New parenthood is incredibly exciting, scary, wonderful, and challenging—all at once! With so much information and so many opinions from different sources, it’s hard to know just how to best keep a new baby safe. From car seat installation to finding a pediatrician to safe sleep, having evidence-based expert information is key. And parents shouldn’t have to navigate their parenthood journey alone. Enter: The Annual Community Baby Fair, hosted by the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition (CCIC)!
On June 9, 2018, CCIC hosted the 3rd annual Community Baby Fair at Aviator Park in Stapleton, Colorado. This event allowed new and expecting parents to connect with local health and safety resources and services (including CCIC and other immunization champions) all in one place! Parents talked to experts in infant and child health and safety and were provided tools to help give their little ones a healthy and happy start.
CCIC hosted its first Community Baby Fair back in 2016 as an opportunity to position immunization as one of the many normal steps parents take to keep their children safe and healthy in the first few months of life and beyond. (Because, as we know, the vast majority of parents choose to vaccinate their children, and vaccination is a child’s first line of defense against preventable illness!)
Since our first year, the event has grown significantly; in 2018, we welcomed over 150 new and expecting parents and 26 exhibitors from the Stapleton and Lowry communities!
The exhibitors at this year’s event represented health and safety organizations, baby-focused businesses, and community groups. From organizations focused on nutritious foods, infant safety, and perinatal health to those providing information on early childhood development, mental health, and breastfeeding, there was a wide spectrum of resources, services, and products for parents to take advantage of!
A handful of immunization advocates were also present, including CCIC’s staff, representatives from the Shot@Life campaign, and nurse Bryce from the Tri-County Health Department who manned the “Ask a Nurse” booth! Bryce was available to answer parents’ questions about vaccination and pediatric health and provide information about the remarkable ability of vaccines to keep infants healthy.
Each family who attended the Baby Fair received a swag bag filled with resources, small giveaways, and discount codes for local play gyms and baby gear. All were entered to win one of ten great door prizes, including nursing pillows from Boppy, gift certificates from Good Buy Gear and The Bump Club and Beyond, a Gymboree toy bag, and a free month of diapers and wipes from Abby & Finn. Families also received a complimentary food truck ticket to one of three delicious food trucks and had their pick between açaí bowls, banana-based ice cream, and mac ‘n cheese.
And, like any true family-friendly summer event, the Community Baby Fair featured a variety of fun kids’ activities including arts and crafts, a bubble machine, giant Connect 4, hula hoops, a kids DJ, an Instrument Petting Zoo, and face painting! Nemo (from Finding Nemo) stole the show, playing lawn games and dancing with kiddos while parents visited exhibitor booths.
Needless to say, the Baby Fair was a wonderful way for parents to kick off summer with their little ones (or little one to-be), get some free swag, and—most importantly—get connected with information and resources to help keep their babies safe and healthy.
See more photos from the 2018 Community Baby Fair.
Stay tuned for information about the 2019 Community Baby Fair; we plan to make it an even greater success!