May 2026 is one of the busiest months on Long Beach’s calendar, with the Long Beach BBQ Festival, LA Fleet Week, Long Beach Pride, and Memorial Day weekend all packed into the second half of the month. If you live here, this is the stretch where the city stops feeling like spring and starts feeling like summer. If you’re visiting, this is the month to come.
Whether you’re planning a weekend trip, a Memorial Day getaway, or just trying to figure out what’s worth doing this month, here’s a complete breakdown of the events, the food, the free stuff, and the always-on Long Beach experiences that hit different in May.
The Big Events Happening in Long Beach in May 2026
Four major events anchor the month. Two of them are inside Long Beach. One is right next door. And one falls on a Tuesday but spills across the entire weekend before.
Long Beach Pride (May 15 to 17)
The 43rd annual Long Beach Pride lands on the third weekend of the month with the theme “Fearless and Free.” Teen Pride kicks things off on Friday, May 15. The main two-day festival runs Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 at Marina Green Park (386 E Shoreline Dr), noon to 10 PM both days. Three stages, 150 plus arts and crafts vendors, drag shows, food, and DJs.
The Long Beach Pride Parade steps off Sunday, May 17 at 10 AM at Ocean Boulevard and Lindero Avenue, then travels west along Ocean to Alamitos Avenue. The parade is free to watch and one of the largest in Southern California. Long Beach has been named one of the most LGBTQ inclusive cities in the country by the Human Rights Campaign for over a decade, and Pride weekend is the clearest reminder why.
Tickets and details at longbeachpride.com.
Long Beach BBQ Festival (May 23 and 24)
The 4th annual Long Beach BBQ Festival takes over Rainbow Lagoon Park (400 E Shoreline Dr) on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24. Hosted by Axiom Kitchen and Noah’s Arc Foundation, this is California’s biggest BBQ festival, with 30 plus pitmasters, 20 plus food vendors, live fire cooking demos, whole hog and whole steer cooks, whiskey tastings, craft beer from ISM Brewing, and live music all weekend.
General admission runs noon to 9 PM both days. VIP gets you in at 11 AM with tastings and premium perks. Kids tickets are around $7 and adult general admission starts under $20, which makes this one of the better food festival values on the waterfront. Tickets and the full vendor lineup at longbeachbbqfest.com.
LA Fleet Week (May 19 to 25)
LA Fleet Week happens on the LA Waterfront in San Pedro, but it’s a quick drive over the Vincent Thomas Bridge from downtown Long Beach. Neighborhood activations begin Tuesday, May 19. The main festival, ship tours, and expo run Friday through Monday, May 22 to 25, centered around the Battleship IOWA at 250 S. Harbor Blvd.
It’s free to attend. You can tour active duty Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine ships, watch aerial demonstrations on May 23 at 10 AM and May 25 at 4 PM, catch the Galley Wars culinary cook-off, see the Festival of Sail tall ships, and end the weekend with the Memorial Day Observance ceremony on Monday. Bring a valid government issued ID if you want to board any of the ships.
Schedule and full details at lafleetweek.com.
Cinco de Mayo (Tuesday, May 5)
Cinco de Mayo falls on a Tuesday in 2026, but the celebrations spread across the weekend before. Big Boy’s Comedy Fiesta brings George Lopez and a stacked lineup to the Long Beach Convention Center on May 5. The Queen Mary throws a Cinco party with live mariachi, folklórico dancers, and DJ sets under the stars. 2ND & PCH at 6400 Pacific Coast Hwy hosts live music, dance, and a kids Cinco celebration from 10 AM to noon.
If you’d rather just go out for tacos and a margarita, El Barrio Cantina, Lola’s Mexican Cuisine (Retro Row at 2030 E 4th St and Bixby Knolls at 4140 Atlantic Ave), and Tamarindo’s at the Long Beach Marriott all do it well.
Memorial Day Weekend in Long Beach
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer in Long Beach, and 2026 is one of the most loaded versions of the holiday weekend the city has ever had. Between the BBQ Festival on the waterfront and Fleet Week right across the harbor, you can spend three full days outside without ever leaving the coast.
For locals, this is the weekend the beaches really wake up. Belmont Shore fills up early. The bike path along the shoreline gets busy by 9 AM. Alamitos Bay turns into a paddleboard, kayak, and gondola scene. Naples Island gets perfect for a slow walking loop along the canals. Second Street in Belmont Shore hits its summer rhythm with patio crowds and live music spilling out of the bars.
If you’re visiting from out of town, a smart move is to base yourself in Long Beach and split your weekend between the BBQ Festival on Saturday or Sunday and Fleet Week’s ship tours and aerial demos on the other day. Long Beach hotels tend to fill up Memorial Day weekend, especially anything within walking distance of Rainbow Harbor, so book early.
For more on what makes the city worth a visit any time of year, our Is Long Beach Worth Visiting? post breaks it down.
Where to Eat and Drink in Long Beach in May
Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 10. Parkers’ Lighthouse on the Rainbow Harbor waterfront does a Mother’s Day buffet brunch with bay views, and Queensview Steakhouse on the third floor of the same building does a more upscale plated brunch with live jazz. Both fill up fast, so reservations are a must.
Shoreline Village hosts a Mother’s Day flower wall and live music, and the village’s mix of casual harbor view spots like Tequila Jack’s, Yard House, and Louisiana Charlie’s makes it one of the easier places to take mom for a relaxed Sunday.
