The sixth annual Summer in the Parks program, in partnership
with The Grand Opera House, is in full swing with evening concerts planned starting July 11.
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and The Grand Executive
Director Mark Fields today invited citizens to enjoy the 2018 season of Summer
in the Parks, a series of interactive, cultural experiences provided free in
neighborhood parks around the city. The program, now in its sixth year, is
a collaboration between the City and The Grand with additional support from The
Wilmington Parking Authority. Programs run through August
1.
Each week, Summer in the Parks features free interactive
arts activities such as storytelling, African music, folk art and illustrating,
as well as dance and movement, sock puppets and Shakespeare in parks and public
spaces. Participating spaces include Tilton, Haynes, Holloway, Woodlawn, Prices Run, Barbara
Hicks, Judy Johnson, Stapler, Union Park Gardens, the Helen Chambers Playground
and the Rodney Street Tot-Lot.
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| Christina Cultural Arts Center's "Village in Concert" happens on July 17 in Haynes Park. |
Beginning Wednesday, July 11 and continuing
through Wednesday, August 1, free music concerts will be presented in City
parks from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Free water ice will also be provided. A complete
schedule of concerts is included below.
“Wilmington is pleased to present yet another summer of free
fun, entertainment and interactive opportunities in partnership with our
friends at The Grand,” said Mayor Purzycki. “The City and The Grand continue to
produce unique, first-rate artistic and cultural programs for children and
their families. More than 18,000 City residents have benefited from hundreds of
events since this summer program began in 2013.”
Pamelyn Manocchio, The Grand’s Director of Community
Engagement, is the producing coordinator for Summer in the Parks series. “I am
thrilled to be working with so many talented artists again this year. We’re
particularly excited to try out new programming, such as ‘Salsa in the Street,’
where all ages will be encouraged to learn Latin dancing and ‘Empowered Voices,’
which will feature inspirational spoken word artists and open the mic to
audience participation. It’s all about getting the community involved, and
we’re happy to create a unique way for youth and families to participate in the
arts.”
“We are pleased to be continuing this innovative arts
program in partnership with the City for the sixth consecutive summer,” said Fields. “Making interactive arts experiences available to
neighborhood children is a wonderful way to introduce culture and personal
expression, while fulfilling our community service mission. It’s even better
that Summer in the Parks offers The Grand an opportunity to also promote the
impressive work of colleague Wilmington artists and arts organizations. We are
grateful for the vision of the City leadership in supporting this program.”
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| The Music School of Delaware's MM & Friends perform on Kids' Night Out July 22 in Union Park Gardens. |
While The Grand serves as producer for the innovative
program, it draws on a wide variety of artistic talent from Wilmington and the
region. This year’s daytime artists include ASCAB Capoeira Delaware,
Dance4Life, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware Shakespeare, First State Ballet
Theatre, Flyogi, Griots Wa Umoja, LaFate Gallery, Maya Belardo Music, Pieces of
a Dream, TAHIRA Productions, The Delaware Contemporary and Wilmington Drama League.
A full schedule of activities can be found on The Grand’s website and calendar updates are posted to
the Summer in the Parks Facebook page.
All programs and schedules are contingent upon weather
and subject to change.
Evening Music Events for Families
- Wednesday, 7/11: Helen
Chambers Playground (600 N. Madison Street)
Summer Jam, featuring live performances by Richard Raw, Mz Yola, Kae Hock, Aziza Nailah, and Beyond Those Bars Students plus music by DJ MikeNite. Live painting with Terrance Vann - Tuesday, 7/17: Haynes
Park (N. Franklin and W. 30th & 32nd Streets)
Village in Concert with Christina Cultural Arts Center Village together with Creative Vision Factory and special guest Olivia Rubini - Wednesday, 7/18: Rodney
Street Tot-Lot (4th & Rodney Streets)
Salsa in the Street, with DJ Bis; salsa instruction from Sara Jastrebski and Sarah Savery as well as art-making project with JaQuanne LeRoy - Sunday, 7/22: Union
Park Gardens (S. Bancroft Parkway & S. Sycamore Street)
Kids Night Out, featuring The Music School of Delaware’s M&M and Friends, plus “Become a Hero” capes with Vanity Constance and Mike Mixson - Wednesday, 7/25: Stapler
Park (W. 16th & N. Union Streets)
Rhythms at Play, featuring the Elbert-Palmer Drum Line with Peter Antony & Friends and “I See Seashells” art project with Stephanie Przybylek - Monday, 7/30: Tilton
Park (N. Franklin and W. 7th & 8th Streets)
Empowered Voices, with Kim “Metaphor” Graham hosting poetry/spoken word with Kaamilah Diabate, plus beaded rings with Gilda Jennings. - Wednesday, 8/1: Holloway/Compton
Park (7th & Lombard Streets)
Grand Finale with Fuzaholics and painting with Terrance Vann
