Friends of Bixby Park arts and crafts fair will raise money for Ukraine - Signal Tribune

A colorful and artful celebration held at Bixby Park in Long Beach will not only honor Ukrainian refugees, but also provide direct aid to the men, women and children directly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 
The biannual arts and craft fair is hosted by the Friends of Bixby Park, a community-led organization that regularly hosts events for people in the city to gather, celebrate and connect at one of the oldest parks in Long Beach. This year’s fair marks the first in-person arts and crafts fair hosted by the organization since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 
On Sunday, May 22, artists from throughout the city will be selling original pieces as local businesses raffle off gift certificates, all with the common goal of providing aid to Ukrainian refugees. Those attending will be entertained by hand-selected local artists. 
While the primary goal of the Friends of Bixby Park is to support all things Long Beach, president Ketty Citterio, 53, felt compelled to think bigger after attending a vigil held for Ukrainian refugees in Belmont Shore in late March.
Citterio seized the opportunity to make a difference, connecting with each organization present at the vigil. She then chose three groups that she vetted herself to help with the crisis in Ukraine. 
The groups that will benefit from the fair include Citadel Cherkasy, non-profit Grandkids and From People to People, all of which have pledged to send all money to Ukraine. 
“[The groups] are lobbying and collecting money that they send directly to people there [in Ukraine],” Citterio said. “There are people there who are actually doing it so it’s not going to the UN or some other organization.” 
Baskets of goodies and gift certificates will be donated by some of the best Long Beach has to offer. Restaurants that donated include Portfolio, Breakfast Bar, The Attic, Wild Chive and Gallagher’s, to name a few. 
The arts and crafts fair will also feature pieces from artists throughout the city, from seniors living in the Long Beach Arts Colony, students at Long Beach City College and people holding their own art classes looking for business. 
Citterio explained that in the spirit of helping other communities, she has either waived or “dramatically lowered” the vendor fees and booth fees so more people can participate in Sunday’s event. 
The fair will be held at Bixby Park at 130 Cherry Ave. in Long Beach on Sunday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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