Community News

Día de los Muertos Parade

The City of Long Beach announced that First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, among other civic and community leaders, will serve as grand marshal for the 2024 Día de los Muertos Grand Parade, taking place in Downtown Long Beach on Saturday, Nov. 2.

The parade will commence at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Pine Avenue and East Third Street, then travel down Pine Avenue to East Shoreline Drive. Led by the grand marshals, the parade will feature a variety of culturally rich performances and floats and participation from various city departments and community partners, among other elements.

The parade will coincide with the Arte y Ofrendas Festival, a family-friendly event featuring arts and crafts, music and entertainment, and food and beverage offerings, taking place at Marina Green Park (386 E. Shoreline Dr.) from noon to 10 p.m. The festival, which was previously slated to take place at Rainbow Lagoon, will require paid entry.

While community members are encouraged to come out and enjoy the festive celebrations in person, the parade will also stream live on the ABC7 Los Angeles’ digital channel followed by an on-air broadcast on ABC7 Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 10:30 a.m.

For more information, contact the First District Council Office at (562) 570-6919 or district1@longbeach.gov.

Republican Women

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

The guest speaker is Urson Russell, president of Patriot Force California on the topic “The State of California Elections.”

The cost is $30 for members, $35 for non-members. For a reservation, call Maryann von der Horst at (562) 760-1556 or email vonderhorstm@aol.com.

Catching Memories

Catalina Museum for Art & History will present the exhibition Catching Memories: A Half-Century of Fishing 1900-1950, on view starting Nov. 16.

This exhibition delves into the rich history of fishing on Catalina Island between 1900 and 1950, highlighting the traditions, experiences and the island’s emergence as a premier destination for sports fishing. Through a stunning collection of historical photographs from the museum’s archives, Catching Memories offers an intimate look at family fishing trips, sports fishing and the everyday adventures that helped define Catalina Island as a fishing hot spot.

These historically significant images capture moments that illustrate the island’s deep-rooted connection to fishing as both a pastime and a way of life. Accompanying narratives provide a window into the island’s enduring connection to fishing culture.

The exhibition also features interactive elements, encouraging visitors to share their own fishing stories. Through Catching Memories, Catalina Museum reaffirms its commitment to preserving and celebrating the island’s fishing heritage and its influence on its identity as a renowned fishing destination.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays. For more information about the Catalina Museum for Art & History, visit CatalinaMuseum.org.

Journey to Parenthood

That moment when you realize that seeing double lines on a pregnancy test may be harder than you thought. Infertility is much more than just a medical condition. For many people, hearing about a possible infertility diagnosis is overwhelming. No matter where you are in your quest for a baby, infertility can deplete your finances, affect your personal relationships and have an impact on you or your partner’s emotional health.

The American Fertility Expo & Conference (AFE) is a consumer trade show and conference for individuals who need trustworthy information on their journey to parenthood. This event will be the ultimate educational experience for individuals and couples who seek to expand their current family or to become a parent for the first time.

One in eight couples struggle with fertility in the United States. Space has been reserved to create a safe and private environment for attendees to have real conversations and to speak one-on-one, in confidence, with experts in the fertility industry.

On Saturday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., this one-day-only expo and conference will provide both an educational and resourceful atmosphere comprised of fertility professionals from across the nation. Individuals who need trustworthy information on their journey to parenthood will have access to vendor booths and top-notch informative breakout sessions. In addition, one of our primary missions is to support and provide resources for the LGBTQ+ community. We want to help all achieve their dream.

American Fertility Expo & Conference 2024 will offer one-on-one consultations with fertility experts, fertility screenings, event bag with terrific goodie items, rejuvenation room with mini make overs and meditation and fertility-based fitness classes. Participating vendors will be raffling off terrific items. All of this is included in the price of your ticket. General admission is $15 per person in advance and $20 at the door. There is also a two for one special online while supplies last at $20.

For further information and to purchase tickets go to www.AmericanFertilityExpo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter at @fertilityexpo, Instagram at americanfertilityexpo or join us on our Facebook Page at American Fertility Expo.

Spirit, Art & Justice

The First Congregational Church of Long Beach will open its doors for “Confluent: Spirit, Art & Justice,” a poetry, music and dance event, on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 3 p.m., followed by a reception and book signing by featured poets.

“Confluent” will be a collaborative, multi-arts event exploring how spirituality and the arts foster justice by helping us develop compassion and emotional literacy. The concert features four generations of poets, with performances by FCCLB’s Poet-in-Residence, Tina Datsko de Sánchez, alongside Holman United Methodist Church of Los Angeles Poet Laureate Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely, Poet/Writer/Community Organizer Nancy Lynée Woo, Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate Helena Donato-Sapp and Long Beach Youth Poet Ambassador Liam Balmeo.

Original compositions by Curtis Heard and Stan DeWitt will be performed by The Sanctuary Choir and Megan O’Toole, soprano. The BrockusRED Dance Company will also present a newly choreographed work.

First Congregational Church of Long Beach is a 1914 historic landmark and sits at the corner of “Arts & Justice” as a local leader in social justice and outreach initiatives, and has a passion for bringing music and art events to the downtown Long Beach area. The church invites the greater Long Beach community to be part of its 10 a.m. services every Sunday at 241 Cedar Avenue. For more information, visit First Church online at www.firstchurchlb.org.

This event is presented by First Church’s Board of Cultural Arts. For reasonable ADA accommodations, contact the church office at (562) 436-2256. Parking info is at www.parklb.com. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and a freewill offering is welcome. The concert will also be livestreamed and will remain on the site after the event, at FCCLB’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/1stchurch.