Homeland Cultural Center’s 17th annual Dance Fest returns to Long Beach this weekend – Press Telegram

Dance Fest, a free community showcase of cultural music, dance and the arts, will return this weekend for the Long Beach community to enjoy.

The Homeland Cultural Center’s Dance Fest will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Cesar Chavez Park amphitheater, 401 Golden Ave. In its 17th year, the event will feature 10 creative and engaging community performances.

“Culture and the arts are the fabric of our community,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement, “and Dance Fest is a powerful reminder of how the arts bring people together, celebrate our shared cultures and strengthen community connections.”

The event is free for the community, and attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and snacks to enjoy while watching the performances, according to a press release.

Attendees will get to enjoy a variety of performances from people of all ages participating in Homeland Cultural Center classes, including popping and locking, breakdancing, drumming, poetry reading, Aztec dancing, Khmer martial arts and dance, West African dancing, and Hmong and Micronesian arts.

The Homeland Cultural Center, located at MacArthur Park, offers free year-round cultural classes and drop-in programs in traditional and urban contemporary dance, music and the arts. It is a place for people of all ages to explore and pass on traditional and contemporary cultural traditions, according to a press release.

“Dance Fest reflects the creativity and cultural richness that makes Long Beach such a special community,” First District Councilmember Mary Zendejas said in a statement. “This is an event we continue to look forward to each year – an event that uplifts local talent and brings people together by celebrating culture.”

The Homeland Cultural Center is a 2008 recipient of the Dorothy Mullen Arts & Humanities Award from the National Recreation and Park Association, a prestigious national honor that recognizes outstanding innovation in arts and humanities programming within parks and recreation agencies, the press release said. In 2012, the center also received the Awards of Excellence from the California Park and Recreation Society for its creativity, innovation and community impact.

Dance Fest is one of PRM’s many free summer events taking place throughout the summer. Information about other summer offerings is available at lbcity.info/lbsummer.