Overwhelming! Americas Latino Eco Festival Amazes Denver

Article & Photos by Joe Contreras, (see photo galleries below)

Overwhelming…That’s the best way to describe the firsts day of the Americas Latino Eco Festival held in Downtown Denver October 13-15. Many activities were held at both the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the McNichols Civic Center Building.

The first morning saw more than 400 students from throughout Denver and the U.S.  learning about nature from various scientists and instructors while they toured the grounds of Museum of Nature and Science.
Meanwhile at the McNichols building a variety of workshops where taking place through out the day. Topics varied from Environment Justice & Racism to Puerto Rico Country of Honor Call2Action. 18 workshops/events were held at McNichols in just the first day.

The evening had participants loaded on to buses for a trip to the Museum of Nature & Science for a reception that included tapas and beverages and the Imax Free Premiere Screening of “River of Gold” which was followed with Q & A with the presenters.
ALEF welcomed thousands of guest as well as celebrities, artists, scientists, and community and public policy leaders of the Americas to discuss novel solutions in advancing a healthy environment, locally and globally, through advocacy, education, and engagement of culturally diverse populations.

Latinos Americas Eco Festival 2016 Day 1 (164)

The three-day event, themed “People and Forests First: Shades of Hope” included an environmental ­film series, a BioBlitz (an interactive and inclusive biological survey of local surroundings in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service), leadership trainings, an eco book fair, a green impact fair, a leadership summit, and a family day full of kid and family-friendly activities

Latinos Americas Eco Festival 2016 Day 1 (170)

Supporters for this year’s Festival include World Wildlife Fund, Great Outdoors Colorado, The City of Denver, Bon­fils Stanton Foundation, Denver Arts & Venues, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Audubon Rockies, Amazon Aid, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver, Governors’ Climate & Forests Taskforce, NRDC, Voces Verdes, National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians, Global Greengrants Fund, Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, Jared Polis Foundation, National Park Foundation, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Que Bueno 1280 AM (KBNO), Telemundo Denver, Latin Life Denver Media, among many other extraordinary partners.

Photos by Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media

Gala, Americas Latino Eco Festival October 14, 2016. Photos by Rossana Longo Better and Joe Contreras


 

Family Day, October 15, 2016


Day 2 October 14, 2106, Photos by Rossana Longo Better


Day 2, October 14, 2016


Day one, October 13, 2016


Opening Reception, October 12, 2106