Events and Programming
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center is a multi-venue campus rather than a single auditorium. Its programming includes touring concerts, comedy, family entertainment, ballet, symphony performances, speaker events, sporting events, fan conventions, trade shows, expos and community gatherings. The main public-facing spaces are the 13,500-capacity Long Beach Arena, the approximately 3,000-seat Terrace Theater, the 825-seat Beverly O’Neill Theater, the Pacific Ballroom, three exhibit halls and dozens of meeting rooms.
The current 2026-27 programming pattern shows a deliberate mix of commercial entertainment and civic or cultural events. The announced slate includes contemporary R&B and soul, Latin music, country, comedy, family productions, monster trucks, ice shows, ballet, classical and pops concerts, speaker appearances and motorsports-related events. Long Beach Symphony and Long Beach Ballet provide recurring local programming, while seasonal family shows and touring performers use the Arena and Terrace Theater for larger productions.
Recent years illustrate the range. After pandemic restrictions disrupted the calendar, the center began welcoming conventions and events again in August 2021. The Terrace Theater hosted the musical Blues in the Night later that year, while 2022 brought the return of the Literary Women Festival of Authors, the Lowrider Los Angeles Super Show and Midsummer Scream after its two-year hiatus. In 2023, Midsummer Scream drew roughly 45,000 people and ComplexCon combined shopping, art, fashion, food, celebrity appearances and live music across the campus.
The venue’s concert history is older and broader than its current event calendar suggests. The Long Beach Arena has hosted major rock, pop, hip-hop and comedy attractions, including the Rolling Stones and Jerry Seinfeld, and has been used for live recordings and large touring productions. Its slightly smaller scale than a 20,000-seat arena can make a major show feel more concentrated, while the Terrace Theater is better suited to seated concerts, comedy, classical music and theatrical productions.
For 2026 and beyond, the programming emphasis is on repeatable seasonal business: symphony and pops series, holiday ballet, family touring shows, comedy, concerts, motorsports and large conventions. The venue is also connected to Long Beach’s preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when the surrounding convention-center area is scheduled to support temporary shooting facilities and other Olympic-related activity.
Tickets and Booking
Ticketed performances are sold through the venue box office and the authorized ticket channel designated for each event. The on-site box office is adjacent to the Pacific Ballroom on South Hart Place. Published box-office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday and holiday hours vary. In-person purchases require payment by cash or accepted major credit card, and credit-card buyers must show photo identification.
Will Call is handled at the box office and normally opens 90 minutes before the advertised event start, closing 30 minutes after the event begins. Bring photo identification and the credit card used for the purchase when collecting tickets. Popular concerts, comedy shows, holiday productions and celebrity-led conventions can sell quickly, so joining the venue or presenting organization’s presale list and buying during the initial sale is usually safer than waiting for event day.
Recent listed examples suggest a wide pricing range. Family shows and some arena events can begin around $25 to $60, local symphony and ballet performances commonly appear in roughly the $60 to $90 range, and touring concerts or high-demand comedy can begin around $100 and rise substantially for premium seats. Convention admission, VIP packages, meet-and-greets, service charges and resale prices are separate variables, so the face value shown at the first public sale is the most useful comparison.
For buyers choosing seats, compare the event’s own seating map rather than assuming every Terrace Theater or Arena event uses the same configuration. Concerts may place a stage on the floor, reduce the number of available sections or use general admission; family shows may use a central floor layout; and conventions may sell entry passes rather than reserved seats.
About Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
The center occupies a waterfront-adjacent downtown site at 300 East Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, California. It combines more than 400,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space with theaters, an arena, ballrooms, outdoor event areas, plazas and pedestrian connections. The campus is designed to operate as a convention facility during the day and as a public entertainment destination at night.
Its history has several distinct chapters. Long Beach Arena opened in 1962, initially serving as the city’s major indoor sports and entertainment venue. The old Municipal Auditorium was demolished in 1975 to make room for a newer complex intended to keep Long Beach competitive in the convention and entertainment business. The convention center and its theaters opened in 1978, creating the core of the present campus.
