Large Events, Flea Markets and Amplified Sound Guidelines  
               
 
 
 

Clark Park is host to a number of large events, such as the Woodland Avenue Reunion, the Clark Park Music and Arts Festival, and the Spruce Hill May Fair.

Back in 2001, a committee was formed to address community concerns regarding parks usage, specifically for permitted events. The Clark Park Quality of Life Task Force (QOL) included representatives from the Recreation Dept, the 18th Police District, Friends of Clark Park, the UCD, several community organizations and a few large event organizers, including the Clark Park Music & Arts Festival and the Woodland Ave Reunion. After a series of meetings, guidelines for park usage were developed and approved by the Recreation Department.

Get Good Advice

Are you a first-time event organizer in Clark Park? You should talk with experienced event organizers well before your event. They will give practical answers and valuable tips.

Call the Friends of Clark Park Large Event Committee – Jonathan Snyder (215-432.7948, jonathan_snyder2003@yahoo.com) or Frank Chance (chancefl@sas.upenn.edu).

If you're interested in organizing any additional large events, please read the following guidelines.

Available Weekends

Annual community events including the Spruce Hill May Fair, Clark Park Music & Arts Festival (CPMAF) and the Woodland Ave. Reunion are pre-scheduled on their regular weekend. Other events will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Permits

Permits for use of Clark Park will be issued for events on Saturdays and Sundays, but only one event per weekend will permit amplified sound. Permits are issued by Barbara McCabe, the Parks Coordinator. Contact her at:

BARBARA McCABE, PARKS COORDINATOR
1515 ARCH ST., 10th FLOOR, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
Barbara.McCabe@Phila.Gov or (215) 683-3679.

Flea Markets

The Department of Recreation has a set of guidelines for people or groups wishing to conduct a Flea Market at one of their facilities. These guidelines cover such issues as the permits required, requirements for financial reporting, and restrictions on items to be sold. Contact Barbara McCabe, Parks Coordinator, at Barbara.McCabe@Phila.Gov or (215) 683-3679 to obtain copies of these guidelines and to acquire the required permits.

Amplified Sound

As stated above, only one event per weekend can have amplified sound. There can still be an event on Saturday and on Sunday, but only one can have amplified sound, whether it be music or speech. Also, there can still be music both days, but one of them must be unplugged.

Amplified sound will be limited to six hours in duration per event. Permit holder will select a six-hour time slot within the window of 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Time slot will be noted on the permit.

Important Note: The Clark Park Music & Arts Festival is an exception to this, and has been grandfathered. Their events will continue to have amplified sound from 11AM -8PM for their June event and 11AM-7PM for their September event.

Placement of Stages

Amplified sound events scheduled in “A” Park (the north section) must direct speakers away from Baltimore Ave. residences and toward Chester Ave. A site map of preferred stage locations and angles is available on the Friends of Clark Park website.

Films

Films will be given special exception since they must be shown after dark. Films will not be scheduled the same night as another event, but could be scheduled the same weekend.

Electric Power

There is an electric power box in the Middle Park near the shed. Friends of Clark Park has keys to it. Starting at least two weeks before your event, contact Jonathan Snyder (215-432.7948, jonathan_snyder2003@yahoo.com), Frank Chance (chancefl@sas.upenn.edu) or Director Brad Zinn (215/662-1411) to arrange for someone to unlock the power box on the day of your event.

Posters and Flyers

Posters or flyers may not be pinned to trees. This damages the trees.

Vehicles

Vehicles are not allowed in Clark Park.  With special permission of FoCP, one vehicle per large event can drive into the park to unload and reload heavy equipment. To prevent damage to the paths, grass, and trees, no vehicle may leave the paved walks or remain parked anywhere in the park.

Cleanup

The Organizers' cleanup crew will patrol the area that was used by attendees. All trash will be bagged and placed in or near a trashcan. Leave Clark Park cleaner than you found it!

Burnt charcoal refuse cannot be dumped on the ground as it is poisonous. Organizer must work to see their attendees do not dump ash, and they must clean up after those who do.

Event producers and residents work together cooperatively to comply with these guidelines.

The Recreation Department participated fully in the development of these guidelines, and had final approval of them. We believe that they represent a reasonable compromise between park users and the neighbors immediately surrounding the park. We want the park to continue to be a venue for exciting events and community gatherings. We also want the neighbors who live near the park to have the peace and relaxation they deserve on summer weekends.

