Post Date: 07/10/2018 4:00 PM

The sixth annual Summer in the Parks program, in partnership with The Grand, is in full swing with evening concerts planned starting tomorrow

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, which is in its sixth year, is a collaboration between the City and The Grand with additional support from The Wilmington Parking Authority. Summer in the Parks 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. These 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.

Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, July 11 and continuing through Wednesday, August 1, FREE music concerts will be presented in City parks from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. FREE water ice will also be provided. A complete schedule of concerts is included at the end of this release.

“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 Executive Director 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.”

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, Wilmington Drama League.

A full schedule of activities can be found on The Grand’s website at www.TheGrandWilmington.org/Parks and calendar updates are posted to the Summer in the Parks Facebook page. Please note that all programs and schedules are contingent upon weather and subject to change.

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Evening Music Events for Families WED 7/11 Helen Chambers Playground (600 North 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 TUES 7/17 Haynes Park(North Franklin and West 30th & 32nd Streets) Village in Concert with Christina Cultural Arts Center Village together with Creative Vision Factory and special guest Olivia Rubini WED 7/18 Rodney Street Tot-Lot (4th and 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 SUN 7/22 Union Park Gardens(South Bancroft Parkway & South 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 WED 7/25 Stapler Park(West 16th & North Union Streets) Rhythms at Play, featuring the Elbert-Palmer Drum Line with Peter Antony & Friends and “I See Seashells” art project with Stephanie Przybylek MON 7/30 Tilton Park(North Franklin – West 7th & 8th Streets) Empowered Voices, with Kim “Metaphor” Graham hosting poetry/spoken word with Kaamilah Diabate, plus beaded rings with Gilda Jennings. WED 8/1 Holloway/Compton Park(7th and Lombard Streets) Grand Finale, with Fuzaholics and painting with Terrance Vann

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News and information from the Office of Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki

John Rago

Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Communications

Mobile: (302) 420-7928

Email: jrago@WilmingtonDE.gov

Pam Manocchio

Director of Community Engagement

The Grand Opera House

Mobile: (302) 658-7897

Email: pmanocchio@grandopera.org