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Volunteers growing Live at the Shell restore historic Rec Park band shell for free concerts and theater
Summary
Council recognized Live at the Shell volunteers and their nonprofit’s work restoring the historic Rec Park band shell and producing free summer concerts, Shakespeare by the Sea, a bluegrass festival and youth events.
Long Beach city leaders on June 10 recognized the volunteer group Live at the Shell (formerly Friends of Rec Park Band Shell) for restoring and reactivating the historic Rec Park band shell at Seventh and Park.
Councilmember Duggan and others praised Steve Pruitt and a team of volunteers for rehabilitating the 1929 landmark stage, producing a summer series of free concerts, a high‑school battle of the bands, Shakespeare by the Sea performances, and a bluegrass festival. Pruitt told the council the nonprofit has hosted more than 30 events and drawn roughly 15,000 guests over recent seasons and that volunteers contributed more than 2,500 hours. He also said the organization had obtained a $50,000 grant and refurbished the stage surface and professional audio gear.
The group emphasizes local talent and inclusion: Pruitt said the shell provides large‑stage experience to performers who had not worked on that scale, and the calendar includes diverse genres (theater, bluegrass, gospel, student bands). He said the site can seat more than 600 in benches and thousands on adjacent lawn areas, and he described partnerships with local nonprofits and school programs.
Why it matters: The band shell is a historic community asset. Council members said reactivation fosters neighborhood connection, arts access, and economic activity, and pledged continued city support for volunteer‑led activation work.
