A renowned street muralist and over 100 volunteers gathered in Downtown Long Beach Saturday morning to help beautify and clean the city in anticipation of more tourists coming back to town.

With Los Angeles County now well into the yellow tier of COVID-19 restrictions, more businesses are starting to reopen and are hoping to draw in customers.

“This is where people come from all over the city,” Councilwoman Cindy Allen said. “People have an interest in Downtown Long Beach and this was a good opportunity to clean up the city.”

The dozens of volunteers and crews with the Public Works Department were in alleyways cleaning up debris, repainting curbs and abating graffiti. Colorful new plants were placed along the Rainbow Bridge.

And artist Bryan Blue, known by his fans as Blue The Great, was called upon by POW!WOW! Long Beach to repaint a mural along Pine Avenue near Ocean Boulevard. The artist is well known for his paintings as well as a shoe collaboration with Nike.

Local agencies, including the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, hosted the clean-up.