Fredericksburg Families
Amy Umble writes about family issues and kid-friendly events.
Picnic in the Park moving back to Hurkamp
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Doesn’t weather like this just make you want to go sit on a blanket outside and listen to live music? In just three months, you’ll be able to do that at Fredericksburg’s “Picnic in the Park” lunchtime concert series, a favorite among preschoolers and their parents (but also a nice experience for all ages). Big news from the city’s parks and recreation department: Picnic in the Park will return to Hurkamp Park (where the farmers market is, at the corner of William and Prince Edward streets) for the 2012 season.
The event takes place on Tuesdays in May, June and September from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
Last year, the city moved the event to its riverfront park on Sophia Street. This is a park the City Council has been working build energy around, and the thought was that moving such a popular event down there would help build its reputation.
Well, at least from the moms’ standpoint, that wasn’t a popular move. There aren’t enough mature trees in that park to provide shade, so folks would battle to get there first and claim the few spots in the shade (most of which were unshaded by the time the event was over). A few parents I know were nervous about the prospect of the river being just a fence-jump away for their active youngsters. Not that you don’t have to keep a tight leash on your kids at Hurkamp, where well-trafficked streets are just a few feet from the park’s edge.
Anyway, this is an incredibly popular event that has been going on since 1997, and it’s a great chance to get out of the house and get some sunshine (as long as weather cooperates). Here’s a look at the lineup for the 2012 season. See you there!
2012 Line Up
Scheduled Performers
May 1st Wil Gravatt Duo
May 8th Chatham Street
May 15th Levi Stephens
May 22nd Gerry Maddox Duo
May 29th Donny Holcombe
June 5th Kyle Davis
June 12th McTell Brothers
June 19th Phil Kominski
June 26th Jason Masi
(I must give credit to my play group for alerting me to this news. Thanks, Bugaboos!)
