Upcoming summer fun in Long Beach

Fireworks Extravaganza

On Friday, July 8 at 8 p.m., the City of Long Beach will hold its annual Fireworks Extravaganza on Riverside Boulevard beach. New York Minute will be performing party favorites during the event.

The city is providing free shuttle bus service to and from the event. Parking will be limited, especially near the boardwalk, so the city is encouraging residents to use special “Fireworks Shuttle Buses.” The buses will run from 7 to 11 p.m., from the West and East ends, approximately every 15 minutes. Buses will stop for passengers on corners along the route.

The routes are as follows:

East End: Park Avenue - buses will leave LIRR Station to pick up passengers on the south side of Park Avenue to Maple Boulevard. The bus will then proceed westbound on Broadway, picking up passengers along the route to the event at Riverside Boulevard.

West End: Ohio Avenue and Beech Street – buses will leave Ohio Avenue, and travel east bound picking up passengers along Beech Street to New York Avenue. From there, the bus will turn onto Broadway, picking up passengers along the route to the event at Riverside Boulevard.

Immediately following the fireworks display, shuttle buses will pick up passengers on the southeast corner of Riverside Boulevard and Broadway for east travelers and the southwest corner for West travelers through 11 p.m., returning along the same routes as above.

Arts and Crafts Festival returns

On Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Arts and Crafts festival returns to the boardwalk between Long Beach Boulevard and Edwards Boulevard. This festival features more than 200 arts and crafts vendors specializing in everything from homemade candles, hand-crafted jewelry, wooden items, and home decor to nautical paintings, photography and caricature portraits. There will also be food vendors offering international cuisine.

NYSEA Surf Week kicks off

The NYSEA Surf Week begins Wednesday, July 13 and lasts through Sunday, July 17. The five-day event offers kids and open surf contests, kids and open skateboard contests, open charity surf events, parties, an arts show, beach and boardwalk vending, and concerts presented by NYSEA. The open surfing contest features both professional and local surfers. Activities will take place between Edwards Boulevard and National Boulevard beach. For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.nysea.com.