The Long Beach community came together on Friday to watch and celebrate the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games.
The city hosted a public event, dubbed the “Winter Para-Party,” at the Civic Center Plaza, featuring booths, resources, activities and more for Long Beach’s disability community and the entire city.
Olympian Amanda McGrory attends a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Jen Korba and Ryan Butcher, ambassadors of the Triumph Foundation, attend a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach hosts a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Olympians Mariah Bell, left, and Amanda McGrory attend a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
People watch the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in the lobby of Long Beach City Hall on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
City Councilwoman Mary Zendejas hangs out with Jennifer Kumiyama during a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach hosts a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
City Councilwoman Mary Zendejas recognizes Jen Korba and Ryan Butcher, ambassadors of the Triumph Foundation, during a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
City Councilwoman Mary Zendejas recognizes Cinde Soto, middle, with an award during a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
City Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, reflected in a City Hall window, attends Long Beach’s community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Olympian Amanda McGrory attends a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Olympians Mariah Bell, left, and Amanda McGrory attend a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson helps host a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Olympian Amanda McGrory attends a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson helps host a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach hosts a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Jen Korba and her service dog, Abby, attend Long Beach’s community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
City Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, reflected in a City Hall window, attends Long Beach’s community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
City Councilwoman Mary Zendejas attends a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
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Olympian Amanda McGrory attends a community celebration for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Long Beach Civic Center Plaza on Friday March 6, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The free event was intended to promote a greater understanding of the Paralympic movement and the important role that adaptive recreation plays in building a community where everyone belongs, officials said.
“The Para-Party will foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for our disabled communities,” Sean Devereaux, community engagement officer for the city manager’s office, said ahead of the event, “by showcasing adaptive sports and recreation, sharing personal stories of achievement and perseverance, and providing several interactive activities available for all members of the Long Beach community.”
City leaders said they hoped the community event would inspire residents, young people, families and community members from all backgrounds to see sports as accessible and empowering, and a source of pride for the city – especially as Long Beach prepares to welcome the Paralympic Games in 2028.
Long Beach will host seven Paralympic sporting events during the 2028 Games, according to the city. The sporting events include para-swimming, para-rowing, para-canoe sprint, para-climbing, shooting para-sport, sitting volleyball and blind football.
Following a brief program, attendees had the opportunity to explore resources and activity booths, which included the Disabled Resource Center, Able ARTS Work, Long Beach Transit, The USA Adaptive Recreation Center, Long Beach Public Health, Playmakers and Infinite Flow Dance, among others.
People filled the lobby at City Hall to watch the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics — and also had the opportunity to meet Olympians.
Winter Olympian Mariah Bell, an American figure skater who was at 25 the oldest U.S. women’s singles skater to win the title in a century and who competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and Paralympian Amanda McGrory, an American wheelchair athlete and current archivist for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, were at the event.
“The Para-Party aims to leave a legacy of inspiration through athlete interaction, storytelling, and community participation,” Devereaux said. “We hope to motivate residents to support and engage with inclusive sports long after the event concludes, ensuring that the spirit of the Paralympic movement continues to resonate in Long Beach for years to come.”