Commnity News

OLLI Winter Registration

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at California State University, Long Beach has begun registration for its Winter Session. Classes will be held on campus, at satellite community locations, and online using Zoom.

Over 90 classes, including 20 new ones, will be offered covering a wide variety of subjects including computer/tech skills, music, art, crafting, fitness and wellness, foreign languages, writing, movies, literature, history, current events, personal finance, dance, and recreational activities. OLLI will also provide 3 free educational programs and workshops open to the community.

The eight-week session begins on January 5, 2026, and is open to all adults fifty and over. The annual membership fee is $40, and classes are only $15 each. More information, including registration, can be found by visiting the OLLI website www.csulb.edu/olli.

For over 29 years OLLI has been dedicated to enriching the lives of older adults throughout Greater Long Beach and Orange County by providing educational opportunities and social engagement.

Republican Women

Greater Long Beach Republican Women will hold their monthly meeting Saturday, Dec. 13, at The Grand, 4101 E. Willow St. Registration is at 9 a.m., followed by a buffet breakfast 9:30 a.m.

The guest speaker is Jack Guerrero, CPA, and treasurer of the California Republican Party. His topic is Let’s Make California Great Again.

Cost is $30 for members, $35 for non-members. For a reservation, call Sandy Dubrowskij (562) 310-4283 or email glbrw2024@gmail.com.

Hmong New Year Festival

The Hmong New Year Festival 50th Anniversary takes place on Dec. 13-14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at El Dorado Park, Golden Grove Section; 7550 E. Spring St.

It’s a free festival but El Dorado Park charges a $8 parking fee. Opening ceremonies are at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Info: (562) 889-6063 or (562) 673-3605.

During the busy holidays, the local Hmong community offers an unusual cultural adventure. Immerse your senses in the tinkling of silver coins, the smells of BBQ, the sight of elaborately embroidered traditional clothes, handmade drums, flutes, and string instruments. Discover Hmong culture in which the arts support harmony and respect for all living things. Experience a mountain village outdoors at the Golden Grove Section of El Dorado Park.

The festivities begin with families gathering at the park for the parade through the gate celebrating the harvest and all good things of the past year and hopes for the year to come. An honored elder is chosen to cut the ribbon opening the new year, followed by a procession of dignitaries and families. The procession continues around the center stage. The opening ceremonies spotlight performances by the students in the Qeej Not Gangs Cultural Preservation Program at Homeland at MacArthur Park.

The area around the stage is filled with booths offering Hmong foods such as green papaya salad, BBQ meats, purple rice, and coconut drinks. Craft booths also display Hmong clothes, story cloths, jewelry, and much more. In the surrounding fields, sports competitions include traditional top spinning. Men hurl handmade wooden tops 20 to 30 feet to topple their competitors spinning tops as they did as boys in Laos.

One of the highlights is being among hundreds of people from babies to elders dressed from head to toe in traditional embroidered Hmong clothes embellished with Indochine silver coins.

This year the honored elders, Bee Vue and Mai Vang, were chosen to help attendees celebrate the 50th year Anniversary of the first refugee families’ arrival in Long Beach. They have been generous and creative volunteers for years, but they also were among the first refugee families.

This years’ program includes recognition for all our local Hmong elders who arrived in 1975-76. “We are all so grateful for their courage and determination. They led the way for us.” says President Wang Xiong.

When the refugees from Southeast Asians (Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia) arrived, many organizations, especially churches and the education system, welcomed the refugees with support services. But there was also prejudice that made success difficult such as finding housing and employment.

50 years later, the Hmong have become patriotic contributing citizens. Children and grandchildren attend college, become professionals and entrepreneurs, such as teachers, nurses, construction contractors, investment advisors, corporate management. The country is enriched by their contributions, history that deserves remembering and celebrating.

The Hmong New Year Festival is generously supported by the Port of Long Beach, the City of Long Beach, Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine, the Arts Council for Long Beach, the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, friends and supporters.

Free Holiday Events

The holiday season is about to get merrier, as the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) will host three family-friendly holiday events this December at parks across Long Beach. Full of holiday cheer and festive activities for all ages, events are free and open to the public. These events are part of PRM’s longstanding commitment to offering safe, engaging programming and special events for the Long Beach community.

Santa’s Workshop

Community members are invited to gather family and friends and enjoy a day of merriment at the Santa’s Workshop event, taking place Saturday, Dec. 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Silverado Park, 1545 W. 31st St.

This event is hosted in partnership with Neighbor-to-Neighbor, a program of California Volunteers, Office of the Governor. Santa’s Workshop will foster community connection and engagement for the holiday season, offering holiday themed activities such as carnival games, crafts, cookie decorating, family recreation games, educational stations, photos with Santa, and more.

Attendees are encouraged to pick up an Activities Passport for a fun and guided way to track activities throughout the day.

Funded by the Neighbor-to-Neighbor California Volunteers, Office of the Governor and led by the city’s Office of Climate Action and Sustainability, the program’s mission is to foster connection and build communities that come together and address local needs through networking and community engagement events.

More information about Santa’s Workshop is available by calling (562) 570-3161.

Winter Fest

In collaboration with Long Beach Public Library, PRM will host a family-friendly Winter Fest at Lincoln Park, 101 Pacific Ave., on Saturday, Dec. 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Community members can enjoy hot chocolate, try their hand at ice fishing, test their aim with a snowball toss, make arts and crafts, and visit with Santa. Winter Fest will also offer opportunities for youth to decorate holiday cookies, create beaded craft holiday mementos, face painting, and more.

Long Beach Public Library will offer photo opportunities with Santa starting at 11:30 a.m. at the park and story time beginning at 1:30 p.m. Attendees can also enter a raffle for the chance to win prizes, courtesy of the library.

Complimentary parking is available for the event in the Civic Center Parking Garage, 332 W. Broadway. More information about Winter Fest is available by calling (562) 570-3524.

Cookies with Santa

A festive Cookies with Santa event will also take place on Saturday, Dec. 20, from 10 a.m. to noon at Ramona Park, 3301 E. 65th St.

This cozy, family-friendly gathering brings neighbors together for a morning of mingling with friends, festive fun and seasonal treats.

Guests are welcome to delight in creative holiday cookie decorating and balloon crafts, take a photo with Santa and nibble on some light refreshments.

This year’s event will feature a new attraction for young people to enjoy – an 18-passenger trackless train, offering rides within a safe and contained area of the park for young riders to enjoy. For more information about Cookies with Santa including weather concerns is available by calling (562) 570-1665.