2023 was an exciting year for Brownsburg Parks, and we're thrilled to share our favorite moments of the year!
Over the spring, we installed communication boards at three playgrounds: Arbuckle Acres Park, Stephens Park, and Williams Park, thanks to a grant from the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County. The boards are designed to help create inclusive play spaces for children of all abilities. They facilitate play narration, language learning, and nonverbal communication. Each board features common words, numbers, and symbols to help children express their thoughts and feelings. This initiative aims to eliminate communication barriers that may make kids feel isolated or discouraged. Instead, we want to provide increased accessibility for individuals with communication impairments so that everyone can enjoy playing together!
Williams Park's central median was transformed into a pollinator prairie mix this spring. A Duke Energy Foundation grant and the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County funded the project. The enhancements will result in long-term savings on turf management expenses, reduced fuel consumption, and increased biodiversity. Let's celebrate the thriving pollinators and plants in the park!
We are incredibly grateful for our volunteers supporting us in our nature restoration projects throughout the year. We had over 20 volunteers who participated in the spring and fall Weed Wrangles and other critical natural resource projects. Furthermore, we collaborated with IU Health West Hospital and Badger Infrastructure Solutions for their annual day of service, where they helped us make repairs to the Blast Off Playground. The Williams Park Outdoor Classroom was also updated with the help of our volunteers. Additionally, our volunteers were crucial in ensuring our special events ran smoothly and efficiently. Our heartfelt thanks go to all our volunteers for their unwavering dedication and support.
To celebrate the return of live music to the parks, we planned a fantastic lineup of five free concerts called "Summer Soundtracks." From June to August, we showcased some of the most talented national and up-and-coming artists. Kicking things off at Arbuckle Acres Park with Grammy-nominated Jon McLaughlin drew a crowd of almost 500 people.
Our park system is now even more beautiful with the fusion of art and nature. Indiana-based artist Zach Medler visited Brownsburg in June to create his second mural on the pedestrian and bicycle tunnel along the B&O trail. The artwork showcases white fawn and yellow trout lilies with Dutchman's breeches and is best experienced while in motion, as the 3D effects twist and shift.
In August, Girl Scout Troop 985 opened a new pet pantry at Cardinal Park. The pantry provides food, treats, and supplies to pet parents in need. It was created by selling over 1,000 boxes of cookies as part of the Silver Award project. Pet parents can leave any donations they can spare and take what they need. We appreciate and support this community initiative.
Last September, we organized our sixth Blues in the 'Burg event, a free outdoor music festival held at Arbuckle Acres Park. The festival showcased over 7 hours of national and regional blues artists performing across two stages, including Grammy-nominated headliner Janiva Magness. This year's festival saw record-breaking attendance, with nearly 2,000 people joining us throughout the day for good music, great food, and drinks.
Earlier in the year, we updated Blast Off Playground with new rubber surfacing, perfect for inclusive play. IU Health West Hospital joined us in September to complete the first half of the new fence and finish painting the space. Thanks to hard-working volunteers in October, the fence at Blast Off Playground was completed, marking the end of Phase 3 and all major renovation components of this three-year-long project!
We reintroduced nature programs this year, comprising monthly preschool, home-school, bird-watching programs, and more. Our Sense the Night Hike event in October had over 50 participants who joined us for an evening hike along the Maple Ridge Trail. Through these nature programs, participants learned about local flora and fauna and gained knowledge about conservation, wildlife protection, and the significance of preserving natural habitats. We take pride in providing opportunities for people to connect with nature and develop a better understanding of and appreciation for the environment.
We hosted our biggest event of the year, Christmas Under the Stars, in December. The weather was perfect, and over 6,000 visitors joined us in downtown Brownsburg to watch the annual nighttime parade that featured more than 50 floats. Our second annual Winter Market had 20 vendors, and all food vendors sold out. We're grateful for partnerships with Brownsburg Public Library and K1ds Count, who hosted Santa's Workshop and sensory room. We are excited to continue growing this holiday tradition in the future.
Next year, we are excited to open Virgil Park, make improvements to the splash pad at Williams Park, and host more community events and programs!