The Crusader Newspaper Group

Resident Association in Englewood hosts free festival series for community

The Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) will launch their summer park tour, So Fresh Saturdays, at Lindblom Park on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at 6054 S. Damen Ave. in Chicago from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

For the last five years, R.A.G.E. has reclaimed the local parks in Greater Englewood to offer the public a free, family-oriented, “edutainment” festival aimed at promoting peace throughout the community. From June to September, So Fresh Saturdays will feature local talent and a variety of activities attracting more than 5,000 residents from in and outside of the Englewood community.

“R.A.G.E. is committed to making the Englewood community stronger through positive actions,” said Asiaha Butler, president of R.A.G.E. “Our annual festival series, So Fresh Saturdays, brings our community together peacefully through entertainment, education, activities, and food. It is with great pride that we provide this free event to residents who are often overwhelmed with negative ideas of what it means to be an inner-city resident of Chicago. We are excited to have this event that will not only provide peace but be a perpetual form of fellowship amongst neighbors throughout the summer.”

The kick-off event for So Fresh Saturdays on June 3, will include positive entertainment from local musicians and artists. The day will feature a community resource fair that brings together over a dozen organizations and schools that have programming and opportunities for community members. Children of all ages will take part in a variety of games, arts and crafts, and a bounce house. Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a raffle and receive complimentary food.

“Each year So Fresh Saturdays expands. When we first started, we only toured four parks reaching about 1,000 residents,” said So Fresh Saturdays’ host, Mario “Supa Dupa” Tate. “We are proud to now have seven parks as a part of the tour this year with the hopes to reach over 5,000 or more residents and non-residents of Englewood. Although we are in Englewood, So Fresh Saturdays is open to all Chicagoans who want peace in our city.”

All So Fresh Saturdays events take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The full schedule is as follows:

June 3 – Lindblom Park – 6054 S. Damen Ave.

June 24 – Murray Park – 1743 W. 73rd St.

July 8 – Hermitage Park – 5839 S. Wood St.

July 22 – Moran Park – 5727 S. Racine Ave.

August 5 – Ogden Park – 6500 S. Racine Ave.

August 26 – Hamilton Park – 513 W. 72nd St.

September 23 – Sherwood Park – 5701 S. Shields Ave.

So Fresh Saturdays is presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series, supported by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Arts programming in neighborhoods across the city advances the goals of the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Cultural Plan. Now in its fifth year, the 2017 Night Out in the Parks series will host over 1,000 cultural events and programs at more than 250 neighborhood parks throughout the city, making community parks a safe haven and hubs of activity. Projects will vary from traditional performances and concerts, to movies, peace rallies, community workshops, nature based programs, dance pieces, festivals, and more. The Chicago Park District has partnered with more than 100 arts and community organizations to expand and produce this successful initiative. If you want to support the So Fresh Saturdays’ initiative and would like to get involved, could provide event resources, or would just like to learn more, contact R.A.G.E. at [email protected], or visit us at www.ragenglewood.org.

The Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) is a resident-driven organization whose mission is to mobilize residents of the community, utilizing asset-based development and innovative organizing techniques.

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