POCATELLO — The Bonneville Neighborhood Association invites the community to the free Lasting Legacy Festival on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Purce Park, located at the corner of Fremont Avenue and North 7th Ave. in Pocatello.

This year’s festival will celebrate the history and cultural heritage of Pocatello’s Historic Triangle while honoring the legacies of Ken Monroe and Janell Kay Kaneaster, two community members whose dedication helped preserve the neighborhood’s story and strengthen the community.

The Historic Triangle holds an important place in Pocatello’s history. Located near the Union Pacific rail yards, the neighborhood became home to families from many different backgrounds and cultures. For generations, residents built homes, businesses, churches and community connections that made the Triangle a unique part of Pocatello.

Much of that history was documented in the 2005 book “The Triangle: A Slice of America,” written by Idaho Thompson Purce, Mary Sanders Watkins and Kevin Marsh of Idaho State University. The book helped preserve the stories of the people, families and cultures that shaped the Historic Triangle.

The Lasting Legacy Monument, located at Third Avenue and Lander Street, also serves as a reminder of the families and history connected to the Triangle.

Ken Monroe’s vision

The Lasting Legacy Festival grew from the vision of Ken Monroe, a longtime civil-rights advocate and leader of the Pocatello NAACP who also grew up in the Historic Triangle.

About five years ago, Monroe approached the Bonneville Neighborhood Association because he believed too many people did not know what the Triangle had been, who had lived there or how rich its history was. He wanted the community to recognize and preserve the stories of the families who had called the Triangle home.

That vision helped inspire the Lasting Legacy Festival as an opportunity for former residents, families and community members to come together, share memories and keep the history of the Triangle alive.

Although Monroe passed away in 2024, the vision he helped inspire continues through the festival.

Remembering Janell Kay Kaneaster

This year’s festival will also honor Janell Kay Kaneaster, who passed away on Aug. 7.

Kaneaster served as president of the Bonneville Neighborhood Association and devoted her heart, time, and energy to the organization and the community she loved. She was deeply committed to bringing people together, strengthening neighborhood connections and continuing the association’s work.

This year’s Historic Triangle T-shirts will honor the memories of both Ken Monroe and Janell Kay Kaneaster.

The festival provides an opportunity to remember their contributions while continuing the work they cared about: preserving history, bringing people together and making sure the story of the Historic Triangle is not forgotten.

Community celebration

The Lasting Legacy Festival is free and open to the public. Attendees will enjoy free hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and ice cream.

The first 200 attendees will receive a special Historic Triangle T-shirt.

Families, former residents, descendants of Triangle families and community members are encouraged to bring photographs, stories and memories to share.

The event is an opportunity for longtime residents to reconnect, for younger generations to learn about Pocatello’s history and for everyone to celebrate the people and families who helped shape the Historic Triangle.

Janell Kay Kaneaster life celebration

A separate life celebration honoring Janell Kay Kaneaster will be held on Oct. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Bonneville Neighborhood Association Room at Senior Activity Center, 427 N. 6th Ave. in Pocatello.

Friends, family, neighbors and community members are invited to gather, share memories and celebrate Janell’s life and her dedication to the Bonneville Neighborhood Association and the community

Community sponsors for the Lasting Legacy Festival are:

— Health West.

— NeighborWorks Pocatello.

— Idaho Central Credit Union.

— Fall River Rock.