Wonder in the Park - My First Placemaking Event
Imagine hundreds of community members gathering in a lush, green park nestled within a growing city. There’s food, music, and laughter all around. In a city with approximately 15,000 vacant buildings and neighborhoods historically lacking green spaces, our parks offer cherished places to enjoy life. We should not have to imagine spaces like this, we should live alongside them. In July, I took part in an event, from conception to completion, bringing Baltimore City’s green space alive for an evening of wonder.
What is placemaking?
Placemaking involves designing and developing spaces where people are eager to live, work, play, and learn. It focuses on the creation, improvement, and activation of these areas to enhance community engagement and quality of life.
Parks and green spaces are examples of placemaking and should be healthy and vibrant community hubs with diverse programming and amenities for all.
Wonder in the Park
As Communications Manager for Parks & People, an environmental nonprofit in Baltimore City, I helped organize, promote, and conduct a successful event on West Baltimore’s green campus. Our main goals:
to activate the Parks & people campus
to grow brand awareness
My responsibilities included:
Event conception and planning
Flyer design
Social media marketing
Event photography
Wonder in the Park was an enchanted evening of mischief and magic on Parks & People’s beautiful 9-acre green campus. The event was held in partnership with the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company and included:
A free production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Food trucks, snacks, and cocktails
A terrarium building station
Event Flyer Designs
Building Terrariums - A park in a jar
Social Posting
Event Results
Total event revenue:
$700
Tickets registered
133
Event Attendees
275
Social accounts reached (IG)
3,240
This was the first year for the Wonder in the Park event. Next year, I want to bring it back with more success. I look forward to having more large and small events in our public parks and green spaces. The public spaces we inhabit should strengthen community connections and allow us opportunities to experience life while we work, play, and learn.
