A Pretty Solid Week Around Here

Hello South Bay!

We’re right in the middle of July, and the South Bay has a nice little mix this week. Some of it is outdoors, some of it is family-friendly, and a few things feel like the kind of local plans you only find when you’re actually paying attention.

It’s a good week to keep your calendar loose and have a couple options ready.

Here’s what’s going on 👇

This Week in My South Bay

Thursday, July 16
🎭 Shakespeare by the Sea: Macbeth @ Manhattan Beach
🧠 Ben Franklin Trivia Night @ Hermosa Beach
🎸 Say It Ain’t Weezer @ Redondo Pier

Friday, July 17
📚 Gordon Korman Author Event @ {pages} a bookstore

Saturday, July 18
🍀 Sligo Rags @ Redondo Pier
🧶 Craft Fair @ Torrance

Sunday, July 19
🎶 The Amplified @ Polliwog Park

Monday, July 20
🦈 Shark Shack @ Roundhouse Aquarium

Tuesday, July 21
🎹 MindTravel Silent Piano Concert @ Redondo Beach

🎭 Shakespeare by the Sea: Macbeth

📍 Polliwog Park, Manhattan Beach
🕒 Thursday, July 16 & Friday, July 17 | 7:00 PM
💰 Free

Shakespeare by the Sea is back in Manhattan Beach with two free nights of Macbeth under the stars. This is one of those easy summer plans that feels very South Bay: bring a picnic, a blanket, and low-back beach chairs, then settle in at Polliwog Park for the evening. It’s open seating, so arriving early is probably the move if you want a good spot. The city notes that dogs, barbecues, and wheeled vehicles are not allowed in the performance area.

🔹 Free outdoor theater in Polliwog Park
🔹 Bring a picnic, blanket, and low-back chairs
🔹 Open seating, so plan to get there early

👉 More info

🎸 Redondo Pier Summer Concerts

📍 Redondo Beach Pier
🕒 Thursday, July 16 & Saturday, July 18 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
💰 Free

The Redondo Pier concert series has two solid nights on deck this week. Thursday brings Say It Ain’t Weezer, which is exactly what it sounds like, and Saturday brings Sligo Rags for a little Irish music by the water. These are easy, low-commitment summer plans: walk the pier, grab food nearby, and let the ocean breeze do some of the work. If you’ve been meaning to make a weeknight feel less like a weeknight, Thursday is probably your opening.

🔹 Say It Ain’t Weezer plays Thursday night
🔹 Sligo Rags plays Saturday night
🔹 Free music right by the water

👉 More info

🧠 Ben Franklin Trivia Night

📍 Hermosa Beach Museum, Hermosa Beach
🕒 Thursday, July 16 | 6:00 PM
💰 Ticketed

The Hermosa Beach Museum is hosting a very specific kind of trivia night: American history, Benjamin Franklin, and a Semi’Quiz’centennial theme. Ben Franklin will be portrayed by a local commissioner, and the questions will cover 250 years of U.S. history and beyond. You can bring a team of up to six or join in solo and meet people there. Tickets include complimentary refreshments and a free beverage.

🔹 American history trivia with a local museum angle
🔹 Teams can be up to six people
🔹 Refreshments and one beverage included

👉 Get tickets

📚 Gordon Korman at {pages} a bookstore

📍 {pages} a bookstore, Manhattan Beach
🕒 Friday, July 17 | Time needs confirmation
💰 Access needs confirmation

{pages} is hosting author Gordon Korman this Friday in Manhattan Beach. If you grew up reading his books, have a kid who’s currently reading them, or just like a good local bookstore event, this one is worth having on your radar. Korman has written a long list of middle grade and young adult books, so this should be a good stop for families, teachers, and young readers. Check with {pages} for the exact time and any RSVP or purchase requirements before going.

🔹 Local author event at {pages}
🔹 Good fit for families and young readers
🔹 Exact time and access should be confirmed with the bookstore

👉 More info

🦈 Shark Shack at Roundhouse Aquarium

📍 Roundhouse Aquarium, Manhattan Beach Pier
🕒 Monday, July 20 | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
💰 Regular aquarium access

The CSULB Shark Lab’s Shark Shack is coming to the Roundhouse Aquarium for the day, which is a strong one if you have kids, shark-curious adults, or anyone who likes a good pier stop with a little science mixed in. The Shark Lab team will be there to answer questions and share more about sharks, marine ecology, and ocean conservation. It’s also a good excuse to visit the aquarium while summer is in full swing. Simple, local, and actually useful.

🔹 CSULB Shark Lab team on-site
🔹 Family-friendly ocean science at the pier
🔹 Easy add-on to a Manhattan Beach walk

👉 More info

🧶 Craft Fair in Torrance

📍 Bayside Apostolic Center, Torrance
🕒 Saturday, July 18 | 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
💰 Free

Bayside Apostolic Center is hosting a craft fair this Saturday with local vendors, baked goods, crochet and knit supplies, books, and a raffle. South Bay sewing studio Sew Into It is also expected to be there, offering same-day sewing machine and serger cleaning and settings checks. It’s a smaller community event, but a useful one if you like handmade goods, craft supplies, or have a sewing machine that’s been sitting around needing attention. Easy daytime stop if you’re in Torrance.

🔹 Free admission
🔹 Local vendors, baked goods, and craft supplies
🔹 Sewing machine and serger cleaning available on-site

👉 More info

🎶 The Amplified at Polliwog Park

📍 Polliwog Park, Manhattan Beach
🕒 Sunday, July 19 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
💰 Free

Manhattan Beach Concerts in the Park continues this Sunday with The Amplified, a classic hard rock cover band playing at Polliwog Park. This is the easy Sunday move: bring a blanket, low-back chairs, and something to snack on, then settle in for a couple hours of music. Seating is first come, first served, and food trucks are expected to be there. Alcohol is permitted, but large tents or anything blocking views are not allowed.

🔹 Free concert at Polliwog Park
🔹 Classic hard rock cover band
🔹 Food trucks expected on-site

👉 More info

🎹 MindTravel Silent Piano Concert

📍 Redondo Beach
🕒 Tuesday, July 21 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
💰 Ticketed

MindTravel is bringing its silent piano concert to Redondo Beach this Tuesday evening. The concept is a little different: live piano, headphones, and a beachside setting that makes the whole thing feel more like a slow exhale than a standard concert. It’s probably best for someone who wants a quieter midweek plan, a date night that is not dinner again, or just a reason to sit near the water and listen for a while. The official listing has tickets through Eventbrite.

🔹 Live piano concert with headphones
🔹 Beachside Redondo setting
🔹 Good for a calmer midweek night out

👉 Buy tickets

📸 South Bay Snapshot

That’s it for this week!

Mid-July is a good time to keep things simple. A concert by the water, a blanket at the park, a slow walk on the pier, and maybe one plan you would not have found on your own.

If you have a friend who’s always looking for things to do around the South Bay, send them this newsletter.

See you out there,
Jaime
@MySouthBay