The facility became part of Southern California’s Olympic story in 1984. Long Beach Arena hosted Olympic volleyball, while the Long Beach Convention Center hosted fencing. That legacy remains important locally because the city is preparing to host Olympic and Paralympic activity again in 2028.
A major modern transformation came with the $10 million renovation that converted much of the Arena’s event function into the Pacific Ballroom, which opened in 2013. The venue now describes its wider renovation and improvement program as a $50 million investment in flexible spaces, technology, furniture, lighting and sound. The Pacific Ballroom’s movable ceiling truss allows the room’s height, atmosphere and production layout to change for different events.
Seating and Layout
The Terrace Theater is the principal seated concert and performance room. Its published capacity is 3,052, divided among approximately 1,762 orchestra seats, 669 loge seats and 508 balcony seats, with 30 wheelchair spaces. The three-story glass lobby and suspended staircases are part of the arrival experience, and the outdoor plaza is marked by color-changing water columns.
For most seated concerts, center orchestra offers the most direct sightline and generally the most balanced relationship between stage and audience. Loge seats provide elevation without the distance of the balcony, while balcony seats are useful for a full-stage view and can be a practical value choice when the production uses large video screens. Sightlines can change when a show adds a thrust, runway, extended stage or floor seating.
The Beverly O’Neill Theater is intentionally intimate. It has 13 rows and 825 seats arranged in a half-circle around a three-quarter thrust stage, with approximately 206 orchestra seats and 608 loge seats. Its layout brings side sections closer to the action than a conventional proscenium theater, making it particularly suitable for speaker events, chamber performances, comedy and productions that benefit from audience interaction.
The Arena uses a much more flexible bowl and floor configuration. Published planning figures describe a 46,000-square-foot floor, a 19,000-square-foot lobby, a lower concourse of about 29,000 square feet and seating spread across floor, riser, loge, box and balcony areas. The venue’s current planning guide gives a working capacity of up to 12,600 attendees, while the public venue page lists 13,500 seats; the final number depends on stage placement, production equipment and whether floor space is used for seats or standing room.
Technical Capabilities and Production
The center provides in-house production support, professional stagehands, audio-visual services, rigging resources, house lighting, climate control and production management. The 2026 planning guide says theatrical productions requiring additional rigging, lighting or sound use dedicated technical labor and on-site crews while equipment is powered and in use. The facility also supports live, livestreamed, interactive and on-demand event formats across the campus.
The Pacific Ballroom is the standout technical space. Its high-tech steel truss system can raise or lower the ceiling, and the room can be divided with a curtain. The planning guide lists the ballroom at roughly 46,000 square feet, with a ceiling range of 30 to 75 feet depending on configuration, and theater capacity approaching 4,900 in the full planning layout.
The Beverly O’Neill technical inventory provides a rare level of published detail. Its lighting system includes an ETC Ion Xe 20 console, 480 ETC Sensor dimmers, ETC Source Four fixtures, Altman Fresnels, RGBW LED wash fixtures and two followspots. Its sound system combines a stereo music system with a distributed voice system, Yamaha M7CL consoles, EAW mains, Woodworx subwoofers, Meyer voice speakers and front fills, with combined music-and-voice amplifier power listed at 19,600 watts RMS.
Technical details for a particular concert are production-dependent. Touring acts may bring additional consoles, line arrays, video walls, lighting fixtures and recording equipment. Visitors should therefore judge sound and sightlines from the event’s seating map and production design rather than treating the published house inventory as the complete show system.
Getting There and Parking
The main address is 300 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802. The campus is near Shoreline Drive, Rainbow Lagoon, the Pike waterfront district and downtown hotels. Drivers approaching from Los Angeles International Airport generally use the 405 south, connect to the 710 south and follow the downtown exits as the freeway becomes Shoreline Drive. The venue directs drivers toward Linden Avenue and event signage for the appropriate lot.
On-site parking is spread among the Terrace Theater Garage, Arena Garage, Promenade Garage and the main lot along Shoreline Drive. The current directions page lists approximately 700 spaces in the Terrace Garage, 1,200 in the Arena Garage, 400 in the Promenade Garage and 1,900 in the main lot. An older box-office page gives different counts, so visitors should follow the event-specific parking instructions rather than relying on a single campus-wide total.
