Long Beach to Launch Time Capsule Honoring America's 250th Anniversary as Part of 908 Day Celebration

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PRESS RELEASE

Above: In honor of 908 Day, the City of Long Beach is assembling a new time capsule to preserve the stories, milestones and memories that define Long Beach in 2026.

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach will celebrate 908 Day this year by assembling a new time capsule to mark America250, the nationwide celebration of the country's 250th anniversary. Earlier this summer, the City opened its 1976 Bicentennial time capsule, revealing mementos of the era such as Bicentennial flags, newspapers and publications from 1976 and handwritten letters from local elementary school students reflecting on life and their hopes for the future. Building on that legacy, the City is creating a new 50-year capsule to preserve the stories, milestones and memories that define Long Beach today.

"As we celebrate the founding of our nation, Long Beach has an opportunity to show the world what makes this city special and creating this time capsule on 908 Day could not be more fitting," Mayor Rex Richardson said. "I encourage every resident to take part and share the piece of Long Beach they want future generations to know."

Community members are invited to submit items to be considered for inclusion in the new time capsule. An online form is available now through Dec. 1, 2026, offering residents the opportunity to contribute artifacts across four categories: historical, cultural, personal or "other." While not every item submitted will be chosen to be placed in the capsule, the form will give community members across Long Beach a chance to be represented. At the start of the year, the City will add the full submission list-including resident names and ideas-to the capsule to document what Long Beach residents valued in 2026. The collection of tangible items will begin Sept. 8 and continues through Dec. 31.

The capsule will be presented at the Mayor's State of the City in early 2027 before being sealed for the next 50 years inside a plinth on permanent display in the Civic Center Lobby in Downtown Long Beach, marking this moment in the City's history for future generations to discover.

"908 Day is about who we are as a city and where we are headed," City Manager Tom Modica said. "This time capsule gives every resident a chance to help tell that story, our story, and it will stand in a place where our community can see it for generations to come."

When the City revealed the contents of its 1976 Bicentennial time capsule, it did not just contain everyday items, but handwritten letters from local elementary school students reflecting on life and their hopes for the future. Children and adults alike are invited to do the same during this year's collection period.

The time capsule and memorial plinth are funded through the city's Special Events and Promotion budget which is supported by revenue from transient occupancy taxes and is restricted funding only for the use of promoting the City.

The city's 908 Day is an annual celebration officially established by the City Council in September 2024 to honor Long Beach through community pride, local events and more. The celebration was created in partnership with 908 Magazine, founded in 2011 by 19-year-old Long Beach native John Grossi. The magazine's name refers to the first three digits shared by every Long Beach ZIP code.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

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