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I Have a Dream Festival

2nd Annual

I Have A Dream Festival

Saturday June 1, 2019 – 1 to 5pm – Free Admission

MLK UNITY Park

(Under and around the MLK Memorial Bridge)

Festival Description

The 2nd Annual I Have A Dream Festival, produced by Replenish Richmond and facilitated by Richmond Parks & Recreation, will re-orient the footprint of the Festival to be centered on UNITY Street (O Street) under the MLK Memorial Bridge (Leigh Street), establishing this location as the site for all future Festivals.  This citywide community celebration will promote Richmond Public Schools and Richmond Parks & Recreation and introduce Richmonders to a developing community asset called the MLK UNITY Park.  The Festival will also host the MLK UNITY Parade led by the No BS Brass Band and Grand Marshals Mayor Levar Stoney and RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras.

Festival Activities and Entertainment

The Festival invites Richmonders to learn about the many dreams of the MLK UNITY Park

  • Attendees will be offered descriptions and renderings of the possible enhancements and tours of the proposed MLK UNITY Park features with RPS Students as Tour Guides, including the views from the MLK Memorial Bridge > Everyone who fills out a survey card is entered in a random prize drawing.  Park components to be explored include:
    • Permanent entertainment stage under the MLK Bridge
    • Refurbished and programmed athletic fields behind MLK Middle School – “Field of Dreams”
    • Landscaping ideas for different aspects of the park property
    • Mural Portrait Gallery on concrete support supports under bridge
    • MLK Urban Agriculture Center

The Festival invites Richmonders to learn about RPS’s 5-Year Strategic Plan – Dreams4RPS

  • RPS Community Partners are invited to present information and host activities connected to their efforts in support of Dreams4RPS

The Festival invites Richmonders to come and have fun investigating a new community asset

  • Sports activities on the MLK athletic fields – facilitated by Richmond Parks & Rec
    • Baseball games on the 2 diamonds featuring East End youth teams
    • Football and soccer activities / Running and other activities on the track
    • Disc Golf activities / Frisbee Field Goal Competition using football uprights
  • Bike Walk RVA (Sports Backers) activities and bike ride – details to be determined
  • Entertainment stage – City Showmobile – 1:00 to 5:00pm – lineup to be determined
  • Recycling is Magic Activities
    • Magic Shows throughout the afternoon including magicians walking through crowd with a traveling magic show
    • Recycling is Magic “Re-use Idea Contest” – Attendees will be asked to offer ideas for the re-use of certain cardboard and plastic items – Prizes will be awarded for the best ideas, donated by local restaurants and retail who support recycling
  • UNITY Street Project art activities including a sidewalk UNITY chalk mural
  • Food and Drink from a variety of East End vendors

MLK UNITY Parade up UNITY Street – 3pm

This year’s parade is being renamed the MLK UNITY Parade and starts at the future entrance to the MLK UNITY Park, under the bridge at the intersection of 18th Street and UNITY Street (officially O Street).  The picture below shows the entrance into MLK Unity Park from 18th Street

The parade proceeds up UNITY Street and makes a “U” shaped loop around the roundabout near the ball fields and heads back to the Showmobile.  Invited Parade participants include:

  • Grand Marshals – Mayor Levar Stoney & RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras – confirmed
  • No BS Brass Band and friends – confirmed
  • Richmond Police / Fire / Sheriff Departments – invited
  • Richmond City Council and RPS School Board – invited
  • MLK Middle School Cheerleaders – invited
  • Armstrong High School Drumline – invited
  • Richmond Flying Squirrels – Nutzy and Nutasha – invited
  • VCU Student Athletes and Rodney the Ram – invited
  • UR Student Athletes and WebstUR the Spider – invited

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For more information, contact:

Rick Tatnall

Replenish Richmond

rick@replenishrichmond.com

1 comment

jean mcdaniel 05/11/2019 at 7:04 AM

I have a dream that this will facilitate the cleaning up of this trash strewn area. That would be a good thing. Think of how much money could be saved (by the City) if people would stop throwing their fast food wrappers out of the car window while enjoying their excursions arount this delightfull area!

The ” re-use idea contest ” is a great idea! CHPN, I would like to see a follow up article with lots of photos about this event.

Reply

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