{"id":152525,"date":"2026-01-28T01:28:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T01:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/152525\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T01:28:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T01:28:13","slug":"creative-talents-of-people-with-disabilities-celebrated-at-the-23rd-festival-of-human-abilities-press-telegram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/152525\/","title":{"rendered":"Creative talents of people with disabilities celebrated at the 23rd Festival of Human Abilities \u2013 Press Telegram"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>From live performances to art workshops, the Festival of Human Abilities at the Aquarium of the Pacific once again celebrated the creative talents of people with disabilities.<\/p>\n<p>The two-day festival, which celebrated its 23rd year, highlights the creative talents of people with disabilities to ensure everyone in Long Beach and the surrounding area feels welcome and seen, officials said. Throughout the years, the festival has helped cultivate a strong community among those who attend and participate annually.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Guillermo Gomez of the Unification of Disabled Latin Americans belts...\" class=\"size-article_inline\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-13.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Guillermo Gomez of the Unification of Disabled Latin Americans belts out a Mariachi tune at the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Wheelchair dance troupe The Rollette\u00e2\u0080\u0099s perform at the Festival of...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-11.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-11.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Wheelchair dance troupe The Rollette\u2019s perform at the Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Attendees check out the resource booths at the 23rd annual...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-10.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-10.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Attendees check out the resource booths at the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Attendees applaud a musical performance at the 23rd annual Festival...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-09.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-09.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Attendees applaud a musical performance at the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Attendees check out the resource booths at the 23rd annual...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-08.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-08.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Attendees check out the resource booths at the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An attendee plays a game at the 23rd annual Festival...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-06.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-06.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>An attendee plays a game at the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Theresa Devera of Los Angeles attends the Festival of Human...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-07.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-07.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Theresa Devera of Los Angeles attends the Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Guests tour the Aquarium of the Pacific on Saturday, Jan....\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-05.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-05.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Guests tour the Aquarium of the Pacific on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, during the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"American Sign Language performers Michelle Kim, from left, Robin Olive...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-04.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-04.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>American Sign Language performers Michelle Kim, from left, Robin Olive and Becky O\u2019Donnell of Straight Up Abilities sign the words to \u201cWhat a Wonderful World\u201d on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Wheelchair dance troupe The Rollette\u00e2\u0080\u0099s perform at the Festival of...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-03.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-03.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Wheelchair dance troupe The Rollette\u2019s perform at the Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Guillermo Gomez of the Unification of Disabled Latin Americans sings...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-02.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LPT-L-FEST-ABILITIES-0125-HF-02.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Guillermo Gomez of the Unification of Disabled Latin Americans sings Mariachi tunes at the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p>Show Caption<\/p>\n<p>1 of 11<\/p>\n<p>Guillermo Gomez of the Unification of Disabled Latin Americans belts out a Mariachi tune at the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-enlarge mng-gallery-fullscreen-expand\" aria-label=\"Expand fullscreen slideshow\">Expand<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Festival of Human Abilities kicked off Saturday, Jan. 24, and will continue from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The festival is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aquariumofpacific.org\/events\/info\/festival_of_human_abilities\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">free with general admission<\/a> to the aquarium.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, attendees got to experience live performances and workshops by dancers, musicians and artists who have learned adaptive skills to hone their craft. People, for example, had the opportunity to learn dances from the Rollettes, a wheelchair dance team, and Straight Up Abilities, a nonprofit that provides professional performance arts training to students of all abilities.<\/p>\n<p>The festival also highlights the aquarium\u2019s dedication to accessibility year-round, such as wheelchair accessibility, audio tours for guests who are blind, Braille visitor guides and sensory bags for guests with sensory needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From live performances to art workshops, the Festival of Human Abilities at the Aquarium of the Pacific once&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":152526,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7250,7,23,131,133,132,137],"class_list":["post-152525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-aquarium-of-the-pacific","tag-california","tag-local-news","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-los-angeles-county"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152525"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152525\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}