In the past couple of years the Queen Mary has become quite a busy music festival venue thanks to various events organized by Goldenvoice, the music giant that has brought multi-act concerts like Once Upon a Time in the LBC and One Love Cali Reggae Fest to the ship’s adjacent events park.
But the Queen Mary isn’t all about music since the ship is also busy with other events besides big music festivals.
So to help you check out what else the Queen Mary will have to offer in 2020, here are five events at the ship through spring of next year that aren’t music festivals.
Some details like ticket prices haven’t been ironed out yet, so check the ship’s website for more information as event dates approach.
Chinese New Year: Shanghai Nights
When: Jan. 25
The ship hasn’t sailed in decades but that doesn’t mean it can’t still take people to far off places like China with its annual “Shanghai Nights.” That’s when the Queen Mary celebrates Chinese New Year by turning the Grand Salon into the Asian city with decor and food to celebrate the Year of the Rat. While exact details for 2020 are still being figured out, last year the event included dancers, acrobats, live music and martial arts demonstrations.
Vintage Romance
When: Feb. 14
With the bay and downtown Long Beach in the background, the ship is a romantic spot anytime of the year, but it’s going to be especially romantic on Valentine’s Day with the “My Vintage Valentine Supper Club” dinner. Dress in your vintage best, or not, and eat a four-course dinner while you check out a burlesque show and listen to live music in one of the ship’s elaborate salons as you and your better half gaze lovingly into the ocean.
ScotsFestival International Highland Games XXVII
When: Feb. 15-16
This is one serious competition as top athletes compete in feats of agility, skill and brute strength at the Highland Games, which were the precursor to the modern Olympics.
Expect to see things like the caber toss, which is a huge pole that typically weighs about 175 pounds that athletes throw like toothpicks. There are also hammer throws and a sheaf toss where athletes use a pitchfork to throw a burlap bag filled with straw over a horizontal bar.
The games are a celebration of Scottish culture as well so there will be dancing, bagpipers, plus traditional foods such as bangers and mash, smoked salmon and haggis served throughout the weekend.
St. Patrick’s Day Pub Stroll
When: March
While Scotland will be the focus of the Highland Games in February, March is all about Ireland with the ship’s annual “St. Patrick’s Day Pub Stroll.” For one night every year the ship’s salons are given a makeover to look like Irish pubs as live Irish music is performed while traditional food is served throughout the ship. The exact date of the celebration has yet to be determined, but it usually happens the weekend before the holiday, so keep your whiskey glasses ready and check the website closer to March for more details.
Aiden Sinclair’s A Night to Remember
When: April 14
Get your fancy clothes out of the closet and get ready to learn intimate details about the tragic journey of the Titanic. Aiden Sinclair, the ship’s resident master illusionist and ghost hunter, will mark the 108th anniversary of the sinking of the ship with “ Aiden Sinclair’s A Night to Remember.” Using artifacts from the Titanic, Sinclair will tell the stories of passengers on board the ship during that ill-fated night on April 14, 1912. He may even conjure the ghosts of people who were there — just don’t expect the ghost of Jack Dawson to sweep you off your feet. And since things were really fancy back then this will be a black tie event that includes a multi-course dinner. It will be just like being on the Titanic, minus the you know, sinking and dying part.
The Queen Mary is at 1126 Queens Highway in Long Beach. Call 877-342-0738 or visit queenmary.com for more information.
