Gabriel David Carter

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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:

  1. to activate the Parks & people campus

  2. 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

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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.