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.

Saturday, November 09, 2013

Northfield Gives

Once again, the Friends of Way Park are asking for your support during Minnesota's annual Give To The Max Day event. 

The "Great Minnesota Give Together" is this Thursday, Nov. 14, and a city-wide Northfield Gives event will take place at the Grand Event Center from 5-9pm. Please join us to celebrate Northfield nonprofits and increase FWP's chance to win some local "Golden Tickets." If you can't attend, please remember FWP in your online giving that day at home or work. 

And be sure to stop by Way Park to see the latest tangible results of your generous FWP donations: three beautiful new kiosks that park neighbor Scott Swanson designed and built!

Make a donation to support the Friends of Way Park.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Pumpkin Fest!

It's time once again for our annual Pumpkin Fest in Way Park! Please join your friends and neighbors for a festive fall celebration on Saturday, October 26 from 5:00–7:30 pm.

A wall of pumpkins will be lit around six o’clock. Families can carve pumpkins they bring to the event, or bring their pumpkins already carved. “We have some very creative pumpkin carvers every year,” said Michelle Martin, a volunteer with the event, “It’s amazing what people come up with.”

Kids (and adults) are encouraged to parade their costumes at six. Free face painting will be available throughout the event, and music will be provided by kid fiddlers and the Arcadia Charter School drum group. The Friends of Way Park will also provide caramel and apples to much on. A bonfire will light the night, and glow-in-the-dark tag will be added to the fun this year.

Volunteers from Transition Northfield will be on hand to help people compost their pumpkin parts and answer questions about the composting pilot being run in the neighborhood.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Four More Yoga Sessions!

Please join us on the next four Saturdays as we host Yoga in the Park! Here are the details:
  • When: Saturdays, Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5 and Oct. 12 (Oct. 19 is the rain date), from 10-11am
  • Where: Way Park amphitheater on south end of park
  • What to bring: Water bottle, yoga mat if you have one (we have a small set of yoga mats available as needed)
  • Instructor: Melissa Sharpe, licensed yoga instructor and west side resident
  • Cost: FREE—It doesn't get better than that!
  • Childcare: On the playground, with two childcare providers—also FREE!
We have this opportunity thanks to the Healthy Activitiy Grant we received through Allina's Neighborhood Health Connection program. Our first two sessions in August brought together approximately 40 people each week, young & old, from the east and west sides of town. Melissa has done a wonderful job of incorporating connection—to self, to neighbor, to nature—into this practice of yoga.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Yoga Photos

Thanks to all the enthusiastic participants of our first two sessions of yoga in the park! There's still plenty of time to join us: the sessions resume on September 21, and take place the following three Saturdays from 10–11 am.

Thursday, August 08, 2013

Yoga in the Park

Thanks to a Healthy Activity Grant from Allina Health Partners, the Friends of Way Park are offering six free yoga classes at Way Park with Melissa Sharpe as the instructor!

Classes run from 10–11am on the following mornings:

  • August 17
  • August 24
  • September 21
  • September 28
  • October 5
  • October 12
  • Rain date: October 19

  • Free childcare will be provided for children who do not want to participate. Bring a yoga mat if you have one. Some mats will be available for newcomers. The classes are open to the entire Northfield community and will be appropriate for all levels. If you would prefer to use a chair for yoga, please bring your own.

    The grant focuses on two items: physical activity and fostering neighborhood connections. We can't wait to see everyone there!

    Wednesday, July 03, 2013

    18th Annual First Street Fourth of July Parade

    For the 18th year, Franklin and Betty Lee are hosting a parade and neighborhood gathering on the Fourth of July. This year's event begins at 10:45am in Way Park and ends up at the Lee residence at 505 First Street West.

    Gather in the park with a decorated bike, trike, stroller, wagon, skates, pet, children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents. Bring noisemakers, whistles, horns, and drums. The parade starts off at 11am sharp and proceeds east down First Street, where host families will serve hot dogs, lemonade, and popsicles.

    Come along and see old friends and meet new neighbors! 

    The Lees will provide popsicles and lemonade. Please bring one pack of hot dogs or buns to share. 

    Wednesday, June 05, 2013

    Annual Meeting: Thursday, June 6

    Please join us on Thursday, June 6th at 7 pm for our 2013 Annual Meeting.  We will be meeting in the Fireside Room at St. John’s Church.  Highlights include:
    • Updates on “What’s Next at the park”: kiosks, signage, upgraded baseball diamond, and more
    • Nature play discussion: Join us in imagining what is possible
    • New leadership: While the board membership isn’t changing, we are excited to have Matt Rohn and Anne Berry step into the chair and vice-chair roles, respectively 
    As a board, we want to underline our excitement about the Pilot Composting Program that is set to begin with 150 homes surrounding the park! If you are part of the program, you should have already received a letter indicating that your address would be included in part of this pilot. The pilot is scheduled to begin the first week of June and run through the summer. Specific instructions will be included with the compost bins when they are delivered. If you have questions about the program, please contact David Domack at Dick’s Sanitation (david@dickssanitation.com) for details. Please help us make this effort successful!

    Monday, May 06, 2013

    Photos from "Explore the Outdoors"

    Thanks to everyone who helped make yesterday's park event such a wild success! Our estimates are that 300 people showed up throughout the beautiful spring afternoon, and 150 kites were made! Special thanks goes to Anne Berry, Michelle Martin, and Mary Poole, who planned the event.

    Here are a few photos from the scene...

    Sunday, April 21, 2013

    Explore the Outdoors: A Way Park Gathering

    explore the outdoors logo While spring has yet to really arrive in Northfield, the Friends of Way Park are hoping the weather will improve in time for an exciting event planned for Sunday, May 5 in Northfield’s Way Park.

    Together with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and PBS stations across the country, FWP is helping to promote PBS KIDS Explore the Outdoors. The program encourages children and families to get outdoors and spend more time at their local park.

    The Friends of Way Park are partnering with the Northfield Area Family YMCA and St. Olaf College’s Science Alliance to present a full afternoon of outdoor fun. The event will take place in Way Park from 1:00–4:00 pm on Sunday, May 5, and will include:
    • kite making and pinwheels
    • bean planting in a “green house”
    • a nature scavenger hunt
    • weather forecasting
    • a green energy demo by St. Olaf’s Science Alliance
    • group games by the YMCA
    • brainstorming for future playground updates
    • lemonade 
    • …and MORE!
    Teachers: Consider giving your students an optional homework assignment at Way Park related to something you’ve been working on in class. Download a print-ready PDF with a set of project ideas!

    See you in the park!