On Feb. 25, 2015, the Los Angeles City Council voted to grant the petition request from the West Los Angeles community to rename the area Sawtelle Japantown — and join Little Tokyo, San Francisco and San Jose as one of four remaining Japantowns in the U.S.
Sawtelle Japantown Celebration 2022, on Feb. 25-27, will continue its tradition to remember and celebrate the history and legacy on Sawtelle Japantown’s seventh anniversary.
Since its establishment in 2018 as an annual not-for-profit, grassroots community event, Sawtelle Japantown Celebration (SJC) has seen a phenomenal growth of community friends that included more than 72 businesses and groups in 2020 — from Sawtelle, Little Tokyo, Santa Monica, Westwood, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Alhambra and Gardena.
Sawtelle Japantown Celebration 2022 includes community appreciation and celebration of front-line workers — firefighters, police and police staff, and medical workers — for the sacrifices they have made and continue to make.
The three-day celebration has been scaled down due to public safety concerns and COVID resurgence. Organizers ask that attendees practice social distancing and observe local mask mandates.
• Friday, Feb. 25: Front-Liner Appreciation Day. This is an open invitation to the community — residents and businesses alike — to show appreciation and to celebrate our police and police staff, firefighters and medical workers who keep us all safe.
7 p.m.: Appreciating Our Firefighters at LAFD Station #59, 11505 Olympic Blvd. (at Butler Avenue). Come join us for some merry noisemaking in celebration of our local firefighters. Be sure to bring along some noisemakers. Celebrate the firefighters in your neighborhood, too.
• Sunday, Feb. 27, 12:30 p.m.: Appreciating Our Police and Police Staff at WLAPD Station, 1663 Butler Ave. (at Iowa Avenue). Come join us for some merry noisemaking in celebration of our local police and police staff. Be sure to bring along some noisemakers. Celebrate the police and police staff in your neighborhood, too.
• Feb. 21-27: Early-bird promotions begin Monday, Feb. 21. Merchant promotions at multiple locations require a paper or digital SJC 2022 flyer. Special front-liner promotions for police, firefighters and medical workers require ID and a paper or digital SJC 2022 flyer. Contact: WLASawtelle@gmail.com
For further SJC 2022 information and program updates, visit: www.sawtellejtown.org. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Food—Beverage/Sawtelle-Japantown-Celebration-545802845899352/