Archived Events
Ladybug Release Party | Wed, May 22
It's time for everyone's favorite bug-related event!
The annual Ladybug Release Party will take place on Wednesday, May 22 at 5 p.m. in the Community Garden, located in Schuylkill RIver Park at 25th and Spruce St.
Come join the festivities as we release ladybugs to protect our garden!
Neighborhood Runs 3-on-3
***RAIN DATE UPDATE: Due to rain in the forecast, this will be played on JUNE 10 at 10 a.m.!***
Time to lace up and play for a good cause! Sign up for Neighborhood Runs, a community 3-on-3 basketball tournament presented by 431 Consulting that brings out our neighborhood's best talent to the courts for a day of fun.
Team entrance fee is $150; the Grand Prize of $500 to the championship team will be donated to the Friends of Schuylkill River Park!
Sign up a team, or come through and watch the competition. There will be merch, food, and drinks all available for sale, with all proceeds going benefit the park. You've got a chance - unless Joel Embiid shows up.
Building Friends in Fitler (BFF)
Picnic & Open Meeting
Wednesday, July 12 | 7:00 p.m.
Building Friends in Fitler is holding an open meeting on Wednesday, July 12th at 7:00 p.m. for any neighbors interested in getting more involved. Please meet at the picnic tables in the plaza for light snacks and discussion about what we are doing and new possibilities.
Building Friends in Fitler Square (BFF) is a joint committee of several civic groups in the neighborhood, including the Friends of Schuylkill River Park. Our purpose is to help build friendships and greater cohesion in our little slice of the city. If you want to meet more neighbors or have an idea for a program that you would like to lead, join us on July 12th for further discussion!
Past & Current
Events & Initiatives:
Community Kids Clothing Swap
Weekly Walking Groups
Weekly Knitting Groups
Neighborhood picnics and outings
New Ideas & Possibilities
Additional neighborhood interest group meetups
Neighborhood care team (that provides food to neighbors in need)
Music-based events that bring people together
Standing play dates
Standing pick up sports games
Easter Egg Hunt
(RAIN DATE - Sun, March 24)
Come hunt for eggs in Schuylkill River Park!
Love Your Park Day | Sat, May 13
The park needs you to stay beautiful!
Come out to rake, clean, plant, mulch and celebrate your park on Saturday, May 13 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Rain Date is May 20)
BRING THE KIDS and enjoy story time from the Free Library at 11 a.m.
Meet at Markward Recreation Center
400 S. Taney Street
Register below (registration is free) so we know you're coming.
The Little Free Library Dedication
Join us on Sunday, May 7, at 4 p.m. for a dedication of our Little Free Library with readings from local authors Ken Kalfus, Inga Saffron, and Jo Piazza.
In preparation for summer reading season, bring out your used books and swap with your neighbors.
Community Potluck & Open Mic Night | Sun, March 24
A potluck dinner and open mic night will happen on Sunday, March 24 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Bring a dish to share, beer and wine welcome, cutlery provided.
Where: Trinity Church at 2212 Spruce St.
We have a great lineup of performers and hope to see you there! If you have any questions, email bffphilly@gmail.com.
Kids Clothing Swap
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Bring your outgrown, unused, no longer wanted kids items and swap them for items you can use! We are accepting kids clothing, small toys, books in good usable condition. Nothing to swap? Come anyway! Any unclaimed items will be donated. Volunteers needed Friday, April 21st and Saturday, April 22nd. Volunteers welcome to pre-shop.
WHEN TO DONATE:
Bring your gently used clothing, books and small toys to the Markward Recreation Center during these drop off windows:
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Friday, April 14 from 2:00 - 6:00PM
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Friday, April 21 from 4:00 - 6:00PM
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Saturday, April 22 from 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Can't make this drop off time frame? Email fsrporg@gmail.com to coordinate.
WHEN TO SWAP:
Saturday, April 22 from 10:00AM – 1:00PM
The Spark Creative Workshop
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Want to jumpstart your creativity?
Violet Alexandre of Mandala Dreams leads a creative workshop that will have you feeling refreshed and inspired, where you'll learn how to ignite your creativity.
