Officials and community partners gathered to announce the launch of the sixth annual "Summer Evening in the Park" series in Fall River. A representative from the Narrows Center for the Arts, which organizes the events, highlighted the program's success over the past five years, having hosted 40 events in 12 different city parks. The series, which provides free music, art, food, and ice cream directly in neighborhoods, was described as one of the most successful initiatives by the organization. Mayor Paul Coogan spoke about the event's origins during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to provide safe, outdoor entertainment for residents. He emphasized its neighborhood focus and thanked the sponsors for their collaboration. Representatives from key sponsors, including Genesis from Bristol County Savings Bank and Patty from the South Coast Community Foundation (a new partner this year), also delivered remarks. They praised the event for fostering community connection and bringing vibrancy to the city. The announcement concluded with a call for the public to attend the events and a ceremonial check presentation.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Watch the video to verify.
Council
Public / Other
All right, thanks everybody for coming out today, this morning, to celebrate the launch of Summer Evening in the Park. This is our sixth annual, sixth year we've been doing this. So far we've done 40 events in 12 different parks all across the city of Fall River. This is something the Narrows Center takes a lot of pride in.
0:18I was just telling some of the people from Bristol County Savings Bank, we've been doing events in the Narrows for 25 years, but this Summer Evening in the Park event, when we go to the people and bring the art, the music, and the food, to the people, right in their neighborhoods, has been far the most successful and well -attended events out of all the ones that we've done all over the years.
0:38And, you know, to quote a one -time famous politician, if we can do that, it takes a village to put these things together. All the people who are behind me, it's a free event. We bring music, art, food, ice cream.
0:52The city of Fall River is an integral part of this. Greater Fall River Recreation.
0:56Bristol County Savings Bank has been fabulous the last five years. And we have a new funder and partner, someone who's very familiar to Fall River Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is helping us out this year. So we're very pleased to be part of this and working with these wonderful people. And I'd like to bring up Mayor Paul Coogan to say a few things. Thanks, Pat. And I, too, also
1:19want to make sure we acknowledge the sponsors that help us with this event, Bristol County Savings, the Community Foundation. This was an event that almost started during COVID back in the day when people couldn't be inside. And we wanted to give them an opportunity to go outside and have some fun. And now it's in its sixth year, which I can't believe. But it is a truly, truly neighborhood event, which
1:40brings people into their local parks. We go all over the city with the same kind of a format, the music, the fun, the spray paint on it. The kids really get into it. Please grab one of these nights and join us at any park you want. We'd love to see you. And, again, I want to make sure we acknowledge the people that helped put this together, whether it's recreation, my office,
2:02the bank, Bristol County Savings. Everybody pulls together to make sure we have fun events.
2:07Now we all cross our fingers and pray for great weather. That's what we need.
2:11So thanks for coming out today. I appreciate it. Genesis?
2:17Yeah, so Bristol County Savings Bank has been happy to be a sponsor of this event for the last five years. We love to partner with the Mayor's Office. We love to partner with the Narrows Center for the Arts. And we love partnering with the nonprofits that are involved in this project, including Fall River Recreation Committee. So for us as a community bank, we really do look to support those opportunities that
2:38bring people together that really foster that connection and that community impact. So we're really glad to be partnering with this. And it's a free family event. It's fun. There's art. There's music. Who doesn't like cheeseburgers on a hot summer afternoon? I know Mayor Coogan does. But so we're really grateful to be a part of what this community is doing. This is Genesis' last event.
3:04But, yeah, with that being said, I just want to pass it off to Patty, South Coast Community Foundation. Hello.
3:14We're so proud to be able to sponsor another year, sixth year, which is amazing, having been here since the beginning. The Community Foundation, our mission is to unite people, organization, and resources to strengthen Southeastern Massachusetts communities. And this event is 100 % about community. It's about the vibrancy that art brings to communities and the fact that
3:35we can all be together and just celebrate something that's just so pure and so wonderful, just time together in this wonderful city. So the Community Foundation is so happy to be a part of it this year. And we hope this year is, as Mayor Coogan said, sunshine and just good times. So thank you so much.
3:54All right. I think that concludes it. Oh, yeah. Jenny from the front. You want to come to the front? All right. Well, yes, definitely want to present you with this truck. Let's come a little closer. All right. Come a little closer. And lean forward.