Centennial Summer in Stewart Park continues! Movies, Music, Free Carousel & More

July 26, 2021

It's been a wild and wet summer in Stewart Park!

On Sunday, July 11, FSP celebrated the park's 100th Birthday. In typical fashion of late, the afternoon started out dry, but then the rain rolled in! Those listening to the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's brass quintet moved from outside the open-air Tea Pavilion, to inside it, adding a nice feeling of intimacy to the jubilant atmosphere.

Watermusic has been rescheduled to September 18th, which is also the same day of our always enjoyable annual fundraiser, Party for the Park. This is Party for the Park's 6th year!

The Mayor Stewart Centennial Challenge continues! We are $ 2,500 shy of raising $20,000 in funds that qualify for a match from the Triad Foundation. Now is the time to join the Challenge if you haven't yet. and to encourage others to join! If FSP raises $20,000 by the end of July, Triad will turn it into $40,000!

STEWART PARK'S 100TH BIRTHDAY BASH

100th Birthday Bash attendees were treated to rousing tunes from the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's brass quintet, jazzy popular songs by London McDaniel and of course, cupcakes. Thanks to City of Ithaca 5th Ward Assemblyperson Laura Lewis for her remarks, Story House Ithaca for recording Stewart Park memories, and to Wegman's, who, with our other Centennial Sponsors, made the Birthday Bash possible.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The 6th Annual Party for the Park Saturday, September 18 from 5:30-7:30. This year's party will take place in and around the Tea Pavilion, with delicious hors d'oeuvre, great music and party games. More details to come.

SUPPORT STEWART PARK

Mayor Svante Myrick asks you to join the Mayor Stewart Centennial Challenge!

GIVE NOW

CASCADILLA BOATHOUSE RESTORATION

Restoration of the exterior of the Cascadilla Boathouse continues. Thanks to Historic Ithaca, the City of Ithaca, Bouley Associates of Auburn with Verdigris Construction/Julie Kitson Construction Management, Bero Associates, and Trowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects for their work on this project! Find details below on how you can join Historic Ithaca for a walk & talk about the progress.

FROM OUR PARTNERS IN REVITALIZATION
WHARTON STUDIO MUSEUM

Save the Date!
Saturday, August 28th, 2021 at 8pm

Silent Movie Under the Stars — our 11th year!

Featuring a newly-restored Sherlock Holmes (1916)

*with a recorded original score composed by the Neil Brand Ensemble*

Taughannock Falls State Park - the screening is free and open to the public. There is a $5. per vehicle
parking fee in the park.

MORE PARK & TRAIL NEWS

THANK YOU

Thanks to the participants of the Learning Web’s Volunteer Community Service Program (VCSP) session 1 for their work on the Cayuga Waterfront Trail! They trimmed the edge vegetation along the Cayuga Inlet to open up views of the water from the trail.

ELAYNE'S LENDING LIBRARY

Elayne's Lending Library was dedicated earlier this summer in a small gathering of the late Elayne Nicholas’s friends and family, and FSP supporters. The library and Information Kiosk have a lovely new paint job and sign (thank you to FSP board member Beth Gerrard and Sophia Cooke).

The library‘s shelves have been filled with new and gently used books. Would you like to help keep the library stocked and neat? Email Janelle to learn more about becoming a Stewart Park "librarian."

PRESERVATION PROGRESS DISCUSSION
WITH HISTORIC ITHACA

Join Historic Ithaca's Executive Director Susan Holland at the Cascadilla Boathouse in Stewart Park for a short walk and talk about the exterior rehabilitation of this historic building. Learn more about this building's history and see firsthand what is being done to preserve this historic building for future generations.

Please keep in mind this is an active construction site. We recommend proper footwear, folding chair and sun protection if needed.

Proceeds will benefit the efforts of "Mayor Stewart Centennial Challenge."

COST: $10
WHEN: Saturday, July 31st, 10 am
REGISTER HERE

TCHC EXHIBIT

Visit the FSP’s installation in the Atrium Tower in downtown’s Tompkins Center for History and Culture! The exhibit, made possible by Tompkins Trust Company, celebrates the history of the park through images, and features numerous revitalization projects of the last ten years and those yet to come.

FSP thanks Sally Grubb, a member of our Project Leadership Committee for her help in curating the exhibit.

While you're there, check out the new installation about Irene Castle from our partner in revitalization, Wharton Studio Museum as well!

Find The TCHC is located at 110 N. Tioga St. on the Ithaca Commons.

FSP ZOOM NOW EVENTS ON YOUTUBE

Did you miss the Stewart Park Revitalization Plan Update Meeting? Great news! You can watch this Zoom event and all our the others in the Centennial Series for free on on the FSP YouTube channel.

THANKS TO OUR CENTENNIAL SPONSORS FOR
MAKING THIS YEAR'S FESTIVITIES A REALITY

STEWART PARK IS OPEN! Birthday Bash & Watermusic this Sunday

July 9, 2021

On July 4th, 1921, Stewart Park opened to the public with great fanfare and record numbers. On July 4th, 2021 Stewart Park quietly turned 100 years old. Friends of Stewart Park had planned for this momentous occasion with a public Centennial celebration, but the recent storms and the damage they have caused unfortunately, kept the park closed. Thankfully, we have just heard that Stewart Park has been re-opened!

We look forward to celebrating 100 years of Stewart Park with you this Sunday, July 11. Join us for the Birthday Bash from 1:00-3:00 PM, and Watermusic starting at 2:15. We are grateful to everyone who helped move this party back a week — Story House Ithaca, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, London McDaniel and more, and especially grateful to the City’s Parks and Forestry Division, Forester Jeanne Grace and Park Manager Rob Lilly and his staff for their very hard work during the past two weeks to get the park cleaned up and made safe so we can all enjoy it again.

LATER THIS SUMMER

SUPPORT STEWART PARK

Mayor Svante Myrick asks you to join the Mayor Stewart Centennial Challenge!

GIVE NOW

MORE PARK & TRAIL NEWS

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS

Friends of Stewart Park is so grateful to the over 100 volunteers who have come out to clean up the storm debris from storms on June 21 and June 28. While thanfully, no one was hurt and little structure damage one in the park, there was an unbelievable amount of tree damage. The City’s Department of Public Works has been working very hard cleaning up trees and large branches. The park is now much cleaner thanks to volunteers have worked to clean up the small branches, sticks and leaves that were everywhere. Thanks to Kathy Chiang, and Peter, Phoebe (8) and Chloe (5) Lallas, who sent pictures of their work!

JULY 10 PARTY

Habitat for Humanity is hosting a Party in Stewart Park with free carousel rides, ice cream, a Tompkins County Public Library storytime, birdhouse building and an opportunity to win an whimsical playhouse! Join them in the Park Saturday, July 10 from 11-5.

THANKS TO OUR CENTENNIAL SPONSORS FOR
MAKING THIS YEAR'S FESTIVITIES A REALITY

Birthday Bash Pics & Summer Event Updates

Stewart Park is OPEN! July 11 events are on

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