A Park for All Seasons

Way Park is the heart of a vibrant neighborhood on the west side of Northfield. It features: a musical playground; playground equipment and swings; pre-school equipment; a basketball court; picnic and grilling areas; a walking path; a warming hut and ice rink (seasonal); a small baseball/kickball diamond (seasonal); a large open field perfect for pick up soccer games and kite flying; and lovely rain gardens. Our organization, The Friends of Way Park hosts several events every year including Yoga in the Park, Pumpkin Fest, and a spring picnic event.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Support Way Park Today!

Today is Minnesota's Give To The Max Day, and a great day to make a donation to support the Friends of Way Park. Each online donation gives us an opportunity to receive a $1000 grant through the Northfield Gives program supported by 5th Bridge. 

Please support us with a donation of any size. Join us in support for the park with a gift to the Way Park Dream Fund. Your donation of $20, $50, $100 or an amount significant to you will support the Park’s seasonal events, community activities, planning for future park spaces and assist us in planting trees and shrubs and installing benches and kiosks. Thank you!

Monday, October 22, 2012

It's Time for the Way Park Pumpkin Fest!

With the help of Northfield residents large and small, the Friends of Way Park are hoping to create a large display of lit pumpkins at our annual Pumpkin Fest in the park, this Saturday, October 27 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m.

The event will also include free face painting, a costume parade at 5:45, a bonfire, and drumming led by Arcadia Charter School at 6:30. Community members are invited to bring a picnic dinner.  Friends of Way Park will provide pumpkin saws,  apple caramel slices, and fun prizes for the pumpkin judging.

You can carve your pre-scooped pumpkin at the festival or you can bring your pumpkin already carved. Please bring candles for your pumpkins!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Interested in Playground Options for the Park?

Please join us on Saturday, September 29!

Click to view a PDF of Nature Play Resources
If you’ve been to Way Park lately, you’ve noticed a lot of changes (paths, amphitheater, rain garden, new trees). Now, the focus is beginning to turn to the playground area in the northwest corner of the park.

The Friends of Way Park would like to start a discussion, share ideas, and create a vision for the playground area, so that, when the opportunity arises to make changes there, we will be ready.

We’d like to invite you to join in that discussion, especially if you and your family use the park, especially if you have an interest in designing play spaces. Please come and share your ideas on Saturday, September 29, at 10:30am, at the park. All are welcome!


If you want to get your creative juices flowing, check out the Nature Play Resources presentation that board member Matt Rohn put together with examples of natural play ares he visited over the summer.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Photos from Midsommar 2012

It was a perfect evening for a festival in the park as Northfielders gathered for the seventh annual Midsommar celebration! Thanks to the Northfield Swedish Club, the Sons of Norway, Judy Swanson, Eleanor Croone, and all the volunteers who made it happen. Thanks to the musicians and dancers, wreath-makers and paraders for making it a festive event, and to Laura & Mark Heiman and Doug Bratland for sharing these photos.



Here's another batch of photos from Angela Lauterbach at Northfield Patch (who also earn thanks for helping publicize the event):
And there are two more excellent photo galleries from Audrey Kletscher Helbling on her blog, Minnesota Prairie Roots:

Friday, June 15, 2012

Midsommar in Way Park: Sunday, June 24

Celebrate Northfield's annual Scandinavian Midsommar in Way Park on Sunday, June 24! Informal picnicking, wreath making, and other family-friendly activities begin at 5:30 p.m. Bring your family & friends, a picnic supper, and a blanket or chairs. (Tables and a few chairs, lemonade, and ice water will be provided.)

Enjoy live music, games, dancing, a midsommar processional and raising of the maypole in the NEW south half of the park.

The event is hosted by the Friends of Way Park, Northfield Swedish Club, and Sons of Norway. The rain site is St. John's Lutheran at 3rd & Plum Street.

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Annual Meeting: Tuesday, June 12

The Friends of Way Park 2012 Annual Meeting will be next Tuesday, June 12 at 7pm in the Fireside Room of St. John's Lutheran Church, 500 Third Street West.

You've watched grading and seeding and path construction in the past few  years—join us to hear our immediate plans and our distant dreams! We'll also thank our outgoing board members—Cahrene and Dan Dimick and Chris Kauffeld—and vote in the new 2012-13 board members.

Monday, June 04, 2012

Photo Gallery: Rain Garden Planting

Two new rain gardens were planted in Way Park the weekend of May 20th, thanks to the efforts of volunteers who showed up to help. The gardens are the result of a partnership among Friends of Way Park, the Cannon River Watershed Partnership, and the City of Northfield, plus grant support from the Northfield Area Foundation.

Rain gardens do a remarkable job of filtering water and keeping it in the ground, and thus limiting run-off and the silting of rivers all the way to the Mississippi. These are demonstration gardens intended to inspire homeowners. For more about rain gardens and building your own, visit the Maplewood Rain Gardens web page.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Benefit Concert Raises over $4200!

Last weekend's benefit concert was not only a fabulous night of music, but also a great fundraiser for Way Park. The generosity of attendees, along with matching funds from FWP board members and others, brought in over $4200 to help move us closer to a fully-realized park. Huge thanks to all the performers, volunteers, donors, and attendees for another wonderful community event!

Enjoy this gallery of 22 photos from the event:

Friday, May 04, 2012

May 12: Benefit Concert for Way Park

The Friends of Way Park invite you to a benefit concert for Way Park on May 12 at Northfield's First UCC Church. The music of Edvard Grieg, and the Vestlandet and Telemark fiddle styles that inspired it, will be performed by Andrea Een, Hardanger fiddle and violin, and Sonja Thompson, piano, along with guest fiddlers from the Lars Skjervheim Spelemannslag of St. Olaf College. The concert will be followed by a dessert reception.

Saturday, May 12 at 7:30pm. First UCC Church, Third and Union St. Doors open at 7pm.

Suggested Donation: $15 general admission, $10 students, $5 children 12 and under.  Total donations up to $3500 will be matched dollar for dollar!