Credit: visitspringfieldillinois.com
Join Springfield Park District for Park Quest May 1 through July 31.
The Springfield Park District has been bringing the community outside for 125 years, and it’s celebrating this summer with a packed calendar of events for the whole family. Founded in 1900, the Springfield Park District is one of the largest in the state and encompasses more than 2,800 acres, from quaint neighborhood playgrounds and quiet spaces to sprawling tracts of wilderness and miles of paved bike trails. More than just a beautiful place for picnics, access to parks and greenspace is a cornerstone of a healthy, vibrant city.
In that spirit, the Springfield Park District is inviting the community to discover the diversity of its offerings with a Park Quest that will run May 1 through July 31.
“We have 35 parks, and we’re hoping this will encourage people to visit spaces they may not know were out there,” explained park board president Leslie Sgro. “We have so many lovely neighborhood parks with lots of features that are interesting and unique.”
Some, such as Kiwanis Park on Stanton Street in southeast Springfield, have been recently upgraded, said Sgro. “Kiwanis has a new walking path, new play system, new bathrooms and updated international soccer field along with additional grills and places for people to enjoy the outdoors,” she said
Participants in the quest can snap photos at the various parks throughout the system and submit them to the Park District website by July 31 to be entered into a grand prize drawing for season passes to the Henson Robinson Zoo.
In addition to encouraging the community to enjoy the variety of green spaces available, the district has expanded and updated its usual lineup of events this summer. The wildly popular International Carillon Festival returns this year but will occur on an earlier date than in years past. This year the festival will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, with performances by community groups and internationally acclaimed carillonists along with food trucks, kids’ activities and ice cream. The music and fun continue over Memorial Day weekend, with a fireworks display on Friday, May 23, and concerts and activities scheduled through Sunday, May 25. More information can be found at https://carillon-rees.org/event/carillon-festival/.
Washington Park is the oldest park in the district and a fitting setting for an old- fashioned ice cream social. Taste of the Past, a historical photo display, will be held at the Washington Park Pavilion from 1-4 p.m. on June 14.
“There’s so much history in this park,” said Sgro. “It’s hard to imagine now, but when Washington Park was first built, people complained it was too far west.” Guests are invited to take in the park’s history while reveling in the nostalgia of an ice cream social along with the harmonies of a barbershop quartet. Admission to the event is free of charge.
Then, the Park District will celebrate Unplug Illinois Day on Thursday, July 12, with free admission to the Nelson Center Pool and Henson Robinson Zoo. An ideal opportunity to disconnect and recharge, this event is a great excuse to get out and enjoy two of Springfield’s favorite summer spaces.
The fun keeps going past Labor Day with a luminous new event, the Night Glow Festival, to be held Thursday, Sept. 18, at Southwind Park. This glow-in-the-dark spectacle will feature a mesmerizing hot-air balloon show along with kids activities, food trucks and a host of family friendly activities.
Just a few weeks later. Southwind Park plans to welcome in fall with a Happy Harvest Hoedown on Saturday, Oct. 4, featuring country music, pumpkin and scarecrow crafts and more.
Details about all these events, along with information about the vast array of programs offered by the Springfield Park District, can be found at springfieldparks.org/.
Ashley Meyer is a freelance writer in Springfield who enjoys taking her kids to many of the different area parks.