Huntington Beach will continue celebrating heritage, identity months, officials say

Huntington Beach will continue celebrating heritage and identity months in 2024 after the City Council voted earlier this month to establish a new city history program that said it repealed previously approved celebrations.

Jennifer Carey, the city’s spokesperson, said what got lost in translation from that meeting was the council action concerned monthly themes, but that doesn’t preclude the city from having acknowledgements of other historical or cultural events.

“The intent is not to get rid of Women’s History Month or Black History Month, or other cultural heritage months,” she said.

In January, the monthly theme will be “Founders’ Legacy – Celebrating Huntington Beach’s Origins” and will include acknowledging and celebrating New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and International Holocaust Remembrance Day, officials said.

The theme for February will “We Love Our Libraries – Huntington Beach’s commitment to books, reading and learning” and the city will also celebrate Black History Month, Huntington Beach’s Birthday and George Washington’s Birthday. The city will celebrate Women’s History Month in March.

The city is creating a new committee composed of residents working with city staff to determine what monthly themes there should be in 2025 and other acknowledgements. Carey said the city will have more information at the start of the year for residents who wish to apply to serve on the committee.

“While the monthly historical themes have been determined for 2024, a calendar of additional acknowledgements and tributes will be displayed on the city’s website and updated quarterly based on committee and city staff feedback,” a news release from the city said.