For warm weather patio dining, the East Village Arts District is one of Long Beach’s most underrated stretches. Walking distance from the convention center, with a tight cluster of bars, coffee shops, and restaurants that feel made for a May afternoon. Belmont Shore’s Second Street is the obvious second pick. Naples Island has a few tucked-away gems if you want quieter.
For Cinco de Mayo specifically, Ola Mexican Kitchen overlooking the Alamitos Bay Marina at 2ND & PCH is one of the prettier spots to sit. El Barrio Cantina is the classic pick. Lola’s covers both Retro Row and Bixby Knolls if you’re already in those neighborhoods.
Free Things to Do in Long Beach in May
Long Beach is one of those cities where you can have a full day without spending much. May makes that even easier because the weather finally cooperates.
The Bluff Park overlook along Ocean Boulevard between Junipero and Loma is one of the best free sunset spots in the city. The view stretches from the Queen Mary to Catalina on a clear day. Pack a picnic, walk the bluff trail, and watch the sky go orange.
Naples Island is free to wander on foot. Walk the canal loops, look at the houses, cross the little bridges. Shoreline Village is free to walk through and has live music on weekends. The Pike Outlets is open for browsing whether you buy anything or not, and the wheel and the harbor walk are right there.
The Long Beach Pride Parade on May 17 is free to watch from the sidewalk along Ocean Boulevard. LA Fleet Week is free to attend, including ship tours and aerial demos. The Aquarium of the Pacific isn’t free, but the area around it, including Rainbow Harbor and the lighthouse, is one of the best free walks in the city.
For more low cost ideas, see our full Free Stuff To Do category.
Family-Friendly Stuff to Do in May
The Aquarium of the Pacific is the obvious anchor for a family day in Long Beach. The May weather makes the outdoor exhibits, the lorikeet aviary, and the shark lagoon way more enjoyable than they are in winter.
The Long Beach BBQ Festival has a dedicated kids play area and family-friendly programming both days, and kids tickets are deeply discounted. The Bike Path along the shoreline from Shoreline Village down to Belmont Shore is great for kid-paced cycling.
For a true Long Beach experience, book a gondola ride through Naples Island. The boats hold a small group, the canals are protected and calm, and an hour-long ride feels like a mini vacation. 2ND & PCH runs a free PCH Explorers Kids Club event on May 5 from 10 AM to noon for Cinco de Mayo, with crafts and dance.
If you want a deeper list of evergreen family options, our Top 25 Things to Do in Long Beach covers the must-hits across every season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Long Beach in May 2026
What’s happening in Long Beach this Memorial Day weekend?
Memorial Day weekend 2026 in Long Beach is anchored by the 4th annual Long Beach BBQ Festival on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24 at Rainbow Lagoon Park. LA Fleet Week is happening simultaneously across the harbor on the LA Waterfront in San Pedro, May 22 to 25, with free ship tours and aerial demonstrations. Belmont Shore, Alamitos Bay, and Naples Island are all in full summer mode by the holiday, and Second Street in Belmont Shore is packed with patio crowds.
Is the Long Beach BBQ Festival free?
No, the Long Beach BBQ Festival is a ticketed event. General admission for adults starts at around $17 retail with discounts available through partner sites, kids tickets are around $7, and VIP packages run higher with early entry, tastings, and premium perks. Food and drinks are sold separately by the vendors. The festival benefits Noah’s Arc Foundation. Tickets are available at longbeachbbqfest.com.
Where can I watch Memorial Day fireworks in Long Beach?
Long Beach does not host an official Memorial Day fireworks display. The city’s two big public fireworks shows are New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July, both launched from the Queen Mary area in Queensway Bay. Memorial Day is treated more as a remembrance holiday, with ceremonies like the Memorial Day Observance at LA Fleet Week’s main stage in San Pedro on Monday, May 25. If you want sky spectacle over the holiday weekend, the LA Fleet Week aerial demonstrations on May 23 and May 25 are the closest thing.
What’s the weather like in Long Beach in May?
Long Beach in May averages highs in the upper 60s to low 70s and lows in the mid 50s. Mornings can start overcast thanks to the marine layer, a pattern locals call May Gray, but most days clear up by mid afternoon. Ocean water is still cool, usually around 62 to 64 degrees, so the beach is more about lying out and walking than swimming for most people. By Memorial Day weekend, the weather is typically warm enough for outdoor festivals, patio dining, and long days at the harbor.
Is Long Beach worth visiting in May?
Yes, May is one of the best months to visit Long Beach. The weather is warm without being hot, the marine layer keeps mornings cool, and the city’s biggest events of the year (Pride, the BBQ Festival, Fleet Week, Cinco de Mayo) all happen this month. Crowds pick up on Memorial Day weekend, but most other weekends in May are still manageable. With the 2028 Olympics on the horizon and Long Beach hosting 11 events, the city is investing heavily in its waterfront and visitor experience, so visiting now means seeing it before the major Olympic-driven changes hit.
Plan Your May 2026 Long Beach Trip
If you’re trying to fit it all in, focus on the second half of the month. Pride weekend (May 15 to 17), then LA Fleet Week and the BBQ Festival back to back the following week (May 19 to 25), is the heaviest stretch of public events Long Beach sees all year.
If you’re a local, this is the stretch to be outside as much as possible. The weather rewards it, the city shows off, and the energy on the waterfront is the kind of thing that reminds you why you live here.
For more on Long Beach as a destination and what’s coming with the 2028 Olympics, see our Long Beach Olympics 2028 guide. For more weekly event coverage all year long, browse our Events category.