With a gust of glee, Abby Cadabby popped out from her podium to greet Governor Jared Polis. “Hi! I’m so excited. I’m so, so, so excited. I couldn’t wait, there’s a lot of things happening here in Colorado,” she said, as she greeted the kiddos and parents who had gathered.

Abby Cadabby, who is in town as part of the Sesame Street 50th Anniversary Road Trip, teamed up with Governor Polis for a special storytime event at the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus. The two highlighted the Sesame Workshop’s mission to help kids in Denver grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, and led kids in a lively round of Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Next they read Bee-bim Bop!, a rhyming book that celebrates the making of a traditional Korean dish. Abby and Governor Polis talked more about the importance of singing and dancing to keep our bodies moving.

To mark the occasion, Mayor Michael Hancock proclaimed July 19 Sesame Street Anniversary Day in Denver. Citing the work Sesame Street has done to teach generations of kids everything from their ABCs and 123s, to moral principles, and the importance of diversity, Deputy Mayor Murphy Robinson delivered the proclamation to a room of Sesame Street loving kids and their parents.

Abby Cadabby’s stop at the Children’s Museum of Denver kicks off Sesame Street’s 50th anniversary celebration in Denver. To commemorate the program’s 50 years on television, members from Sesame Street are holding a free interactive family festival at Arapahoe Community College on Saturday July 20. The celebration will have a stage show, a giant maze, treasure dig, and a visit from Abby Cadabby.

Need to Know: Sesame Street 50th Anniversary Family Festival is sold out, but families can watch for a special segment filmed around Denver, to air during Sesame Street’s 50th season. In the segment, local kids share what they love about their community in Denver.