From the Fairmount Park Conservancy Maura McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer, and Program Manager Amanda Daws Cohen, discussed fall activities within the 10,000 acres + park system, its award-winning Trolley Trail and Anna C Vernon Park and the continuing renovations at Memorial Park and FDR Park. We spoke about the mission; the Conservancy works with the City of Philadelphia to steward and promote the over 130 local parks and 6 watershed parks and all they offer for our cultural resources, the environment and our public health. They direct capital projects, such as the renovation of Memorial Park‘s fountain, and oversee historical preservation.
They described their many guided hikes including a Trails to Ales brewing history walk, the Trolley Trail, a Park After dark moonlight trek and a special tour of the Parkside neighborhood. There is also a Walking in William Still’s Footsteps hike October 5 that traces the park’s Underground Railroad history. For children’s programming they have Storytime in conjunction with the Free Library, science experiments with tour guide Buddy Muhler, and Playground Pop-Ups at Anna C. Vernon park.
This year they will go all out for the Day of the Dead at FDR Park, the Gran Fiesta De Los Meurtos, October 25 and 26. The free festival will feature art activities, performances, food and more.
We also talked about the annual Fall Love Your Park Weekend clean-up campaign is November 8-10. If you can’t join them for this park project you can volunteer during the week for clean-ups at Carousel House Farm, the Skew Arch Bridge or other sites.
In addition to these events this fall they invite us to movie nights at over 35 locations throughout the city, new routes for We Walk PHL community walking groups and outdoor yoga Sundays through October at Lemon Hill.
For anything park related they ask you to visit MyPhillyPark.org