These guidelines help us to schedule events in a manner that is more neighbor-friendly by limiting the number of amplified sound events per weekend and reducing the number of hours of sound per event. They are a tool for better scheduling, and no one has ever been denied a permit for the park.

Clark Park has always been a popular park for community events and festivals. We hope that these guidelines help us continue these traditions, while protecting the park itself and preserving the equanimity of the community.

 
 
   
 

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Updated 8/21/2008
 

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About Us

Officers & Responsibilities

Frank Chance
President
Lew Mellman
Vice-President
Bill Moriarty
Treasurer
Brian Siano
Secretary
Jonathan Snyder
Past President Ex Officio

Directors

Until 2008

Melanie Bartlett
Erin Engelstad
Chris Leswing
Darryl Stovall
Nate Turner
Brad Zinn

Until 2009

Sharrieff Ali
Fran Byers
Nicole Gaddis
Matt Grubel
Margaret Kasschau
Pete Malandra

Standing Committee Chair Assignments

AUDIT
Fran Byers
DATABASE
Brian Siano
FUNDRAISING
Molly Roth
GARDENING
Erin Engelstad
LARGE EVENTS
Jonathan Snyder
MAINTENANCE
Lew Mellman
MEETINGS
Jonathan Snyder
MEMBERSHIP
Brad Zinn
NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS
Erin Englestadt
OUTREACH
Sharrieff Ali
PLANNING
Matt Grubel
PUBLICITY
Nicole Gaddis, Pete Malandra
SAFETY
Darryl Stovall
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Fran Byers
TREES
Chris Leswing
YOUTH SOCCER
Melanie Bartlett

Project Organizers

WEBSITE and NEWSLETTER
Brian Siano
MOVIES
*Ann Dixon
PARLIAMENTARIAN
Frank Chance
STORY TIME
*Cynthia Roberts
FESTIVAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Erin Engelstad, *Bob Behr,
*Allen Diggs, Tony West

* = Not an FOCP officer, but a member

 

 

       

Calendar

Farmers' Market

Saturdays, 10 am to 2 pm May through Thanksgiving
Saturdays, 10 am to 1 pm all other Saturdays
Thursdays, 3 pm to 7 pm June through Thanksgiving
215-243-0555

Meetings and Events

Saturday, August 30: Strand Family Party
2:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Saturday, Sept 6: Uhuru Solidarity Flea Market
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday, Sept 13: Woodland Avenue Reunion
(Amplified Sound)
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Wednesday, September 17: FoCP Board Meeting
7 PM

Saturday, Sept 20: Music and Arts Festival
(Amplified Sound)
11:00 am to 8:00 pm

Saturday, Sept. 27: Youth Soccer Begins

Saturday, October 4: Bark in the Park

Saturday, October 4: Farmer's Market 10th Anniversary

Saturday, Oct 11: Uhuru Solidarity Flea Market
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Wednesday, October 15: FoCP General Membership Meeting

Saturday, Oct 18: Spiral Q Peoplehood Parade
Presented by the University City Arts League and the Spiral Q Puppet Theatre

Saturday, November 08: Veterans Day Commemoration
11 AM

Monday, November 17: FoCP Board Orientation, Board Meeting
5 PM

Monday, November 17: Tree Planting
9 AM

Wednesday, November 19: FoCP Board Meeting
7 PM

Wednesday, December 17: FoCP Board Meeting
7 PM

Flea Markets

In 2008, the Uhuru Solidarity Movement will be running a monthly Flea Market from April to October. The scheduled dates are: April 12, May 3, June 14, July 12, August 9, September 6, October 11,. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Rain dates are usually the day after.) For further information, phone 215-387-0919 or email philly_flea@yahoo.com.

Newsletter Deadlines

As you know, we also publish a quarterly newsletter. If you have any articles, photos, or commentaries (subject to the review of editor Brian Siano), get us the materials by:

Dec 17th
Mar 18th
Jun 17th
Sep 19th

Department of Recreation Permits

To hold an event in Clark Park or comment about an event, call the Department of Recreation at 215-685-2697. Click here for Clark Park events guidelines.

 
         

 
 

Contact Us

Email

Snail Mail

Voice Mail

Friends of Clark Park,
PO Box 31908, Philadelphia, PA 19104

215-552-8186

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