Denver End-of-Summer Celebration: Montbello Alive! September 20th

Denver Preschool Program (DPP) is excited to join Montbello Alive! for their 10th annual celebration on Saturday, September 20th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at East Meadow, Parkfield Lake Park, 15555 E. 53rd Avenue, Denver, CO 80239. Since 2018, Denver Preschool Program has been a partner of Montbello Alive!, providing information for Denver families about how to find and afford high-quality preschool. 

“DPP is such an important resource for people in our community,” said Donna Garnett, Chief Executive Officer of the Montbello Organizing Committee. “Our babies, toddlers, and young children need the opportunity to participate in high-quality, good early care and education programs.” 

Garnett was one of the original leaders behind the creation of the predecessor to Colorado Shines, a statewide program that rates, monitors, and supports early learning programs to improve the quality of their services. Having DPP at Montbello Alive! has been a priority, she said. 

A Decade of Celebrations

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Montbello Alive! A decade ago, community members in the Montbello neighborhood of Denver were looking for a way to commemorate their community’s 50th year anniversary. 

“Ten years ago, we wanted to do something to bring community members and partners together and have a big celebration and also have the event be about food, access, arts, and culture to improve health outcomes,” said Garnett, one of the original Montbello Alive! organizers. 

With a community engagement grant from the Kresge Foundation and strong enthusiasm and leadership from community members, including Montbello Organizing Committee Board President Chris Martinez, the original event was an amazing success. 

“It was such a hit–people loved it,” Garnett said. “Montbello is about so much more than what people may think it is–we have an awesome community that is diverse, artistic, talented, and kind.” 

It’s that vibrancy that inspired the event name, Montbello Alive!, and has made the event a cornerstone of the community for a decade. The event has taken place in person every year except for 2020,  when it was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Founded in 1965, the neighborhood of Montbello was Denver’s first major annexation of privately-owned land. Today, it is one of Denver’s 78 statistical neighborhoods. With a population of roughly 32,500, the community has a 14% poverty rate, which is slightly higher than that of Denver County as a whole (12.9% according to the most recent census data).

“Montbello often gets misunderstood as a ‘bad’ neighborhood,” Garnett said. “But it’s not at all. We are thriving and have such an incredibly diverse and talented community.” 

A Fun Family Event for All Ages

When asked why families should consider attending this year’s event, Garnett shared, “It’s fun, you’ll see yourself there, you’ll enjoy the artists in our community. There’s good food, and it’s just a celebration at the end of the summer and of why Montbello is such a special place.” 

This year, the 4-hour Montbello Alive! event will feature: 

• Center stage with 7 local artists performing everything from music to spoken word 
• More than 60 vendors offering resources and information (including Denver Preschool Program!) 
• 5 food trucks offering a variety of menus 
• Leo the Popcorn Man 
• Lotería (a Mexican board game similar to Bingo) 
• A community survey

To learn more about the event, visit montbelloorganizing.org/montbello-alive. Be sure to check out DPP’s event calendar for upcoming events and opportunities to learn more about saving money on preschool costs.