East Village, Long Beach, California


Background

The East Village, sometimes called the "East Village Arts District," is the name of a neighborhood in Long Beach, California, within eastern Downtown Long Beach. The borders of the East Village are not strictly defined, but the area is centered in the southeast portion of downtown, roughly between Long Beach Boulevard on the west and Alamitos Avenue on the east, and Ocean Boulevard on the south to 10th Street on the north.

Demographics

The East Village is a mix of many different housing types, including high-rise condos, artist lofts and small craftsman cottages. It serves as the home to individuals with differing cultures, income levels, and professions.

Setting

The neighborhood has many independent stores selling everything from designer denim and specialty sneakers to used books and mid-century furniture. There are coffee shops, juice bars, and restaurants featuring selections from crepes and sushi to chicken n' waffles.

Arts District

The East Village is also the city's arts district, with most of the independent shops, restaurants and galleries exhibiting work by Long Beach and Southern Californian artists.
The East Village Arts District is home to the Second Saturday Art Walk which occurs every month. This event features art receptions and special events in the shop and galleries of the District. The District is also home to Tour des Artistes, an annual street festival event in June which features visual artists in every discipline, as well as performing artists ranging from singer-songwriters to Shakespeare.
The District hosts Soundwalk , a unique sound art festival, which began in 2004. Soundwalk is a series of site-specific sound installations and sound art performances which attracts renowned sound artists from around the world.