We are, in case you didn’t know, standing on the threshold of National Welsh Rarebit Day, and over the weekend, many who relaxed in honor of Labor Day likely overlooked the days in tribute to coconuts, beards and blueberry popsicles. Each calendar is packed with these observances, with more than 1,500 each year, so why not one that recognizes Long Beach?
That was the argument made by the Long Beach City Council on Tuesday as they started the process to declare Sept. 8 as “908 Day,” a local observance dedicated to “living great in the 908,” — a reference to the city’s ZIP codes, which all start with that same three-number combo.
“Referring to Long Beach as ‘the 908’ serves as an important reminder that although we are a large city with many diverse and vibrant communities, we are still ultimately one unified city,” wrote Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson in a letter to the Council.
Much like National Bologna Day (Oct. 24), the observance didn’t spring from any outpouring of passion, but from polite persistence, this time from John Grossi and his editorial team at Long Beach 908 Magazine.
Outside Local Grind Coffee shop — Grossi’s base of operations during the week — Grossi explains that 908, unlike the area code 562, is the only numerical series distinct to Long Beach.
Since 2014, three years after the publication began, Grossi has used the term to promote small businesses in the city through videos, discounts and events. It falls in line with the upbeat style of his publication, which focuses on highlighting small businesses in Long Beach.
“That’s always been our slogan, ‘Life is great in the 908,’” Grossi said. “And kind of a thesis to our magazine, which is a positive publication.”
Unlike Mother’s Day, reared out of early anti-war sentiments, the day has no political underpinnings. It lacks the religious framework of Valentine’s Day and holds no ties to class stratification like Columbus Day.
But much like how food holidays are invented by people who want to sell more food, 908 Day is part of Grossi’s desire to sell Long Beach, and the joy of living in it, to his readers.
“There’s not one person who couldn’t get a better living for their money somewhere else,” Grossi said. “It’s one of the highest-cost places to live. But no one wants to leave this place.”
“You can be anything you want to be in Long Beach,” he added.
The local observation was proposed Tuesday night by Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, who wrote the day is about celebrating the “shared identity” of Long Beach; it celebrates the similarities and differences of a diverse city that never feels too big.
With the local order, Richardson said, residents will be encouraged to show their pride by supporting local businesses and artisans, by wearing local-themed attire and by extending an extra dose of goodwill wherever possible.
“Today, businesses and organizations outside of Long Beach 908 Magazine use the denotation, and for many people it represents everything positive and unique about the city they live in and love,” Richardson wrote.