South Bay Events starting December 7
Your definitive guide to South Bay events occurring weekly in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach… This week we begin our Calendar listings with holiday events throughout the beach cities.
■ Victorian Holiday Party
The Redondo Beach Historical Society and the Redondo Beach Historical Commission will open up the historic Morrell House and Queen Anne Museum for a festive holiday celebration Friday, Dec. 8, from 5 to 9 p.m., at 298 Flagler Lane. The Morrell House and the Queen Anne Museum will be decorated for the holidays and open to the public for this event. Admittance is an unwrapped toy valued at $10 or more. All toys will benefit the Cheer for Children charity organization, which provides holiday gifts to acutely ill children. Unwrapped toys can also be dropped of at the Morrell House through Dec. 11 during regular museum hours (from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays). For more information, visitredondohistorical.org, or call (310) 465-7149.
■‘Hot Chocolate Nutcracker’
If you’re looking for a twist on the holiday staple, Debbie Allen’s “Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” features tap, hip-hop and Bollywood dancing set to an original score by Mariah Carey and others. The show stars Debbie Allen along with students of the Debbie Allen Academy. This year, ABC’s “Dr. Ken” star Tisha Campbell-Martin joins the cast as one of the wise-cracking mice who narrate the story. The show takes place Dec. 7, 8, 9 and 10, at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, located at 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. For more information, visit thehotchocolatenutcracker.com.
■ RB Holiday Concert and Santa
The seventh annual Holiday Concert and Santa on the Pier takes place at the Redondo Beach Pier and Fisherman’s Wharf Saturday, Dec. 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will benefit Love In The Mirror, which cultivates youth-led, service-focused initiatives to create a positive impact in the world through meaningful programs for all members of the community. Attendees are invited to bring a new unwrapped toy valued at $5 or more in exchange for a chance to win pier prizes. For information, visit RedondoPier.com, or visit facebook.com/events/1591718207588752/.
■ Cheer for Children toy drive
In celebration of the season of giving, the Redondo Beach Visitors Bureau is proud to partner with local hotels to host a toy drive supporting Cheer for Children. Through December 19, un-wrapped gifts can be donated at participating Redondo Beach hotels, with select properties offering discounts and incentives for donors. For more information, visit cheer4children.com.
■ RB Holiday Boat Parade
The King Harbor Yacht Club’s Holiday Boat Parade returns for the 26th year, Saturday, Dec. 9, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the main channel of King Harbor. This holiday event harnesses the joy of the holiday season—brightly decorated boats and paddle-crafts parade through the marina as they compete for top honors. KTLA 5 evening news meteorologist, Vera Jimenez, is this year’s grand marshall. SUP/Paddlecraft start at 4:30 p.m, boats start at 5:30 p.m. Free bleacher seating is sponsored by the city of Redondo Beach. Enter KH Marina/Moonstone Park at Marina Way to enjoy great views from along the inner seawall. To register your boat or SUP and/or get more information, go to KHYC.org or waterfronteducation.org. Participation is open to all King Harbor boaters.
■ RB Holiday Boat Parade party
Shade Hotel, located at 655 N. Harbor Drive in Redondo Beach, is hosting a Holiday Boat Parade Viewing Party from 4:30 to 10 p.m. on the Rooftop Aquadeck. The family-friendly event will include cocktails, bites and warm holiday drinks. General admission is $10 at the door. For more information, call (310) 430-3974.
■Sand Snowman contest
The Sand Snowman contest takes place north of the Hermosa Beach Pier Saturday, Dec. 9, from 8:45 a.m. to noon. For more information, call (310) 318-0280.
■Beach Cities Toy Drive
Donate toys and join for a wrapping party in Hermosa Beach Saturday, Dec. 16, for the 25th annual Beach Cities Toy Drive. To participate, donate unwrapped new toys and bring them to several locations including the fire stations in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, the Hermosa fire station and Manhattan Beach City Hall. The wrapping takes place beginning at 11 a.m. at the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym located at 710 Pier Ave. For more information, call (310) 218-7239, or (310) 780-3577.