The published standard parking rate is $15 per day with no in-and-out privilege, although event rates can differ. Payment is available at automated kiosks or at exit gates by card; selected kiosks accept cash, and mobile payment is also supported. Overnight parking, camping and tailgating are prohibited unless an event specifically states otherwise.
Public transportation is practical but requires a walk from rail. The Los Angeles Metro A Line terminates in downtown Long Beach, with the First Street station serving as the principal rail connection. Long Beach Transit buses stop near Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Avenue, Shoreline Drive and Linden Avenue. The fare-free Passport circulator links downtown hotels, the convention center, the Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Village and the Queen Mary area. The city’s LB Circuit microtransit service also connects downtown and waterfront areas on selected days and evenings.
Rideshare is often easiest for large concerts and arena events, but the exact curbside zone can change with traffic controls, construction and event security. Use the entrance named in the event instructions rather than assuming the main Ocean Boulevard entrance is the correct drop-off point. Walking from downtown hotels or nearby waterfront attractions is often simpler than driving during a sold-out show.
Inside the Venue
Expect event-specific screening at entry. All entry constitutes consent to search, and the venue’s performing-arts code generally prohibits weapons, outside food and drinks, alcohol, smoking and vaping, illegal substances, pets other than service animals, glass containers, coolers, professional cameras, tripods, selfie sticks, recording devices, strollers and noise-making devices. The performing-arts bag limit is 5 by 8 by 2 inches; the general consumer-show policy lists a larger 12 by 12 by 6-inch limit. The stricter event rule should be followed when in doubt.
Concessions and food service vary by room and event. Convention attendees may encounter catered meals, cafés, concessions and food trucks, while major performances can add outdoor bars or event-specific vendors in the plaza. Recent visitor feedback consistently praises cleanliness, spacious public areas and plentiful restrooms, but some guests describe concessions as expensive and seating in certain family-show configurations as tight. Conference attendees have also noted that meeting rooms can feel cold, so a light layer is useful.
Merchandise is normally controlled by the promoter or touring production. Coat-check availability, cashless concessions, special lounges and Wi-Fi access can differ by event. The campus has wireless infrastructure, and the Beverly O’Neill technical documentation identifies wireless service in the lobby, house, backstage and dressing-room areas, but visitors should not assume that every event provides the same guest connectivity.
Nearby Amenities
The center is surrounded by downtown Long Beach’s waterfront entertainment district. Nearby choices include restaurants and bars along Pine Avenue, Ocean Boulevard, Shoreline Village and the Pike area, with additional cafés and casual dining within a short walk. The waterfront setting makes it possible to combine a show with dinner, harbor views, shopping or a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Hotels connected with the campus or nearby downtown area include the Hyatt, Westin and Marriott properties identified on the center’s planning map. Staying nearby is particularly useful for conventions, multi-day fan events and sold-out evening performances because parking exits can become slow after the final curtain.
For a standard theater show, arriving 45 to 60 minutes before the listed start time allows for parking, security, concessions and finding the correct entrance. Add more time for an arena event, a convention opening, a holiday family production or a show with general-admission standing areas. After late events, rideshare, taxis and local buses are the most straightforward options; rail service should be checked against the last scheduled train.
What Makes This Venue Special
The center’s character comes from its combination of civic scale and beach-city setting. The Terrace Theater’s glass lobby, suspended staircases and illuminated fountain create a strong arrival sequence, while the Beverly O’Neill’s chandelier, conversation areas and thrust-stage geometry provide a more intimate counterpoint. The campus can move from a 13,000-plus-seat arena production to an 825-seat theater, a 224,000-square-foot contiguous exhibit floor or an outdoor waterfront reception without changing addresses.
Its historic importance is equally varied. The Arena anchors the city’s modern entertainment history from 1962, the 1978 convention-center complex replaced the former Municipal Auditorium as Long Beach’s major civic events campus, and the 1984 Olympics gave both the Arena and Convention Center an international sporting role. The venue’s return to concerts, comedy and touring productions after the pandemic also helped restore downtown visitor activity.
