July 16, 2010 What could be better than spending a Sunday afternoon in the park with family and friends? Mayor Dwight C. Jones, City Council President Kathy Graziano, Friends of Forest Hill Park and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities invite you to do just that on Sunday, July 18, from noon until 4 p.m., in Forest Hill Park at the annual Sunday in the Park with Friends.
This free family festival will explode with balloons, bubbles, bounces, bands and bikes, as families are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the park. Dogs are welcome, but they must be leashed at all times.
Free snow cones, ice cream, watermelon and water will be provided, as well as fun, park games and activities for both children and adults, including face painting, clowns, an inflated carousel bounce, sack races, carnival games, and a corn pool.
A new addition to the festival this year is a bike rodeo sponsored by the Richmond Police Department, RA-MORE off-road bike enthusiasts, and several local businesses. The bike rodeo is designed to teach young people and first time bicycle riders safety and riding skills.
The rodeo is for children ages 5 to 12, and written parental permission is required. Participants should bring their own bicycles and register at Shelter #2 by noon Sunday. The park’s bicycle patrol officer Stacy Rogers will donate as many as 200 bike helmets, provide bicycle inspections and safety checks, and will use several bike courses to teach riding and safety skills.
Tours of the historic Stone House and the newly-restored lake are scheduled, and a golf cart shuttle will make the lake accessible to everyone. Visitors will also be able to view displays about the park’s history, the environment, conservation, and the lake renovation project. The Richmond Police Department, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, and the Sheriff’s Departments will all be on hand.
Sponsors for the festival include the city of Richmond, Dominion Virginia Power, Mead Westvaco, Forest Hill and Westover Hills neighborhood associations, WalMart, Sheriff C. T. Woody, Good Shepherd Elementary School, Westover Hills Library Assistance Group, Riverside Outfitters-True Timber, Central Virginia Waste Management Authority, Clown Alley #3, and the South of the James Market.
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