■ South Bay Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’
Experience the magic of the holidays through the South Bay Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker” in El Camino College’s Marsee Auditorium Dec. 16 and 17. A holiday tradition at El Camino College, the show is under the direction of Diane Lauridsen and Elijah Pressman. More than 100 dancers will take the stage to perform Charles Maple’s choreography to Tchaikovsky’s original score. Tickets for the performance range from $24-$34 and may be purchased online at centerforthearts.org using the online ticketing system or by phone at 800-832-ARTS. The Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Campus parking is $3. Marsee Auditorium is located at 16007 Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance.
■ Hanukkah at The Point
Kick off Hanukkah on Dec. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m., with a community menorah lighting, child-friendly activities, and traditional Hanukkah games and foods, including “sufganiyot” (jelly doughnuts). at The Point, located at 850 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in El Segundo. The event will feature a scavenger hunt, storytelling, crafts, and music as well as Hanukkah traditions such as “dreidel,” a game involving a top, and the lighting of an eight-branched candelabra called a “menorah.” Sponsored by Congregation Tikvat Jacob, Hanukkah at The Point is an annual tradition that draws hundreds of attendees, making it one of the South Bay’s largest Hanukkah events. For more information, visit ctjmb.org.
■HB Chanukah celebration
A Community Chanukah Celebration takes place at the Hermosa Beach Pier, Sunday, Dec. 17, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The event features music, latkes and donuts, gifts for children, entertainment, and giant menorah lighting. For more information, call (310) 214-4999.
■ Chanukah celebration at Metlox
A Menorah lighting and other festivities take place at Metlox, located at 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd. in Manhattan Beach, Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit jccmb.com.
■ Hanukkah at Manhattan Village
Music, dancing, singing, latkes, arts and crafts and a Menorah lighting takes place at the Manhattan Village Shopping Center Wednesday, Dec. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information, visit shpmanhattanvillage.com.
■Holiday Slip & Shop
The third annual Holiday Slip & Shop takes place at Studio 26 Salon, located at 1601 Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach Friday, Dec. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. This year’s event features complimentary bites and drinks, pop-ups from local vendors, as well as prizes and giveaways throughout the night. Each year a portion of event proceeds benefit a chosen charity or nonprofit. This year, they chose to give back to hurricane relief efforts supporting victims in both Houston as well as Puerto Rico. The event is open house and free of charge. For more information, visit studio20six.com.
■Warm coat drive
North Redondo Girl Scout Troop #10475 is having a One Warm Coat drive on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Jefferson Elementary School, located at 600 Harkness Lane in Redondo Beach. They are collecting gently used coats and jackets for those in need. They also accept blankets, gloves and scarves. This is a non-profit Girl Scout sponsored event benefiting the LA Mission.
■LGBT Holiday Potluck Party
The South Bay LGBT Center’s 28th anniversary and annual Holiday Potluck Party takes place Friday, Dec. 8, at the center located at 16610 Crenshaw Blvd. in Torrance. Bring a favorite dish and celebrate the South Bay LGBT Center and the start of the holiday season with friends and family from the local LGBT community. Enjoy food, socializing, raffles and prizes, all to benefit the South Bay LGBT Center. For more information, visit southbaycenter.wixsite.com.
■Old Town Music Hall festival
The Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo hosts its annual Christmas Festival Dec. 15, 16 and 17. Sit back and enjoy the best of holiday music played by Bill Field on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ. Watch classic comedy shorts and sing along to favorite Christmas carols. Enjoy “March of the Wooden Soldiers” featuring Laurel and Hardy. General admission is $10, and seniors over 62 are $8. Old Town Music Hall is located at 140 Richmond Street in El Segundo. Screenings are Friday at 8:15 p.m.; Saturday, 2:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.; and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit OldTownMusicHall.org.
Thursday, Dec. 7
■ Happy Hour with History
The Hermosa Beach Historical Society’s next Happy Hour with History, which takes place Thursday, Dec. 7, is a presentation on Los Angeles lighthouses by author and curator Rose Castro-Bran, from 6 to 8 p.m. Castro-Bran has been the curator of the Port Hueneme Lighthouse since July 2002 and is a public affairs specialist in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and a member of the Aids to Navigation Team for Los Angeles/Long Beach, which repairs and maintains local California lighthouses. She and her then boyfriend, now husband, Kim, joined the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. For more information, visit hermosabeachhistoricalsociety.org.
