PLAY IN THE PARK
Wednesdays in Summer | 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Kennedy Heights Park | 6039 Kennedy Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45213
The Power of Play
This festive event has become a yearly tradition, summoning residents from across Kennedy Heights and welcoming neighbors from Pleasant, Silverton, and elsewhere. The cheerful green signs have become such a steady presence each summer that it is easy for this author to forget that the program is only in its eighth year. It is important, then, to pause and reflect on the power of people—people committed to creating the neighborhood they believe is possible.
A Brief History
In 2013, Kennedy Heights Park was becoming less welcoming, infamous for dice games and drug deals. When it also became the site of two shocking acts of violence, Susan Wade Murphy decided that enough was enough. This park belonged to the neighborhood, and it was their right to reclaim it for fun and not fear. Wade Murphy took and idea to the Kennedy Heights Community Council Safety Committee and shared her idea: a weekly planned community gathering with activities and food, chaperoned by the police to restore a sense of safety to the space. The idea was popular, and Wade Murphy rallied approximately 30 neighbors to pull it off. Their efficiency is a testament to what can be done with enough motivation and enough volunteer power: The second act of violence occurred on June 12 of 2013. The first Play in the Park was held on July 24 and occurred weekly through August. By September 3, the event was a cover page story in The Cincinnati Enquirer.
The program has grown over the years, but as Wade Murphy says, “that inspiration and commitment has not waned since 2013.” The program has even grown to bring together generous and supportive partners who donate food and entertainment. The collaboration with the Kennedy Heights Arts Center has become particularly fruitful, with KHAC innovating the “Play in the Street” program in 2020. This event took the music and art on the move, a kind of joy parade traveling through four different areas of Pleasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights as a way to reduce crowd sizes during Covid.
In 2021, KHAC funded two artists who curated programs specifically for Play in the Park: Golden Brown Enterprises’ interactive art installments, and Pones / Preston Bell Charles III’s dance and music Scavenger Hunt. The program in 2021 was planned for four Wednesdays, but the positive reception inspired an encore fifth day. Play in the Park continues to reflect the joyful diversity of our communities as people of many ages, races, genders, and backgrounds take time to enjoy music, art, and each other. All because one person had a big idea.
Stay updated on each year’s activities by following their Facebook Page.
“That inspiration and commitment has not waned since 2013”
