The two-night event will feature a candle lighting ceremony, Baba the Storyteller, an African marketplace, live artists, jazz performances and West African drum and dance, and more.
Long Beach last year received more than $60 million in federal COVID relief aid to address fiscal issues and urgent needs in the community, but a year later, the majority of those funds have yet to be spent.
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Starting at 6 p.m., Phaedra Allen, the center’s program committee chair, said the celebration will include African drumming and dancing and programming themed around cultural significance, purpose and connection. Cultural leaders Olufemi and Max Viltz of the African Study Group and Village Treasures will be facilitating the event for the center, Allen said.
This year’s program will also feature award-winning cultural performer Baba The Storyteller and a candle lighting ceremony, which will having the facilitators light the three red, one black and three green candles. This seven-day holiday started on Dec. 26 and will end on Jan. 1.