to Uptown, where Beach Streets began, and also recognize and celebrate our veterans. I invite the community to join us as we transform our streets into a vibrant space for both connection and reflection.”

This year's route covers northbound Atlantic Avenue from South Street to Artesia Boulevard as well as Artesia Boulevard from Atlantic Avenue to Cherry Avenue, which includes a new bike corridor.

Entertainment hubs will be located along the route at Houghton Park, on Atlantic Avenue by Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, and on the corner of Artesia Boulevard and Cherry Avenue.

The welcome ceremony will kick off at 12:30 p.m. at the main stage of the Artesia Boulevard Hub. The center will highlight recent improvements to the boulevard and feature live music and resource booths. The hub by Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library will also include music and booths.

The Veterans Hub at Houghton Park will feature the Veterans Day Celebration, including a resource fair, live music from Knyght Ryder and The Satin Dollz, aircraft flyovers, food trucks and beer garden, a boot camp-style obstacle course and a skate zone fearing skate lessons and demos.

It will also include a kid zone featuring performances by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater and DJ Mike and Aquarium of the Pacific's Aquarium on Wheels.

The Artesia Great Boulevard Project began construction in February 2023 on a three-mile stretch of the road between Harbor Boulevard and Downey Avenue. The project is meant to reduce traffic-related fatalities and provide more equitable access to non-car modes of transit, city officials said.

More information about the event is available on the city's website.