El Día de los niños, or Day of the child, is coming to Boise after being put on hold during the pandemic.
On April 30th every year across the world, El Día de los Niños celebrates children and the importance of reading. The tradition harkens back to the 1920s, and is particularly popular in Mexico and the Latino community stateside.
Ismael Mendoza, the bilingual/bicultural project coordinator with the Idaho Commission for Libraries, is organizing the event this year. His parents are from Michoacán and growing up in Idaho, the day always felt special.
“Every year, that’s the one thing I would look forward to,” he said. “I always knew it was right before school was about to end and right when summer was beginning.”
His parents weren’t as familiar with other holidays in the U.S., but always took the family to Día de los Niños celebrations.
“Being able to bring that to Boise and show like this cultural aspect of like these older Latinx family members that are possibly going to go and be able to share this with their kids is going to be super exciting,” Mendoza said.
The event is meant to promote bilingual storytelling, literacy and cultural exchange. Every 30 mins, different community leaders will read books under a tent at
Cecil D. Andrus Park. There will be music, vendors, food trucks and community resources. Children will also get to meet Disney princesses and Mexican wrestlers.
“They have a big pink ring that they're going to set up and so luchadores are going to be out there fighting,” Mendoza said. “I might jump in.”
This is the first time the festivities will take place in Boise. In prior years, it was hosted in Canyon County. The event is free and will take place on Sunday from 12-4pm in the park across from the Capitol building.
