Clark Park Farmers Market (archived photo).

Those who shopped at Clark Park Farmers’ Market this past Saturday noticed something different about it – all the vendors were positioned in the middle of 43rd Street instead of the sidewalk, while the street was closed to traffic. Just like you, we wondered if it was just for the day or long-term. The Food Trust, the nonprofit that hosts Clark Park and many other farmers markets around the city, says the new location for Clark Park Farmers Market on Saturdays is here to stay:

“After 20 seasons on the sidewalk, we’re moving our vendors into 43rd Street to enhance the shopping experience,” reads a message on The Food Trust’s Facebook page.

So come check it out on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: University City Garden Club will hold their annual plant sale on Sunday, May 14, 12-4 p.m. at the gates of the Woodlands Cemetery (40th & Woodland Ave.). Many herb, vegetable and flower choices will be available for sale.

We’re sad to report that the 59th annual Spruce Hill May Fair scheduled for Saturday, May 13 has been canceled due to bad weather in the forecast (a lot of rain and wind).

“This was an extremely difficult decision for us, as May Fair is our flagship annual event and our only fundraiser,” Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) president Eric Santoro wrote in an email. “The entire SHCA Board regrets that we are unable to host this wonderful annual tradition in 2017!”

But here’s some good news: some activities will still take place indoors. The annual $1 book sale will continue. Residents are invited to an Open House at the Spruce Hill Community Association Center at 257 S. 45th Street this Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.. Hundreds of new and used books of all genres will be available for $1 or less; food and beverages will be served; raffle tickets will be sold; and there may even be some live music. Everyone is welcome to come by!  Continue Reading

Dogs on and off leashes in the Clark Park Bowl will be the main focus of Monday’s annual members meeting of the Friends of Clark Park.

The Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation has promised to step up enforcement of rules about off-leash dogs in city parks following dog attacks in Pastorius Park in Chestnut Hill. City park rules require dogs outside of a dog run to be on a leash that is 6-feet long or shorter.

But what about the Bowl, where dogs have been running free with their owners nearby for years and years? Monday’s meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. in the University of the Sciences’ Griffith Hall (43rd and Woodland), will take up this discussion – again.  Continue Reading

Youth soccer returns to Clark Park this month. Registration has begun for Clark Park Youth Soccer League (CPYSL), a low-cost sports and recreation program of Friends of Clark Park that provides soccer instruction for children ages 5 to 11. The CPYSL spring season will begin on March 25 and will feature 90-minute sessions every Saturday through May 20.

Children are assigned to teams by age:

– Mornings (10:30 a.m.-Noon): ages 5 to 6.5 and ages 6.5 to 7
– Afternoons (Noon-1:30 p.m.): ages 8 to 9 and ages 10 to 11

Deadline for registration is March 20. Online registration is available here. Walk-in registration will be possible on Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the University of the Sciences, Rosenberger Hall (43rd and Woodland).  Continue Reading

Shakespeare in Clark Park will return in July with five nights of Coriolanus. The company is continuing its commitment to “radical community engagement,” which for the past three years has seen the community become a part of its annual summer show.

Shakespeare in Clark Park community workshop (Photo courtesy SCP).

Since this fall, Shakespeare in Clark Park has been hosting free acting workshops for the community and private workshops at senior centers and youth groups.

On February 16 and 17, the company will host two workshops in West Philly, where community members can hone their acting skills, have a good time, and even prep for the upcoming community auditions for Coriolanus. Community members will receive training on voice, movement and scene work from professional actors.

Here’s more information on the workshops:  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of Clark Park Youth Soccer.

From daily jogging to youth soccer to boot camps, Clark Park is a great place for physical activities. But, does it need any improvements?

The next Clark Park General Membership meeting will take place Monday, Jan. 30 at the University of the Sciences, where Friends of Clark Park (FoCP) members and all interested community members are invited to ask questions and voice their concerns or ideas about the park. The focus of the upcoming meeting is how the park can contribute to the health of its users.

“The discussion will go beyond general environmental health sources such as tree cover and air quality, focusing more acutely on opportunities for evaluating the physical attributes of the park and healthy programming for all ages,” according to a message on the FoCP website.

So, if you would like to participate in this discussion and share your thoughts and ideas for improvements to the park-built environment and programming, come USciences’ Griffith Hall (43rd and Woodland) on Monday. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. More information can be found on the Friends of Clark Park website.