Daniel Tiger visits fans in Pilsen to celebrate Be My Neighbor Day and Festival del Niño
WTTW and Fred Rogers Productions, with support from the PNC Foundation, hosted Be My Neighbor Day recently, a free, family-friendly event for children and their families to engage in a day filled with learning activities and social interaction.
Aligned with the iconic Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and PBS KIDS series Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood as seen on WTTW, the event was held at the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) in Pilsen.
"WTTW was honored to host this community event to share the value of kindness and what it means to be a caring neighbor in Chicago," said Tim Russell, vice president of Community Engagement for WTTW. "We enjoyed spending the day with our friends and neighbors in Pilsen to deliver on our purpose to enrich lives, engage communities, and inspire exploration."
Special activities included costumed character appearances by Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat, WTTW Kids Learn & Play kindergarten readiness activities, on-stage performances, carnival games, crafts, health screenings, and more.
Since 2016, WTTW, Fred Rogers Productions and PNC have collaborated to launch, as Daniel likes to say, "GRRR-ific" Be My Neighbor Day events where children and families participate in action-packed activities, explore content highlighting life lessons and develop meaningful connections with those around them.
This event was funded by the PNC Foundation in support of PNC Grow Up Great®, a $500 million, multi-year, bilingual, early childhood education initiative to help prepare children from birth through age five, particularly underserved children, for success in school and life.
"For decades, PNC and our PNC Grow Up Great® initiative has helped create educational opportunities for thousands of Chicagoland's youngest learners," said Scott Swanson, PNC regional president of Illinois. "As a long-time supporter of the National Museum of Mexican Art, we're thrilled this event was hosted at one of Chicago's most notable cultural venues. Combined with Festival del Niño, Be My Neighbor Day is a natural extension of our commitment to our neighborhoods and to the success of our children in school and life."
In the spirit of kindness, a hallmark of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of aiding neighbors in need, young visitors were encouraged to bring a book to donate to El Valor, a nonprofit organization which annually serves more than 4,000 children, adults with disabilities, and their families.
The event coincided with NMMA's 25th annual tradition of celebrating Festival Del Niño.
"For 25 years, the NMMA has encouraged families to gather in Harrison Park to promote healthy and active lifestyles. Bringing Be My Neighbor Day into the Festival del Niño helps complement our mission in our community and encourages special, interactive moments that benefit multiple generations," said Carlos Tortolero, president and founder of National Museum of Mexican Art. "We look forward to welcoming Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat to our casa."