“It’s Always a Beautiful Day in Pretzel Park.”

A glimpse into the history of the park and the people who make it such a special place

By Janine Gasarowski

Photos by JPG Photography / The Video Content Factory

Soft pretzels are to Philadelphia as Pretzel Park is to Manayunk. This green getaway from the city is a staple of the neighborhood. The park is a great place to escape urban life and enjoy the outdoors. It is used by Manayunk locals and outside communities as a relaxing weekend activity and lunch break spot.

Park volunteer and president of the Manayunk Neighborhood Council (MNC), Kevin Smith, has been involved with the neighborhood since the mid-1990s. He says people often hang out on the benches and read, picnic on the lawn, bring their dogs to run around in the dog park, and even play ball.

“People often say it is at least 10 degrees cooler in the park,” Kevin said. “Even on the hottest days, you’ll find people comfortable relaxing in the shade of the trees with a breeze.”

Kevin is part of a group of volunteers that are passionate about what they do. They dedicate their free time to the community by working on and for the park. The Friends of Pretzel Park group started as a project of the Manayunk Neighborhood Council. Together, these two groups coordinate with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Kevin has been involved with the Manayunk Neighborhood Council since 1997. He works alongside Arlene Jones, who is the market manager of the Pretzel Park Farmers Market, hosted by Friends of Pretzel Park, and she is a part of the MNC board. This group of all volunteers is what made the park what it is today through renovations, event planning, clean-ups, and tree plantings.

Pretzel Park has been a significant part of Manayunk since its creation in 1929. Though, it did not always have this iconic name. The park has been called “Pretzel Park” for as long as anyone can remember, but the park was originally named Manayunk Park. “And the signs are still up to prove it!” Arlene said.

Where did the pretzel name come from? The layout of the park sidewalk had quite a pretzel-like shape to it when the park was first developed. The sidewalk consisted of two large loops, ironically resembling the salted snack, which led to the park’s more catchy nickname. However, we can’t pinpoint the name to just the infrastructure of the landscape.

A pretzel vendor called “Pretzel Pete'' sold his snacks out of a wooden cart in the park around the 1950s. Though we cannot link the name to one specific cause, the nickname has stuck around enough to become official. Manayunk Park was officially changed to Pretzel Park in 2004. The pretzel-shaped sidewalks were also restored in a renovation project the same year. That project also brought us the enclosed dog park, a new playground, and the addition of the park house.

What catches the eyes of most when you first arrive at the park is the nine foot tall galvanized steel soft pretzel sculpture in the heart of the green space. You can look at it,

The large metal snack stands tall as a strong symbol of the park and Pretzel Pete’s legacy. Though, there is one common question regarding the art piece.

“We always get the same question: Why does it not look like the Philly version of a soft pretzel?” Arlene said. “Well, when you go back to when the Germans came to Pennsylvania, they brought pretzels that looked like the one shown in the statue.” The loopy, traditionally-shaped pretzel is what the infrastructure of the sidewalks most resemble as well.

Are you looking for a way to spend your Saturday mornings or are you in need of some groceries? Luckily, the tradition of vending delicious food in the park is still very much present. Arlene organizes the farmer's market and takes care of the park clean-ups and beautification projects. The Farmer’s Market is one of the park’s main attractions. At the market, you can find anything from produce to coffee, wine, baked goods, and more. “The farmer’s market is a big thing,” Kevin said. You can visit the varying food stands and art vendors at the farmers market weekly from May to December and monthly in the off-season. The lovely market has been around since 2013, and Arlene has been organizing

Thanks to Arlene's volunteer work, Manayunk has a steady market with all of the essentials including products from Melvin and Linda Fisher at Walnut Run Farm, who will be starting their sixth year at the market this summer.”We have been a part of the market for in-law’s goat farm at his table.

The vendors and park volunteers do everything they can to ensure there is a great market available for the neighborhood. Many of the vendors continue to come back not only weekly, but some have been there for years. Amongst the plentiful small businesses is Working Class Coffee, owned by Derrick Valencik who has been selling at the market since 2021. “It kinda becomes a little family,” Derrick said. Park volunteer Dave Bass is a fan of Working Class Coffee and the market.

“Derrick is a wise guy himself who has wonderful coffee,” Dave said. “Derrick commented last year that the vibe of the market made him view the Saturday Pretzel Park Farmers Market as ‘The Neighborhood's Living Room!’"

Both Derrick and Melvin said they often have repeat customers. They love seeing familiar faces at each market. “My favorite part of the market might be selling directly to the cus

The farmer’s market takes place every Saturday through May until mid December from 10am to 2pm, times they will have up to 20 different vendors and farm stands! At Derrick's table, you can find whole beans, ground coffee, apparel and more. “And you can stop by for a great conver sation with me!” Derrick said.

In the off-season, the market is open the first Saturday of each month from 11am-1pm.

Though the farmer’s market is the main event, Arlene and Kevin plan for other events throughout the year. Halloween in Manayunk is their annual costume parade for kids and pets. In the past, there have been community park clean-ups. There have been various music and art-related events like outdoor concerts, drum circles, and “Shakespeare in the Park” plays. The music life of the park paused during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the Friends of Pretzel Park are hoping to bring it back this summer!

If you live in the neighborhood, get ready for another beautiful summer in Pretzel Park. If you haven't been there yet, make sure you check it out. And remember, as Kevin always “It is always a beautiful day in Pretzel Park.”