Eight presents Be My Neighbor Day, celebrating youth at El Día de los Niños festival – April 30 at 9 a.m.

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Valley children meet with Smokey the Bear and first responders at Dia de los Ninos – which will be at Heritage and Science Park this year.

PHOENIX –(April 17, 2015)Eight, Arizona PBS invites families to “Be My Neighbor Day,” celebrating Fred Rogers’ legacy of neighborliness, at the 15th annual El Día de los Niños event, honoring and engaging the community’s youth, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Heritage & Science Park in downtown Phoenix (115 N. Sixth St., Phoenix, AZ 85004).

Eight will provide Daniel Tiger “trolley stops” with sunflower planting, mural painting and a chance to meet first responders from the community. Children will also have the opportunity to meet Daniel Tiger and take photos with him inside the Phoenix Museum of History. “Be My Neighbor Day” is a national PBS initiative in honor of Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” promoting a spirit of volunteerism.

“Eight is one of 10 PBS affiliate stations selected to pilot a PBS KIDS Daniel Tiger ‘Be a Good Neighbor’ event by Fred Rogers Institute and PBS KIDS,” says Kimberly Flack, associate general manager for education and outreach at Eight, Arizona PBS. “We are thrilled to weave the activities throughout this year’s El Día de Los Niños to encourage children’s awareness about the importance of giving back.  We are working with Sojourner Center to collect donations of personal care items ahead of the festival so participants can create care packages for women and children who receive services at Sojourner.”

The special event kicks off at El Día de los Niños, a family-friendly festival sharing the importance of literacy and education for children, hosted by the City of Phoenix Latino Institute in partnership with Eight and the Arizona Science Center.

El Día de los Niños will present over 50 booths featuring hands-on learning activities for children, including games and giveaways. Children will also have the opportunity to explore the thrill of STEM: science, technology, engineering and math, as well as meet the Curious George character with interactive activities inside the Arizona Science Center lobby.

“We are proud to partner with Eight, Arizona PBS on the Día de los Niños event to bring this wonderful day of educational fun to our Valley children and families!” says Carmela Ramirez, Latino Institute chair for the City of Phoenix Latino Institute.

For more information on El Día de los Niños, including how to register, visit azpbs.org/neighborday.