Large Events 2024 Calendar Planning Meeting 2024 will take place Dec. 19th at 7pm on zoom. This meeting is open to the public. If you are interested in requesting a large events date for the 2024 calendar please email events@friendsofclarkpark.org for the calendar date request form as well as the zoom link. Please note, the agenda for this meeting will only be the calendar and a date will follow in January for other large event concerns.
For the first time since 2006, the City approved a plan to rejuvenate Clark Park. This new plan includes nature-based playgrounds, a multi-height basketball hoop, a permanent bathroom, and many other improvements to Clark Park. Check out the full details here.
Please support our first fundraising drive for The Plan for Clark Park! Every single donation—no matter how small—shows our community supports The Plan for Clark Park.
In addition to helping fund The Plan for Clark Park, your donations will go toward:
Cleaning the Park – Funds will provide volunteers with tools and supplies such as rakes, shovels, gloves, and light refreshments for monthly volunteer work days. The funds will also pay for a maintenance contractor to combat rapid trash accumulation when the park is at its busiest by picking up litter and emptying trash cans.
Gardening Program – Your donation will go toward supplying new plants including shrubs and flowers to make the garden plots lush with color and supply volunteers with tools. A professional arborist is regularly hired for major pruning work on the trees.
Usability – Your donation also funds continued projects to help improve how we use the park everyday such as the installation and maintenance of benches, picnic tables, and the chess tables. We also continue to purchase and refresh the orange chairs and tables regularly.
These programs are crucial to keep Clark Park the vibrant public space we all love, but they come at a significant cost and you can make a difference with your contribution. Please keep in mind that Friends of Clark Park is a non-profit section 501(c)(3) organization and your contributions are tax deductible.
As many of you know over much of the last year the Friends of Clark Park in collaboration with University City District and Jamie Gauthier’s office have been hard at work drafting an update to the Master Plan for Clark Park. We were excited to be able to share the final draft of the Master Plan at the Clark Park Farmers Market last weekend and now wanted to post a few images for the whole community to see.
For context our Master Plan provides a guiding light for park investment. Our latest revision, the first since 2006, offers an opportunity to update the plan to meet the key needs of the community today. This plan builds on many months of engagement with the West Philly community and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation through many rounds of outreach (both online and live) and numerous community meetings to gather feedback. A huge thank you to Studio Bryan Hanes for all the hours they have put in to facilitate this process and bring the community vision to life.
Master Plan Shareout Postponed! Given the rain tomorrow we will be unable to share the proposal for the updated Clark Park Master Plan without ruining the drawings. Please join us next week either at our annual meeting (10/16 Griffith Hall at 7:30) or at the upcoming Farmers Market (10/21) to discuss.
Care about the future of Clark Park? Over much of the last year the Friends of Clark Park in collaboration with University City District and Jamie Gauthier’s office have been hard at work drafting an update to the Master Plan for Clark Park. Our Master Plan, last updated in 2006, provides a guiding light for park investment. Our latest revision offers an opportunity to update the plan to meet the key needs of the community today. This plan builds on many months of engagement with the West Philly community and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation through many rounds of outreach (both online and live) and numerous community meetings to gather feedback. We are excited to be able to share the final draft of the Master Plan and will be live at the Clark Park Farmers Market on October 14th with Jamie Gauthier sharing the plan and hearing feedback.
We also want to share a huge thank you to Studio Bryan Hanes for all the hours they have put in to facilitate this process and bring the community vision to life.
Calling all dogs of West Philly! Bark in the Park is back again for its 31st year.
We hope to see you and your furry friend there!
Clark Park’s Youth Soccer league will be back in action this fall and registration is now open. Our soccer league offers a low pressure, community oriented and volunteer fueled sports program for our Clark Park neighborhood. The league enables kids to discover soccer while engaging with a wide community of children from throughout West Philly. It is focused on creating an inclusive environment for children of all skill levels & interest levels, our coaching team finds a way for everyone to enjoy a great day in the park.
This season will take place every Saturdays from September 16th to November 4th with teams meeting at either 9:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., or 10:00 a.m. for one hour. The league covers kids from ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade. This year there will also be PreK Clinic for a fun morning run-around with Coach Adi on Sept. 23, Oct. 7, Oct. 21, and Nov. 4 at 8:30 am (email soccer@friendsofclarkpark.org to register). In order to participate you must be a member of Friends of Clark Park! Once membership is paid, the fees for soccer are $20 for the first child, and $10 for each additional child (from the same household). PreK clinic is free for members.
Sadly, some of our longtime volunteer coaches have left the neighborhood, so we really need adult volunteers to join the ranks. No experience is necessary, just the enthusiasm to help kids stay safe and have fun. Let us know during registration or email us directly at soccer@friendsofclarkpark.org. Feel free to reach out with any other questions!
Service Sunday is a chance to join the West Philly community to help make Clark Park clean and green on September 3rd from 12-2PM. All ages and abilities are welcome!
After a successful stint earlier this summer Parks on Tap will make its triumphant return to Clark Park this week from Wednesday, August 16th through Sunday, August 20th. Come enjoy a drink, some great food, and a chance to hang outside with the rest of the West Philly community! Expect a laidback outdoor setting with craft beer, cocktails and snacks like soft pretzels and pulled-pork sandwiches. All seating is first come, first served; and, as always, dogs and kids are welcome.
For the uninitiated Parks on Tap was created to be a traveling beer garden throughout the city’s various, beautiful parks all summer long. Proceeds from Parks on Tap benefit the Fairmount Park Conservancy and each individual host park. Each park and location is collectively selected as a way to highlight and enhance the offerings that Philadelphia city parks provide. It aims for a simple aesthetic: well-kept outdoor spaces where friends and families can meet up to enjoy food, drinks and fun in a natural green space. A portion of all proceeds benefits each park.
Join us on Sunday August 6th for our latest Service Sunday which is a volunteer event taking place the first Sunday of each month joining Friends of Clark Park and other volunteers in helping to keep our park beautiful. Hope to see you there.
Grab your picnic blankets and lawn chairs because Shakespeare in Clark Park is back this month! The West Philly based theater company is putting on “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” but this version is a musical.
“This summer’s production is more than just entertainment,” said Shaums, guest Artistic Director, in a statement. “It’s a powerful response to the rising tide of hate and discrimination against LGBTQ+ and other groups. The message is clear: no one can flourish without self-love. The production also boldly confronts issues of war mongering and the ever-widening wealth gap.”
The play opens July 26 and runs until July 30. All shows start at 7 p.m. at the bowl in Clark Park. The show is free, but the organization accepts donations to continue putting on free outdoor theater. For more information about the show or about the theater company, you can visit the Shakespeare in Clark Park website.