Love Your Park Week is back!

Love Your Park Week, created by the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Rec, celebrates Philly’s park scene and outdoor space. The week includes a boatload of events, educational programs, tours, service projects and more.

Love Your Park Week kicked off on Saturday in Philly with a Kickoff Service Day.  Projects across the city cleaned over 80 parks.  The Philadelphia PumpTrack (which is a dirt course of bumps, jumps and berms, designed for BMX and mountain bikes) debuted on Saturday at 53rd & Parkside Avenue, right by the Parkside Evans Recreation Center. 

Wondering how else you can celebrate Love Your Park Week? Here’s a few of the events going on this week.

Love Your Park Week – 2014 Events

Monday, May 12th

• ParkX
• Malcolm X Memorial Park – Art in the Park: FREE arts and crafts traveling class. All ages, 4pm-6pm, 52nd and Pine St.

Tuesday, May 13th

• A Community Vision for East and West Fairmount Park – Launch Event – PennPraxis and the Penn Project for Civic Engagement will unveil “A Community Vision and Action Plan for East and West Fairmount Park” with an unveiling & walking tour. 6pm, Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse (East Fairmount Park.) 

Wednesday, May 14th

• Louis I Kahn Park – Kahn Park Summer Concert Series: Kickoff event of Summer Concert Series with the band Zydeco-a-Go Go. 328 S. 11th St.
• Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse – Party in the Playground: Cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres from popular food trucks, music, drinks and a silent auction. Tickets, 6pm – 8pm; 3500 Reservoir Drive, East Fairmount Park.

Thursday, May 15th

• Hawthorne Park – Jazz in the Park: Jazz-lovers rejoice for FREE, live concerts with various jazz performers over the spring and summer. Concerts are on every third Thursday of the month from May to August. 7pm – 9pm; Hawthorne Park (12th & Catharine Streets) 

Friday, May 16th

• Cedar Park – Picnic at Cedar Park: Bring dinner and snacks to a moonlit spring picnic in CedarPark with neighbors! 6pm – 8pm; 4900 Baltimore Ave. 
• Wissahickon Environmental Center – Edible Bugs Dinner:  Learn about the delicious and sustainable practice of eating bugs.  $5 per person,  Registration required, 6pm; 300 Northwestern Ave, 19118.
• Fairhill Square – Festival de Primavera (Spring Festival): Fairhill Square’s spring celebration includes games, activities, arts and crafts, and nature exploration for children of all ages. 4pm, Huntingdon & N Lawrence St. 

Saturday, May 17th

• Clark Park – Party in the Park: The 2nd annual party to celebrate LOVE Your Park Week includes live music, food trucks, games for young and old, raffle prizes, and a beer garden. 4pm – 8pm. 43^rdStreet & Baltimore Avenue. 
• McPherson Square Park – McPherson Square Park Festival: The Park Festival includes games, resource tables, snacks, and great music. 11am – 3pm. 600 E. Clearfield St.
• Marconi Plaza – Spring LOVE Your Park Fest: A morning park cleanup is followed by pony rides, face painting, pizza, hot dogs. and American Cancer Society Relay for Life event from 10am to 10pm. 10am – 3pm. Broad St. and Oregon Ave. Email friendsofmarconiplaza@gmail.com for info.
• Etting Park – Swap & Meet: Clothes swap and flea market encourages all to donate clothes to Dress for Success, an organization striving to aid disadvantaged women by providing professional wear and career counseling. 10am – 3pm. 3200 N. Marston St.
• Morris Park – Morris Park’s 102nd Birthday Bash: The 102nd anniversary of Morris Park joining the Fairmount Park system includes a fundraiser for the Friends of Morris Park with lots of fun activities, music, and more. 12pm – 4pm. North 68th St. 

Want more? Check out a full calendar of events on Love Your Park’s website.

Photos: Hawthorne Philly’s Twitter

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher