Long Beach Post (CA): Select Photos from the 10th Annual Cesar Chavez Day Festival in Long Beach

This year’s observance of Cesar Chavez Day marked what would have been his 84th birthday. The annual city-sponsored festival, this year in its 10th year, was held at the late labor leader’s namesake park in the First District, where hundreds flocked to celebrate and take pride in their cultural heritage through song, dance and food.

Ballet foklorico dance troupes Chyle-Music Organization and Clara Ballet Folkloric took to the park’s outdoor performance stage dressed traditionally in bright and colorful ensembles, displaying the fancy footwork of numerous Mexican folk dances. Also featured was a performance by musical group Trio de Alma.

Winners of the festival’s annual scholarship contest, who were this year challenged to write a poem related to the theme "The Legacy of Cesar E. Chavez Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," were acknowledged, with each of the first-, second- and third-place winners reading their poems aloud before the crowd.

The highlight of the event, however, was the dedication of the park’s community center in the name of the late state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, who, as a Long Beach city councilwoman, worked diligently to ensure the park was established and that it was named after Chavez. Oropeza died last October.

The event was hosted by Centro CHA, also known as the Long Beach Community Hispanic Association, and Centro Shalom, a project of the South Coast Interfaith Council, in addition to First District Councilman Robert Garcia.

Additional photos from the festival will be posted soon.