■ ‘La La Land’ dance party
Rock cover band Frankly Speaking headlines The Lighthouse Cafe’s “La La Land” dance party night Thursday, Dec. 7, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. For more information, visit franklyspeakingband.com, thelighthousecafe.net. or call (310) 376-9833.
■ ‘Choreography Showcase’ at El Camino
The El Camino College Dance Department will present its annual “Choreography Showcase,” highlighting the work of the college’s beginning and intermediate choreography students. Many genres will be represented in two performances, which take place at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., on Thursday, Dec. 7 in the El Camino College Campus Theatre. Tickets for the performance are $10 and may be purchased online at centerforthearts.org using the online ticketing system or by phone at (800) 832-ARTS. The Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Campus parking is $3. The Campus Theatre is located at 16007 Crenshaw Blvd, in Torrance.
Friday, Dec. 8
■ Cancer sound therapy
Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach hosts sound therapy practitioner Sylvia Kulczak on Friday, Dec. 8, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at 109 West Torrance Blvd., Redondo Beach. Participants will experience a deep sense of peace, rejuvenation and happiness through the healing power of sound. Kulczak provides sound therapy using Tibetan singing bowls to soothe the mind and body, and then tune up frequencies to invigorate and add extra energy to the body’s cells. Advance registration required. Call (310) 376-3550, or visit cancersupportredondobeach.org, for more information.
Saturday, Dec. 9
■ Learn more about IRAs
Learn more about smart IRA planning Saturday, Dec. 9, from 11 a.m. to noon, at the Redondo Beach Main Library, located at 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway, in Redondo Beach. The program is hosted Mark Boujikian, CFP at Keymark Financial. He will present information that may be helpful to you in planning for your retirement. For more information, visit redondo.org.library.
■ Sandy Casey concert and benefit
Classical guitarist Felix Kellaway benefit concert honoring the memory of Sandy Casey takes place Saturday, Dec. 9, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Mira Costa High School small theater, located at 1401 Artesia Blvd. in Manhattan Beach. The Manhattan Beach Rotary Club and Mira Costa HS Interact Club presents the event which will also feature the MBMS Madrigal Singers. The concert honors the memory of Sandy Casey, a special education teacher at MBMS, who was one of the Las Vegas mass shooting victims. The concert’s proceeds will provide a scholarship to a student with a demonstrated interest in teaching children with special needs. For more information, visit benefit.mbrotary.org.
Sunday, Dec. 10
■ Chemocessories fundraiser
Chemocessories, a South Bay charity founded by Iris Lee Knell after her own battle with breast cancer, is hosting a brunch fundraiser Sunday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the new Casa Vincenzo, located at 439 Pier Ave., in Hermosa Beach. There is a varied menu for $25 plus tax and tip, and 30 percent of each meal will be donated back to the charity. Chemocessories provides personalized sets of scarves, jewelry and turbans to cancer patients going through chemo treatment. For reservations, call (310) 379-7626.
Tuesday, Dec. 12
■ Local author talk
Local author Pramila Dugal will talk Nepali recipes from her new book “Nepali Cooking for Your Health,” Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 630 to 7:30 p.m., at the Redondo Beach Main Library located at 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway. For more information, visit redondo.org.library.
■ Cancer pain management
Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach hosts Claudia Welch, a facilitator for the American Chronic Pain Association, on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 11 a.m. to noon at 109 W. Torrance Blvd., Redondo Beach. Offered the second Tuesday of each month, this workshop focuses on a holistic approach to pain. Welch leads discussions supporting alternative and complementary treatments to manage pain. This month’s topic is “Change, Loss, and How to Find Yourself Amid Pain.” Participants will explore how re-defining roles, relationships and characteristics can help to push back and take control of pain. Advance registration is required. Call (310) 376-3550, or visit cancersupportredondobeach.org, for more information.
Wednesday, Dec. 13
■ Fundraiser for former RUHS student
A fundraiser takes place 7 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 13 at Samba Brazilian Steakhouse for 2012 Redondo Union High School graduate Zach Zent who was diagnosed with stage four sarcoma. Zent was a captain on the football team at Redondo and was attending the University of Chicago Law School. During his summer internship with the Eastern District of New York he worked as part of the team that prosecuted Martin Shkreli. For more information and how to contribute to his medical expenses, visit Youcaring.com.
