Día del Barrio

What happened?

From the early 1970s until about the mid 1980s, El Día del Barrio was a free event celebrating the Fruitvale community by bringing together local musicians, performers, artists, activists, food vendors and local organizations. Thousands of Fruitvale residents attended this cultural event through the years. 

El Día del Barrio started at Mary Help of Christians Church and a couple of years later it moved to Sanborn Park where it took place every summer for over 10 years, with the exception of the 4th annual Día del Barrio which was held at nearby APUMEC Hall.  It wasn’t just a day of fun in the park, it was a day to learn about the services provided by the various agencies in the Fruitvale and to engage in the issues and struggles of the community.  

The Comité del Barrio, which included activists representing agencies and political organizations in the Fruitvale, organized the yearly event. Beyond being a cultural cornerstone of Fruitvale’s Chicano community, the Comité del Barrio used the day to send a positive message to the community. The annual festival highlighted pressing political and social issues such as fair immigration laws and policies, solidarity with Third World liberation struggles, and local political campaigns. 

Malaquías Montoya and other artists created the festival posters. Every Día del Barrio had a progressive theme which was memorialized in the posters. For example, the theme of the 10th Día del Barrio poster reads, “Raza –Ponte en acción por tu comunidad –por tu pueblo – por nuestro mundo…Take Action for your community-for your people-for our world.” Or as it reads on the 4th Día del Barrio poster, “Unidad en la Lucha…Unity in the Struggle.