Kwanzaa, seven-day celebration, begins in Los Angeles with a parade LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Los Angeles' Kwanzaa celebration began with a parade along Crenshaw Boulevard to Leimert Park, kicking off the weeklong festival. The parade Wednesday afternoon was the local start of the event, "a deeply meaningful and special time of remembrance, reflection and re-commitment for us as a people throughout the world African community," founder and Cal State Long Beach Professor Maulana Karenga said in his annual Kwanzaa message. The theme of the 35th annual parade is "A New Paradigm," KABC-TV, Los Angeles, reported. Families celebrate by lighting candles and serving traditional African foods, the Los Angeles Times said.