Summer Begins: You can't quibble with the fact that June 21 is the sunniest season's official opener, but saying that the idea of summer kicks off with Memorial Day Weekend is not incorrect. Vacations get going, the school year is wrapping up, and the theme parks thrum. Look to Six Flags Magic Mountain, where the much-anticipated coaster Twisted Colossus debuts on May 23, and look to Disneyland, which kicks off its Diamond Anniversary celebration with a 24-hour day on May 22-23. The Annenberg Community Beach House will be open from May 23-25, and the beaches will bustle, too. And Fiesta Hermosa? It's a mondo Memorial Day Weekend tradition, with tunes, crafts, and ocean-close vibes.
Memorial Day Remembrances: Canoga Park's big Monday, May 25 parade marches along Sherman Way starting at 11 a.m. (the theme: "Saluting the Price of Freedom.") The U.S.S. IOWA holds a Military Appreciation Day in San Pedro on Monday, May 25 while the moving flower drop at the Palm Springs Air Museum happens at 1 p.m. on May 25. Several aircraft are scheduled to fly in honor of the holiday, and those we remember, as well.
Jellies: When we human beings consider those fellow travelers who share this home planet with us, we do, quite often, think of mammals first, the creatures who share many of our notable characteristics. Of course, jellyfish are earthlings, too, as sci-fi as they seem. The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is unveiling a whole new Jellies experience, one that celebrates these frilly, floaty earthlings that happen to lack "a heart, brain, or lungs." Wowza. We said "sci-fi" before and we're leaving it. (Open date: Friday, May 22.)
Fox Fullerton Theatre: Fans who adore historic movie palaces are fortunate to call Southern California home, as many a vintage venue is still around and still very much adored. This Orange County beauty is one such spot, and its supporters are throwing a two-day bash to celebrate recent refurbishments and the lighting of its iconic rooftop sign. Want to see that flicker on fully, for the first time in several years? Be there on Friday evening, May 22. Want a look-see around the theatre? Come back on Saturday, May 23. The charming theme of the weekend: '20s-style speakeasy.
Garden Grove Strawberry Festival: May 'round the Golden State is ye olde strawberry party time, in a major way, and we're not throwing the word "major" around, willy-nilly. The four-day carnival headed for Garden Grove has been around for well over half a century, and it starts out, on the first night, by serving free slices of one really huge strawberry shortcake. If you want a bite of that, and the sight of that, be there on Friday, May 22 at 6 p.m., but if you can't be there, the whole strawberry shebang keeps it sweet from May 22 through 25.
