The Bonneville Neighborhood Association will host the Lasting Legacy Festival on Saturday at Purce Park to honor two local advocates who championed the memory of Pocatello’s Historic Triangle Neighborhood before their deaths.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 401 North 7th Avenue. Organizers dedicated this year’s gathering to Ken Monroe and Janelle Kaneaster, both of whom worked to preserve the history of the area that was cleared during urban renewal projects in the 1950s and 1960s.
Catherine McCarthy, director of community engagement and marketing with Neighborworks Pocatello, said the festival serves as a tribute to those who helped keep the neighborhood’s legacy alive. “This year’s festival will be in memory of two community powerhouses that sadly we have lost,” McCarthy said.
Kaneaster led the Bonneville Neighborhood Association until her death on Aug. 7. She played a key role in renaming the former Bonneville Community Park to Purce Park, honoring John and Idaho Purce. Monroe died in March 2024 after sharing his childhood memories of the neighborhood with local media.
The Historic Triangle Neighborhood was once a diverse community bordered by Center Street to the south, South 8th Avenue to the east, rail yards to the west, and Oak Street to the north. Residents included Black, Hispanic, Asian, Italian, Greek, and French families before the area was demolished for urban renewal.
Festival attendees can enjoy free food provided by local partners. Pocatello Police Department officers will serve hamburgers and hot dogs, while the Lamb Weston Fry Truck will offer french fries. The Bonneville Neighborhood Association will provide ice cream. The first 200 people to arrive will receive a commemorative T-shirt.
McCarthy noted Kaneaster’s long-standing involvement in local projects. “(Kaneaster) has been an integral part of the Bonneville neighborhood for years,” McCarthy said. “She really stepped up in a lot of their projects here, and in putting the Lasting Legacy Festival on.”
A separate celebration of life for Kaneaster is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the senior center near Purce Park.