City of Long Beach to Host Second Annual Long Beach Youth Festival

LONG BEACH, CA – The Long Beach Health Department’s Office of Youth Development, in partnership with the City’s Youth and Families Commission, Long Beach Public Library and Departments of Parks, Recreation and Marine and Economic Development, Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network (Pacific Gateway), will host its second annual Youth Festival at the Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) and the adjacent Lincoln Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Young people ages 10 to 24 are invited to participate in the free event dedicated to celebrating the wellness, resilience and empowerment of youth.

“We are excited to bring back the Long Beach Youth Festival again this year,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This event will bring youth and emerging adults together to celebrate their contributions to our community and build connections among their peers.” 

The festival will feature an interactive resource fair and activities, including therapy dog sessions, art, music, games, sports, local entertainment, educational workshops and networking opportunities with representatives from employers and colleges. In addition, the event will offer free food and merchandise, raffle prizes, and performances and showcases from local poets, artists and dancers.

“We know that the best path to healthy and thriving adults in our community is by supporting youth,” said Kelly Colopy, Health Department Director. “Youth Fest is a terrific example of City departments and community partners coming together to support the young people of Long Beach.”

The festival’s featured activities and workshops are being developed in alignment with the youth-informed goals of the Long Beach Youth & Emerging Adults Strategic Plan, and will include an interactive visioning workshop to have young people guide the direction of the City’s support for youth and emerging adults, hosted by the Youth & Families Commission.

“I look forward to seeing the continued city-wide community building that occurred at last year’s event,” said the Youth and Families Commissioner Gilian Doplemore. “There are few better ways to invest in a city’s future than investing in its youth, and this event does just that.”

Registration for the free event is available through the Long Beach Youth Festival’s registration page. Attendees are encouraged to use public transportation. Free parking will be available during the event in the West Broadway parking structure (332 W. Broadway) located on Broadway between Chestnut and Cedar Avenues.

Departments across the City have been involved in the planning and hosting of Youth Fest 2022. The Long Beach Public Library will host workshops and activities in their conference rooms and community meeting spaces. Parks, Recreation and Marine is bringing their mobile resource program to Lincoln Park, which also will serve as the location for the resource fair and outdoor activities. Economic Development’s workforce arm, Pacific Gateway, is coordinating a job and college fair so young people can be connected to local employers and schools.