C ommunity Events

from City of Bloomington, IN Parks & Recreation 2022 Annual Report

by Bloomington, Indiana Parks and Recreation Department

Recreation

The Community Events program area provides an eclectic mix of cultural and outdoor activities and year-round events to provide enjoyment, education, and a sense of community for the diversity of people who make Bloomington their home. Special events and programs, art fairs, Performing Arts Series, Movies in the Park, Farmers’ Market, Community Gardens, Touch a Truck, and the Holiday Market are examples of the variety of programs and projects Community Events offers to the Bloomington community.

• The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market added two new Food and Beverage Artisan vendors: Pinoy Garden Café and Homemade by Nife.

• The first Adult Field Day was held July 29 at Switchyard Park for 238 adults who arrived ready to play playground games, hear music from the 80s-00s, and enjoy adults-only access to the Community Foundation Switchyard Plaza Spray Pad.

• The Splash & Glow Party at the Community Foundation Switchyard Plaza Spray Pad on Sept. 15 saw 548 participants, an increase of more than 300% over the 2021 event.

• Farmers’ Market Coordinator Clarence Boone participated in the Innovating Sidewalk Maintenance project that addressed the problem of sidewalks that are used as public goods but are not maintained as such, negatively affecting any users of the pedestrian network, but especially historically disadvantaged communities and residents with varying degrees of mobility.

• The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market was one of 10 farmers’ markets in the United States selected to participate in the National Recreation and Parks Association Farmers Markets in Parks and Recreation Community of Practice, an opportunity for agencies to connect and learn from peers, problem-solve market challenges, and receive assistance from industry experts.

• The Community Gardening program installed a potable water supply at the Switchyard Park Community Gardens.

• All available garden plots in three community gardens were rented, serving 304 unique gardeners. 107 of those gardeners responded to an end-of-season survey; 98.02% of respondents were either very satisfied or satisfied with their overall experience in the gardens in 2022.

• The Community Gardening program hosted 12 garden classes with a total attendance of 77 individuals.

• The first-ever Pet Expo made its debut on Feb. 27 in the Switchyard Park Pavilion, with 30 exhibitor booths and 754 attendees.

• A new route for the Fourth of July Parade in downtown Bloomington was created to skirt the Hidden River Pathway Project construction on Fourth Street and the outdoor dining program that closed Kirkwood Avenue to vehicle traffic.