Community News

BSBA Winter Village

In lieu of the annual Christmas Parade, which is planned to return next year, the Belmont Shore Business Association (BSBA) is hosting an alternative event on Saturday, Dec. 4, called the Belmont Shore Winter Village. The celebration will extend the length of the 2nd Street business corridor and is to include activities and entertainment for all ages.

A central stage location will be set up next to the Chase Bank building and will feature local performers including high school bands, dance troupes, an 8-piece brass ensemble as well as a special holiday concert from Manuel the Band, who will close out the evening.

There will be a visit from Santa at the “Shorth Pole” that will be set up on the North corner of 2nd and Nieto. Partial closures of side streets will allow for many of the usual float entries to become stationary activations that patrons can interact with as they explore the different activities up and down the street.

Executive Director Jessie Artigue says, “The BSBA promises that the first Saturday in December will not lose its magic and we are endlessly grateful for the support and encouragement we’ve received so far. Long Beach and its leadership have been wonderful to work with as we navigate this effort and I am hopeful that our upcoming festivities will feel like a gift to both our neighborhood, our business district and the entire city.

‘A Christmas Carol’

The Long Beach Playhouse is celebrating the holiday season with its traditional offering of A Christmas Carol in its Mainstage Theatre. It’s a beloved story of a man transformed by ghostly visions of his past, present and future. It reminds us joy and gratitude are the most important gifts of all if we just open our hearts to them.

The show opens Dec. 3 and runs through Dec. 19. Info: www.lbplayhouse.org.

Osher Registration

On Dec. 6, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Long Beach State University will begin registration for its winter session. Classes will be held on campus, at satellite community locations and online using Zoom.

A wide variety of classes will be offered including personal finance, computer skills, music, art, crafting, fitness and wellness, yoga, Spanish, writing, history, current events, cooking, gardening and book and movie discussion groups.

The eight-week session begins on Jan. 3, 2022, and open to all adults fifty and over. Annual membership is $40 and classes are only $15 each. For more information including registration, visit the OLLI website www.csulb.edu/olli.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, OLLI is dedicated to enriching the lives of older adults through educational opportunities and social engagement.

Little Lion Events

The Little Lion Foundation holds two holiday fundraising and adoption events with “Whiskers in Wonderland” at Boathouse on the Bay on Dec. 5 and “Home for the Pawlidays” at The Hangar at Long Beach Exchange on Dec. 11.

Pets have also suffered throughout the pandemic and The Little Lion Foundation continues working to recuse, save and maintain their focus on kittens under 8 weeks of age — becoming Long Beach’s first-ever and now preeminent kitten nursery. The foundation is calling for assistance from donors and supporters to help purchase and provide food and supplies, in addition to supporting these two December holiday fundraising and adoption events:

For additional information on Whiskers In Wonderland and Home For The Pawlidays, as well as donors and those that can assist with purchasing food and supplies, please contact The Little Lion Foundation at thelittlelionfoundation@gmail.com.

Chanukah Event

The Alpert Jewish Community Center (Alpert JCC) and Jewish Long Beach are hosting a Dec. 9 celebration for young and young-at-heart adults after Chanukah has concluded. As they continue to safely return to in-person engagement for our Jewish community, adults aged 21 and over are welcome to join for an evening of craft beer, kosher eats and live music at Long Beach Beer Lab, 518 W. Willow St.

Ninth Night is a program inspired by Jewish Long Beach and the Alpert JCC’s renewed commitment to providing engagement opportunities for young Jewish professionals, couples and families. Couples and singles alike are welcome to attend for $15 per person (includes one drink and appetizers).

Visit https://alpertjcc.org/jewish-life-culture/ for more information and to purchase tickets to 9th Night.

LBCC Redistricting

The Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) board of trustees invites the public within its service area of Avalon, Lakewood, Long Beach and Signal Hill to attend a redistricting virtual community forum on Thurs., Dec. 9, 5:30-7 p.m.

The link to join the virtual community forum can be found at www.lbcc.edu/pod/lbccd-board-redistricting. Long Beach City College will be providing an overview of the redistricting process and sharing and discussing draft maps. Public input is encouraged and welcome.

The LBCCD Board of Trustees is currently engaged in the redistricting process following the federal Census of 2020. The district must review and, if necessary, adjust LBCCD Trustee areas to reflect population changes during the previous decade and ensure an equal distribution of the population in each area. The community’s involvement is a vital part of the process.

Republican Women

The community is invited to attend the Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, Long Beach Republican Women Federated holiday breakfast meeting to hear Anders Corey discuss COVID and mental issues that are affecting Los Angeles County residents. Corey currently serves as the health deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Fifth Supervisorial District. In this capacity, he oversees the COVID response for the supervisor, as well as mental health policy and managing Barger’s political strategy.

The December holiday meeting will also include installation of the club’s 2022 board of directors by Ben Goldberg. Goldberg is a third generation Southern California/Long Beach native and chairman of Long Beach Area Republicans.

Held at The Grand, 4101 E. Willow St., registration starts at 9 a.m. with breakfast served at 9:30 a.m. The cost is just $30 for members and $35 for non-members and there is free parking.

Info: http://www.longbeachrepublicanwomen.com/calendar.html.