Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) Walk and Roll Long Beach Program will host the first annual Long Beach Walk to Play Day as part of the City’s Active Transportation Program-funded Downtown Walkable Corners project. To encourage residents to choose non-motorized forms of transportation such as walking, biking or rolling, Long Beach Walk to Play Day, taking place Saturday, April 8, will highlight parks, playgrounds and businesses that offer activities and opportunities for play.

“We are lucky to live in a city with beautiful weather and countless attractions,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “The City is committed to further improving our pedestrian infrastructure so everyone can feel safe walking to their destinations.”

As part of Long Beach Walk to Play Day, family-friendly activities are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lincoln Park in Downtown Long Beach. These free activities will include:

• Bollywood dance class from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) Coffee, Conversation and Clean-up from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
• Lawn games and kid’s jumper from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Pedestrian safety rodeo (scenario-based traffic safety simulations for kids) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Dog training class by local instructor Charli DiBono from noon to 1 p.m.

“I’m so excited to see Walk to Play Day activities taking place Downtown,” said First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas. “Downtown has such a great array of attractions, from the park and library to shops, dining and museums – a person can truly spend the day having fun without ever needing to get into their car.”

The Health Department will be giving away celebratory buttons for the first 750 participants across several locations including at Lincoln Park, Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) and the Billie Jean King Main Library. People are encouraged to use the hashtag #LBWalktoPlayDay to share photos of their experience walking and engaging in play.

“Taking action towards reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries includes hosting events like Long Beach Walk to Play Day, which encourages walking and promotes pedestrian safety,” said Health Department Director Kelly Colopy. “These events allow residents to build community, foster a sense of ownership, and have conversations about the shared responsibility of creating safe streets for all.”

Long Beach Walk to Play Day is part of the Downtown Walkable Corners Project, which aims to improve pedestrian safety and encourage car-free fun in Downtown Long Beach. It is part of an overall effort by the Health Department’s Walk and Roll Program. The project, a partnership between the Health Department and the Long Beach Public Works Department, focuses on incorporating pedestrian safety infrastructure in project area boundaries of 7th Street to Ocean Avenue (north to south) and Magnolia Avenue to Alamitos Avenue (east to west). Nearly 200 concrete curb extensions and pedestrian refuges will be installed in the project area, prioritizing pedestrian safety. The Downtown Walkable Corners Project aligns with the City’s Safe Streets Action Plan, an initiative that aims to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2026.