The center has a measurable economic role. A 2021 announcement described convention-center events as generating more than $1 billion in annual economic impact for Long Beach, while reporting on the Pacific Ballroom renovation attributed $406 million in direct and indirect new business to the space over nine years. Those figures come from tourism and venue sources, but they reflect the center’s importance to hotel occupancy, restaurants, parking, local employment and downtown foot traffic.
Visitor Tips and Information
Accessible parking is available in all four surrounding parking structures for vehicles displaying the appropriate placard or license plate. Accessible spaces are first come, first served and still require payment. The venue states that its lots are ADA accessible, that service animals are permitted, that accessible seating includes at least one adjacent companion seat subject to availability, and that staff receive emergency-evacuation training. Both full-production theaters advertise accessible facilities and assistive-listening systems.
Because the venue is actively developing and expanding accessibility amenities, guests with specific mobility, hearing, sensory or communication needs should confirm arrangements with the venue and the individual event before arrival. Event organizers may provide additional captioning, interpreters, sensory accommodations or dedicated entry procedures, but those services are not universal across the calendar.
Bring a small permitted bag, government-issued identification if collecting tickets, a charged phone and a light jacket. Leave outside food, drinks, large bags, professional camera equipment, weapons, pocketknives, pepper spray, drones, recording equipment and prohibited costume props at home. There is no universal dress code, but age restrictions, photography rules, door times and costume policies are set by the particular show or convention.
The most common mistakes are parking in the wrong structure, arriving at the convention-center entrance when the event is in the Arena or Terrace Theater, assuming a general bag rule applies to a performing-arts show, and waiting until the last minute for a popular production. Check the room name, parking instructions and bag limit on the event information before leaving home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center?
The center is at 300 East Ocean Boulevard in downtown Long Beach, California, near Shoreline Drive, Rainbow Lagoon, the Pike waterfront district and downtown hotels. Because the campus contains several buildings, the address alone may not identify the correct entrance. Check whether your event is in the Arena, Terrace Theater, Beverly O’Neill Theater, Pacific Ballroom or an exhibit hall before traveling.
How many people can the Long Beach Arena hold?
The Arena’s advertised capacity varies by configuration. The public venue page lists 13,500 seats, while the current planning guide gives a working capacity of up to 12,600 attendees and identifies a 46,000-square-foot floor. Concert stages, floor seating, standing-room layouts, production equipment and sightline requirements can reduce the final ticketed capacity for a particular event.
How many seats are in the Terrace Theater?
The Terrace Theater has a published capacity of 3,052 seats, including approximately 1,762 orchestra seats, 669 loge seats and 508 balcony seats. The technical seating document also identifies 30 wheelchair spaces and additional pit seating that may be used for selected productions. Individual concerts can change the layout by adding a runway, thrust or floor seating.
What is the Beverly O’Neill Theater best for?
The Beverly O’Neill Theater is best suited to performances and presentations that benefit from intimacy and audience connection. Its 825 seats are arranged in a half-circle around a thrust stage, with only 13 rows. It is regularly suited to speaker events, comedy, smaller concerts, theatrical productions and community programming where a large arena would feel too distant.
Is the venue indoors?
The Arena, Terrace Theater, Beverly O’Neill Theater, ballrooms and exhibit halls are indoor venues. The wider campus also includes outdoor and semi-outdoor areas such as plazas, patios, the Top of the Lot and other special-event spaces. Whether weather affects your visit depends on the specific event layout, queueing plan and any outdoor activation connected with the show.
How much does parking cost?
The venue’s published standard rate is $15 per day with no in-and-out privilege, but event-specific rates may be different. Parking is paid at automated kiosks or at exit gates, and selected kiosks accept cash. Major concerts, conventions and waterfront events can change traffic patterns, so use the parking instructions attached to your event rather than assuming the standard rate or closest garage will apply.
Does the venue have accessible parking?
Yes. Designated ADA parking is available in all four parking structures surrounding the center. A valid disability placard or license plate is required, and spaces are first come, first served. The venue says accessible parking remains paid parking and notes that some structures may involve a longer walk, making designated accessible drop-off areas useful for guests who need a shorter route.
