Clay on First, the long-running clay shop in Downtown Long Beach, is joining in on the Halloween madness with “Clay of the Dead.” This interactive experience is a bit hard to explain though the end result is pretty much “unlike anything you’ve experienced,” in the words of owner Clay Wood.
Food? Yes. Drinks? Yes. Clay molding? Yes. Costumes encouraged? Clearly. Interactive art? Of course. Clay molding to create objects to escape the ghost of an employee of a former box store who was caught in a fire? Obviously.
“It’s kind of an escape room,” Clay said. “Almost. We begin by showing a video that’s this old, VHS-like training tutorial for workers hired for the big box store that used to be in Downtown Long Beach. Think of it as a haunted factory, and there was a fire a few years ago—which, by the way, actually happened here at the store, and we’ve incorporated it into part of the storyline.”
With a ghost of an employee that’s haunting the space, it is your responsibility to make the products from the big box store via black clay in order to escape certain death.
What to expect from ‘Clay of the Dead’ in DTLB
“You’re learning how to make lanterns and candelabras with things like black clay,” Clay said. “We have like some jump scares. We have food. There are drinks… I mean, honestly, we’re trying to scare the shit out of people and doing some silly stuff in the middle. But if I am honest again, I think it’s a damn good time.”
There’s food and drinks. And they’re curated by none other than & Then (formerly known as Blck Trmpt), the work of Chef Adam Walsh and wife Kimmy Khosrovani. There’s a full production thanks to Long Beach-based 7Sun Media. And, of course, there’s clay molding. Clay playing. Clay. Plenty of clay.
There’s two sessions every Friday and three on Saturday starting this weekend, Sept. 26. And then it’s going to be every weekend all the way through October.
The increasing need for immersive experiences—like Clay of the Dead—expands into all types of businesses.
Brend Rivera said it when creating The Social List’s wildly kitschy Halloween menu. “We had to dive into food—not just drinks—for Halloween because people want and need more to be lured out.”
Brenda’s reflection holds weight. When talking with Ian McCall of ISM Brewing, I expressed concern about the space’s impressive but possibly burnout-inducing array of events. As a friend, I wanted to make sure he was watching his and his staff’s battery levels. His response was a brutally honest one. “No one comes for a pint or two anymore, says hi to their favorite staff members, and moves on. They need a reason beyond the beer to be there.”
Then there’s The Ordinarie’s upcoming Black Lagoon pop-up, an addition to its already wildly popular Miracle holiday pop-up. It is a move to not only keep people coming to the space but also draw people into the Promenade along Downtown.
In this sense, Clay of the Dead is just doing what restaurants and breweries are already doing: going beyond the regular and into the immersive.
Clay on First has always been about community: A bit of history.
In the heart of the East Village Arts District sits Clay on First, a ceramics studio and gallery that has become a cornerstone of Long Beach’s creative community. Founded in 2009 by artist and teacher Clay, the studio has grown into a space where both novices and experienced ceramicists can get their hands dirty. Learn new skills. And create something, well, tangible. From wheel-throwing to sculpture classes, gallery exhibitions to open studio time, Clay on First has cultivated a reputation as both a teaching hub and a showcase for local artistry.
That commitment to fostering creativity hasn’t come without challenges. In April 2024, a fire broke out near one of the kilns, causing upwards of $10,000 in damages and leaving behind charred shelving, ruined merchandise, and weeks of disruption. At the same time, the studio was already navigating financial pressures, including some $60,000 in debt from prior production setbacks and revenue slowdowns. Yet, instead of closing its doors, Clay on 1st leaned on its community, drawing support from students, artists, and neighbors who rallied to help the studio recover.
The resilience of Clay on 1st reflects its deeper role in Long Beach: not just as a business, but as a community anchor. The studio embodies the balance of craft and accessibility—offering classes for children, workshops for adults, and gallery space that connects artists to the public. For Clay and Eloise, the mission is simple but powerful: keep clay in the hands of the community, and keep the fire—literal and figurative—burning in Long Beach’s arts scene.
Clay on First is located at 406 E. 1st St.
