Parks California recently participated in the signature celebration, Growing Together Day, at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. This local event uplifts art, community, joy and nature. Led by Bayview muralist Joe Colmenares, the local community participated in painting a windscreen that will feature monarch butterflies and enhance the beauty of the shoreline park.
Maria Mowrey, Superintendent Bay Area District, holds up a monarch butterfly kite.
Events like Growing Together Day help develop a sense of belonging for community members at parks while helping to strengthen urban parks as a destination where families can immerse themselves in art and nature. The ability to enjoy art in parks has many benefits for individuals, communities and for the parks themselves. It helps to transform public spaces into cultural hubs, where people can find both recreation and artistic inspiration. Art displays, such as these new murals, mixed with natural landscapes can inspire creativity and provide accessible cultural experiences for all parkgoers.
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area hosts various art-based programs throughout the year in partnership with Parks California to create a relationship with local community while enjoying the tranquility of this hidden urban park in Southeast San Francisco.
Parks California staff help children make kites.
Park attendees enjoyed a day filled with upbeat music from DJ Beats Me, and food from Las Palmas Taqueria, a local favorite on 3rd Street in the San Francisco Bayview District. Attendees engaged in nature-based activities from the following local organizations, Cal Academy, Literacy for Environmental Justice, Nature in the City, Randall Museum, SF Environment, Tree Frog Treks, California State Parks Foundation, and the Cross Town Trail. The San Francisco Bookmobile was also present for families to check out library books or apply for a library card. Parks California facilitated a kite making station, which was a popular activity enjoyed by children that day.
Attendees painting the mural.
Growing Together Day 2024 was made possible by the Art in California Parks Program, California State Parks and Parks California.
