Thursday, October 1, 2026
Long Beach is known for its summer block parties and popular outdoor events, but during the cold winter months, many opt to celebrate the holidays inside. Last week, however, more than 100 West End residents turned out for an outdoor event aimed at generating Christmas spirit.
Several California Street residents closed a portion of their block on Dec. 18 to show holiday films on a large projector for local kids and neighbors, in what organizers said they hope to be the first of many holiday events.The idea came from California Street resident Maureen Ennis, who said she thought it would be a fun way to celebrate the holidays.
The street was closed to traffic from 5 to 10 p.m. and movies such as “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus is coming to Town” and “The Polar Express” were shown on a large movie screen, courtesy of NY Kidstime in Rockaway. Kids also received a visit from Santa, and neighbors listened to holiday music during intermissions.
“My wife, myself and some neighbors were talking about how fun it would be if we showed movies on the block,” said George Ennis, co-founder of the annual Long Beach Film Festival, which he said would be held at the Cabana in May and raises money for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. “Everybody brought their own blankets, popcorn and chairs. It was like having a winter block party and was a great way to celebrate Christmas.”
Ennis said that next year, they plan on organizing the event the Saturday before Christmas and incorporating some new ideas, such as having participants make contributions to Toys for Tots.
“The feedback was great and everybody said they wanted to do it again,” Ennis said.