Can I take the Metro A Line to the convention center?
Yes, the Metro A Line provides a rail connection to downtown Long Beach. The downtown station is not directly beside every venue entrance, so expect a walk or transfer to a local bus or circulator. Long Beach Transit buses and the fare-free Passport service connect downtown, hotels, the waterfront and the convention center. Check the last train before attending a late show.
What bags are allowed inside?
For performing-arts events, the published personal-bag limit is 5 by 8 by 2 inches. The general consumer-show policy lists a larger 12 by 12 by 6-inch limit. These policies can change by event, and security may reject an item that is otherwise within the stated size if it creates a safety concern. A small clear bag or clutch is the safest choice.
Can I bring outside food or drinks?
No for ordinary public ticketed performances: the venue’s code prohibits outside food and beverages, including candy, alcohol, metal cans, coolers and several types of reusable containers. Medical needs may be handled through screening and event-specific procedures. Food and drink rules for conventions, catered meetings or exhibitors can differ, so do not assume a consumer-show rule applies to a private event.
Are cameras allowed?
Small personal cameras may be permitted depending on the artist or event, but the performing-arts rules prohibit professional cameras with detachable lenses or lenses longer than two inches, tripods, GoPros, selfie sticks and audio-recording devices without approval. Photography policies are often stricter for concerts than conventions. Check the event instructions before bringing camera equipment to avoid leaving it in your vehicle.
Are pets allowed inside?
Pets are not allowed inside the venue. Service animals are permitted under ADA guidelines. Emotional-support animals that do not meet the legal definition of a service animal may not qualify for entry, and event security may ask questions permitted by law. Guests who need an accommodation should confirm the procedure before arrival rather than bringing an animal to the door.
Does the center have assistive listening systems?
Yes. The venue states that both full-production theaters are handicap accessible and have assistive-listening systems for guests with hearing loss. The Beverly O’Neill technical documentation also describes distributed voice reinforcement and front-fill speakers designed for intelligible speech. Availability, pickup procedures and compatibility can vary by event, so request equipment before the performance when possible.
Is there a coat check?
A permanent coat-check service is not identified in the venue’s general visitor information. If a coat check is offered, it is likely to be event-specific and managed by the promoter or event organizer. Do not bring a large coat or prohibited bag expecting to check it at the door. A compact layer that fits under your seat or in a permitted bag is more reliable.
How early should I arrive for a show?
Plan to arrive 45 to 60 minutes before a standard theater performance. Allow more time for an Arena concert, general-admission event, convention, family show or sold-out production because parking, security and concessions can create longer lines. If collecting tickets at Will Call, arriving at least 90 minutes early gives you time to resolve identification or payment issues before doors become busy.
Does the venue have restaurants inside?
Food service depends on the event and building. Visitors may encounter concessions, catered meals, cafés, food trucks or temporary outdoor bars, but the exact selection is not the same for every show. Downtown Long Beach provides substantially more dining choices within walking distance, especially around Pine Avenue, Ocean Boulevard, Shoreline Village and the Pike waterfront district.
What types of events are held there besides concerts?
The campus hosts horror and fan conventions, automotive and lowrider shows, literary festivals, trade shows, consumer expos, speaker programs, comedy, ballet, symphony, family entertainment, sporting events, civic ceremonies and corporate meetings. The three exhibit halls can combine into up to 224,000 square feet of contiguous space, allowing large conventions and public festivals to operate alongside theater programming.
Will the venue be connected to the 2028 Olympics?
Yes. Long Beach is scheduled to support Olympic and Paralympic activity in 2028, and the convention-center parking-lot area has been identified for temporary shooting facilities and related event infrastructure. The center also has earlier Olympic history: Long Beach Arena hosted volleyball in 1984, while the Convention Center hosted fencing during the Los Angeles Games.
Does the venue have a dress code or age limit?
There is no single dress code or age policy for the entire campus. Age restrictions, recommended ages, costume rules, parental-admission policies and late-entry procedures are determined by the individual production or convention. Family shows may welcome young children, while comedy, concerts and after-hours events can set different rules. Read the event-specific information before purchasing tickets.
