Fil-Ams push for their own cultural heritage district in Long Beach
Photo from longbeachfilipinofestival/Instagram
The Long Beach Filipino Festival (LBFF) is calling on its supporters and the broader community to rally behind an initiative that could solidify West Long Beach in California as a designated Filipino Cultural Heritage District.
In an Instagram post featuring an artwork of a bustling Filipino town set against the Long Beach skyline and coastline, the organizers extended an appeal.
“Hey LBFF supporters, Long Beach community and the greater community that have supported our events throughout the many years,” they captioned.
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The effort, if successful, could bring numerous benefits to the local community, including an official state certification, branding, technical and marketing assistance from the state and a $5,000 annual stipend for two years to help shape and refine the cultural district’s program.
The image accompanying the post evokes a dream-like Filipino American neighborhood, complete with parols, street vendors, traditional food and smiling faces. This visual statement underscores the community’s long-standing presence and cultural vibrance in the area.
LBFF emphasized that community feedback is essential to move forward with the proposal and announced two upcoming meetings to engage with residents and stakeholders further. While specific dates and venues were not mentioned in the post, organizers are expected to release additional details soon.
The comments section of the post lit up with enthusiasm. One user wrote, “This is going to be great. Thanks for all you guys do for the community!” while another added, “Let’s go!”
The Long Beach Filipino Festival’s goal is to create a recognized cultural district that celebrates Filipino identity, history and legacy in Long Beach.
The campaign was launched on the heels of the creation of Filipino Town in Las Vegas. The new cultural district, unanimously approved by the Clark County Commission earlier this year, will stretch along Maryland Parkway from Flamingo to Desert Inn, an area that’s home to many Filipino-owned businesses.