Create an intuitive collage canvas and explore starting a 100 day project to keep your creative journey unfolding after the class. All materials are included in the workshop registration fee.
Freeze Plunge for a Good Cause
Thanks to all who joined us for the PHILLY PHREEZE event, which was to fundraise for lifeguard signing bonuses!
Philadelphia's Parks and Rec Department wants you to start thinking about lifeguarding now, so we can be prepared to open all city pools for the whole summer! The city is offering a bonus of up to $1,000 for those lifeguards that get their application in by APRIL 15th and then go on to complete the summer.
To raise money for this effort, Parks and Rec held their own polar plunge on event on February 25th called THE PHILLY PHREEZE. It was a chilly 32 degrees when our favorite Rec leaders take the plunge.
Thank you to our Markward Rec Leader HILARY DOE for braving the waters! To support her fundraising efforts, click her link below. Her goal is to raise $1,500 for lifeguard bonuses!
Learn more about the Philly Phreeze here.
Support Rec Leader Hilary's fundraising here.
Movie Night at Trinity
🎵🎶 Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty 🎶🎵
Trinity Center for Urban Life at 2212 Spruce St. hosted a family movie night to screen the musical Matilda, based on the beloved Roald Dahl book. Dozens of parents and children came to watch the film and enjoy snacks. Keep an eye out for the next movie night!
Community Garden Plot Lottery
FEELING LUCKY? 🍀🍅🫑🌷 Participate in the Community Garden Plot Lottery! Each year, five garden plots (four 10x10 and one 10x15) in the Schuylkill River Park Community Garden (25th and Spruce St) are awarded to non-members of the Center City Residents Association (CCRA) for a one season term.
To be eligible, candidates must be bona fide residents of CCRA's geographic boundaries (Schuylkill River to the West side of Broad St; between the North side of South and the South side of John F. Kennedy Boulevard). Winners pay a one-time fee of $65 for 10x10 and $85 for 10x15 plot.
To enter the lottery, please email with your name, address, phone number to: centercity@centercityresidents.org
Requests must reach the destination by March 1, 2023. The drawing will
take place in early March and winners will be contacted by phone or email. One entry per household.
Come Celebrate Mardi Gras at Markward
Calling all kids! Come celebrate Mardi Gras at the Markward Rec Center! The event will take place on Saturday, February 18, from 12-4.
Activities include mask making, coloring activities, "doubloon" coin toss, and yummy treats!
The event is free, but you must register to attend: https://markwardrec.ticketleap.com/mardi-gras
Fitler Holiday Celebration
We enjoyed caroling, dancing and a choral performance at the Fitler Square tree lighting, complete with a visit from Santa!
If you need a caroling songbook, you can access ours HERE.
Fall 2022 Love Your Park Day
Thank you for helping keep the park beautiful on Love Your Park Day! We cleaned, planted, mulched and celebrated Schuylkill River Park. We even held a Pumpkin Chunkin' and smashed pumpkins for a good cause (recycling) and planted a Sensory Garden with the winning tree - the PawPaw!
2022 FALL OPENER
ICYMI! Schuylkill River Park kicked off fall in a big way: a flea market, basketball tournament (with trophy!), snacks... oh, and did we mention a marching band?
2022 Ladybug Release Party
We had so much fun in the Community Garden! Our annual Ladybug Release Party was a great success, where people across the community helped release tons of garden-protecting ladybugs into thhe Community Garden, located at the northwest corner of the Park.
Spring 2022 Love Your Park Week
Thank you to everyone who came out to the spring Love Your Park Day at Schuylkill River Park! We spread mulch, cleared debris from paths and drains, picked up garbage, and sanded and painted our new Adirondack chairs. Once they’re dry, the chairs will be added around the park for everyone to enjoy!
Before
After
Thanks to Paulien for her hard work weeding and mulching the liriope bed between the two dog park gates! It was looking ruff.
A huge group came out to help us assemble, sand, and paint our new Adirondack chairs! You'll see them in the park soon, so get ready to relax!
