PRESS RELEASE

Above: Jellyfishbot displayed at this year's California Coastal Cleanup Day held Sept. 21, 2024.

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM), in partnership with Aquarium of the Pacific, Intex Recreation Corporation, Long Beach Container Terminal and Long Beach City Employees Federal Credit Union, is inviting community members to attend an awards ceremony and celebration event to announce the winners of the Jellyfishbot Youth Art Contest. The free event will be held at Pierpoint Landing, 200 Aquarium Way, between Pierpoint Landing and the Aquarium of the Pacific, on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Jellyfishbot is the City’s recently deployed remotely controlled debris-collecting device that can remove up to 100 pounds of debris from water in a single mission. To celebrate the debut of the Jellyfishbot in September 2024, the City hosted an art and naming contest, inviting local youth to share their ideas for a chance to name the bot and have their art displayed on its sides. Over 60 local youth submitted their designs to the art contest.

The awards ceremony, which will begin at noon, will announce three winners of the art contest—a first place winner and two runners-up. The first place winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship package from sponsors Intex Recreation Corporation and Long Beach Container Terminal and their winning design will be displayed on the Jellyfishbot at the event. The runners-up will receive prize packages generously donated by sponsors.

The celebration will feature a host of many fun and engaging activities, including opportunities to work with City staff to operate and learn more about the Jellyfishbot, as well an art display of all contest submissions. The event will also feature live steel drum music and a resource fair that includes educational booths from El Dorado Nature Center’s Adopt A Beach program, Aquarium of the Pacific, Algalita, Long Beach Container Terminal, Long Beach City Employees Federal Credit Union and Intex Recreation Corporation. Attendees of the resource fair will have opportunities to learn more about participating organizations and their efforts in waste reduction and sustainability. The event will also announce the winning submission for the Jellyfishbot naming contest.

Paid parking for the event will be available at the Aquarium of the Pacific parking structure on Shoreline Drive between Chestnut Place and Aquarium Way.

Media inquiries may be directed to Jane Grobaty, Community Information Officer, Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, at 562.570.3233 or Jane.Grobaty@longbeach.gov.