Families Fill Memorial Park for Chula Vista's Day of the Child Celebration

Families gathered at Memorial Park in downtown Chula Vista on Saturday, April 19, for the annual Day of the Child Chula Vista event. The Chula Vista Community Collaborative hosted the free, family-friendly celebration, which has continued to grow in size and impact each year.

The event draws on Día Mundial del Niño, a Mexican holiday, and centers on honoring children, particularly in Hispanic and Latin families. Booths throughout the park focused on children's health, safety, creativity and community services. Visitors could find health screenings, informational handouts, interactive games and crafts.

Live entertainment highlighted Mexican culture. The Mariachi group from Montgomery Middle School performed traditional music, and La Fiesta Danzantes de San Diego presented Folclórico dances representing traditions from various regions of Mexico.

Classic cars and lowriders were another major draw. The vehicles lined Third Avenue from G Street to F Street, with car clubs from across the area showing off their entries. Crowds stopped to photograph the cars and talk with their owners.

Assemblymember David Alvarez and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann joined the festivities by each choosing a favorite car of the event. McCann said the choice was a tough one. "It was a hard decision because all of the cars were beautiful," he said.

Jovita Arellano, coordinator for the Chula Vista Community Collaborative (CVCC), said the event serves a practical purpose for families. "Families need events like this that give them the chance to learn about what is available for them and what help they can get," she said. She also thanked the lowrider community for its support: "To see them out here to help support this event is amazing and I thank them."

A longtime attendee, writing for Chula Vista Living, noted that the event once featured only a handful of booths and has expanded considerably. As a mother of two, the writer said it offered a chance to connect with health programs and learn about local services.

Several other community events are planned for the coming months. CVArtFest is scheduled for June, and the Chula Vista Lemon Festival is set for August. The city also hosts summer movie nights for families.

The Chula Vista Community Collaborative began in 1993 as a partnership between the South Bay Human Services Council and Vista Square Elementary, created to address community needs that reached beyond the classroom. It received support from a Healthy Start Planning Grant, the City of Chula Vista, local nonprofits and service agencies. Now part of the Chula Vista Elementary School District, it has spent more than 30 years helping families access resources such as health care, food assistance, parenting programs and advocacy.