Bixby Knolls · Long Beach 90807

A Local's Guide to Bixby Knolls First Fridays

The Atlantic Avenue art walk that turns Bixby Knolls into Long Beach's most welcoming block party — the first Friday of every month, 6:30–9:30 PM.

First Fridays is Bixby Knolls' signature monthly event, hosted by the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association along Atlantic Avenue between Bixby Road and San Antonio Drive. It's part gallery night, part street fair, and part live-music showcase — free to attend and easy to plan a night around.

When it happens

First Friday of every month, 6:30–9:30 PM. Free admission. Rain or shine.

Where it happens

Atlantic Ave between Bixby Rd and San Antonio Dr — about a mile of shops, galleries, and pop-up vendors.

Art & galleries

  • Expo Arts Center — the anchor gallery on Atlantic, with rotating exhibits from Long Beach artists and an open-studio night that draws the biggest First Fridays crowd.
  • Pop-up artist booths line the sidewalks with paintings, ceramics, jewelry, and prints — most vendors are local and sell direct.
  • Live art demos at participating shops, plus chalk artists on the sidewalk near San Antonio Drive.

Live music

Three to five stages set up along Atlantic Ave each month, from acoustic singer-songwriters at coffee shops to full bands at Steelcraft and outside Rasselbock. The lineup rotates monthly and leans local — expect Long Beach indie, jazz trios, and Latin fusion.

Where to eat & drink

  • Steelcraft Long Beach — the shipping-container food hall a block off Atlantic. Ramen, tacos, smash burgers, and Smog City beer under string lights.
  • Rasselbock Kitchen & Beer Garden — German biergarten with a big patio; usually has a band on First Fridays.
  • Bake N Broil — the 1965 neighborhood diner known for made-from-scratch pies and charbroiled burgers.
  • Rose Park Roasters — for a pour-over between gallery stops.
See the full Bixby Knolls dining guide →

Tips from a local

  • Park on a side street west of Atlantic — spots go quickly by 6:45 PM.
  • Start at Expo Arts Center, work north toward San Antonio Dr, and end at Steelcraft.
  • Bring cash — some pop-up vendors are cash-only.
  • Most shops stay open until 9:30 PM; galleries often close closer to 10.

Official event info

Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association

Live one block from all of this

3565 Linden Ave #141 puts you a short ride from Atlantic Avenue's First Fridays and everything else Bixby Knolls has to offer.

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