With warmer temperatures heading our way, The Friends Of Downs Park organization has been busy finalizing community event plans for this spring and summer season. From the annual concert series to the June 1st’s Family Fun Day, Friends Of Downs Park President Cheryl Schwabline explained all of the park’s exciting plans for 2024.
“To kick off the season, we’ll host the annual Family Day on Saturday, June 1 from 12-4pm,” said Schwabline. “It is open to the public and there is free admission to the park. We’ll have over 40 vendors, live music, demonstrations, an axe-throwing truck, pony rides, a moon bounce and more.”
Then, on Sunday, June 9, the park’s ever-popular concert series begins, with a special performance by country-artist Dean Crawford and The Dunn River Band. “He was voted Maryland’s top country performer,” said Schwabline. “He opens for us every year and brings a heck of a crowd. He brought so many people last year, we ran out of space in the parking lot.”
Additional events The Friends Of Downs Park has planned include Movies In The Park At Night and Night Hikes, which Schwabline said more details will be released soon about.
As president of The Friends Of Downs Park organization, Schwabline regularly meets with the group to discuss different ideas to involve the community with the park. “I have a wonderful team. There are about 15 of us on the board, and we work our butts off. There are a lot of things in the works right now,” said Schwabline.
However, planning events is not the only type of work done by The Friends Of Downs Park. Fundraising and maintaining the Visitor’s Center are two significant jobs that the group has taken on over the years. “We do a tremendous amount of fundraising. I stress to everyone that every penny you give us goes back to this park,” she said. The organization exercises many different methods of fundraising, from selling benches in the park, to offering memorial leaves for sale on the tribute tree inside the Visitor’s Center, to accepting a percentage of sales from food truck vendors that come to the park, or simply getting up on stage at the concerts and asking for donations.
There’s also the maintenance of the Visitor’s Center, which has been completely re-done by The Friends Of Downs Park. “We re-did the displays and they are really spectacular,” said Schwabline.
Upcoming projects for Downs Park that the Friends group is involved with include the relocation of the dog beach, and the renovation of the Chesapeake Room, which the park rents out for receptions and meetings. “The original dog beach will be closed,” Schwabline said. “In the fall, there will be a new dog beach built a little bit past the fishing pier. It will be handicapped accessible. When it’s all said and done it’s going to be beautiful.”
Schwabline has been actively involved with Downs Park for around 25 years, starting off as secretary before becoming president of The Friends Of Downs Park. “My husband loved the park, we’ve always been big fans,” she said. “Every day we’d pack a lunch, go down there and sit by the water. Everything I do for that park is in memory of him,” she said.
To stay up-to-date on park events and information, visit the Friends Of Downs Park Facebook page.
2024 DOWNS PARK SUMMER CONCERT SCHEDULE
- SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 6:00PM-8:00PM: Dean Crawford and The Dunn River Band [Country]
- SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 6:00PM-8:00PM: Avenue 66, LLC [Variety]
- SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 6:00PM-8:00PM: Summer Knights [Rock/Country]
- SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 6:00PM-8:00PM: Kaleidoscope [Variety]
- SUNDAY, JULY 14, 6:00PM-8:00PM: Chossen Music [R&B/Classic Rock]
- SUNDAY, JULY 21, 6:00PM-8:00PM: Haymaker [Rock]
- SUNDAY, JULY 28, 6:00PM-8:00PM: Fast Eddie & The Slowpokes [Blues/Soul/Rock]
- SUNDAY, AUGUST 11, 5:00PM-7:00PM: Lost & Found [Trio Cover Band]
- SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 5:00PM-7:00PM: Ryan Keith Band [Country]
