WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
July 19, 2021
Road Closures Announced for Memorial Boulevard Bridge Construction Project - Effective today, both of the east and westbound lanes from Downs Street to East Street will no longer be accessible. Please consider alternate routes.
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES -
Rockwell Park Amphitheater

The Screamin Eagle Band will be performing southern rock classics, bluesy rock and classic covers at the Rockwell Park Amphitheater tomorrow night! Screamin Eagle Band is a Modern Southern Rock Powerhouse out of Hartford County that has performed all along the east coast from Nashville to Quebec, Canada.

The FREE concerts are held outdoors at the Rockwell Park Amphitheater. Weather updates will be posted on concert days to www.BristolRec.com. For those looking for dinner, a different food truck will join us in the park each week, brought to you by the West End Association of Bristol. Opening acts begin at 6:00 pm and main acts go on at 6:30 pm. The amphitheater holds plenty of seats, but attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the evening.

GRAB YOUR BIKE

You're invited to join BPRYCS, the Bike Bristol Initiative, and the local bike community for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and official Grand Opening of the Rockwell Park Bike Pump Track!

Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Bike Pump Track
Located next to the Stone House
Mini Golf - Casey Field
Casey Field (located on Lake Avenue) isn’t just for baseball anymore... we’ll be at Casey Field on Friday with a traveling 9-hole mini-golf course! Putters, balls, and scorecards will be provided as you try for a hole in one!
Strut Your Mutt - Roberts Property Park
Saturday, July 31
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Let’s Pawty! Help your dog become calmer and more comfortable around dogs and people, while having a great time together walking with the other dogs! Join us at Roberts Property Park (Located at James P Casey Rd/Perkins St) for a fun event featuring activities and attractions for your beloved canine and the family! You and your pup can take part in various dog contests, design a new bandanna, or try your hand at various agility obstacles.
MOVIE NIGHT IN THE PARK

Grab your family, friends, and neighbors this summer for FREE Movie Nights at the Rockwell Park Amphitheater. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy movies on the big screen under the stars. Movie nights take place on Friday evenings beginning at 8:30 pm.

Showing: Raya and the Last Dragon
Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. However, when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned, and it's up to a lone warrior to track down the last dragon and stop the Druun for good.

RECREATION PROGRAMS
RALPH STRONG CITY JUNIOR TENNIS TOURNAMENT

The Ralph Strong City Junior Tennis Tournament is held at the Page Park Tennis Courts July 30th and 31st for kids ages 4 to 17! Registration is free and participants must bring an unopened can of tennis balls to their first match. The first 35 registrants will receive a free Ralph Strong City Junior Tennis Tournament t-shirt.

ADULT CO-ED PICKLEBALL

Pickleball is a combination of badminton and ping pong played on badminton court with a tennis sized net. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players! Open to ages 15 and up, Adult Co-Ed Pickleball runs on Mondays from 5 - 7 pm or 7:15 - 9:15 pm. The next session begins August 2nd.

SAVE THE DATE
GREEN TEAM AT CASEY FIELD

We're seeking the aid of a “Green Team” of volunteers to help clean up Casey Field and Stocks Playground on July 31st! Bristol Green Team volunteers should plan to meet at 9 AM by the Basketball Courts. Volunteers will then be divided into teams to compete to see which can collect the most trash and recyclable litter. We provide all of the supplies.

First 160 participants will receive a FREE food voucher and T-shirt!
The amphitheater has seating but it is recommended that you bring your own chair.
Please join us for the City of Bristol's Second Annual Community Conversation at the Rockwell Park Amphitheater.

This year, conversations will be centered around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and will feature a round table discussion addressing police accountability, education, and inequities within the community. There will be opportunities to engage with city leaders and numerous City of Bristol stakeholders to discuss what steps are being taken to promote a diverse, equitable and inclusive community.
NEON NIGHTS FLOAT NIGHT

Our sixth annual NEON NIGHTS at Rockwell Park is coming back on Friday, August 13th from 6pm-9pm! The brightest bash in the neighborhood will feature an array of colorful events, including glowing pool, live DJ, foam party, drone dome, and "light up lounge". Admission is $5.00 per person. Please register in advance.

10TH ANNUAL POOCH PLUNGE
Monday, August 23 - 4:30 - 6:30 PM

Mark your calendars for the 10th annual Pooch Plunge! - Rain or Shine! Why should humans have all the FUN? Join us for a doggy-only pool party! Bring your four-legged friends out for the 10th annual Pooch Plunge at the Rockwell Park Pool! Admission to Pooch Plunge is $3.00 at the gate (includes canine and companions).

TEEN PROGRAMS
Every Monday and Thursday
July 8th - August 30th

Teen Nights promote positive youth development through a variety of specialty designed activities, bonding trips, and adventurous opportunities.
Follow BEST on social media for additional and up-to-the-minute information on events and activities.

Safe, secure, & fun organized evening events for Bristol youth ages 13 to 18. Activities include:
  • Escape Room
  • Game Truck
  • Go Karting
  • AND MORE!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
We're only 3 Months away from the One Hundredth Anniversary Celebration of Veteran's Memorial Boulevard!

This coming October, the City of Bristol, its department of Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, the Bristol Historical Society, along with the Bristol Veterans Council, and the Memorial Military Museum plan to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the Memorial Boulevard which opened in 1921.

Follow the Monthly Article Series written by Tom Dickau commemorating the centennial anniversary of the park by depicting the history behind the land, people, and events that helped shape it into the park Bristol treasures today.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
July 2021

Madison Fostervold
Camp Director

July is National Parks and Recreation Month and this year’s theme is “Our Park and Recreation Story” so it felt appropriate to share Madison’s story with you. Madison began her recreation journey as a camper in our Summer FUN Program, she enjoyed her experience so much that she came back to become a Counselor-in-Training in 2014, then secured employment as a Camp Counselor in 2016, she was promoted to Assistant Camp Director in 2019 and then Camp Director in 2020 to present.

Over the past year Madison has proven herself to be a pivotal leader in the department; stepping up as Child Care Program Director throughout the school year when the Board of Education switched to a hybrid model, filling in as a tennis director, assisting at special events such as Turkey Shoot and the Fishing Derby, as well as helping out at the main office during the height of our pre-summer busy season. In addition to being praised by Recreation Supervisor, Amry Shelby, Madison has received numerous commendation from others in the office and across the department for her reliability, dedication and positive “can-do” attitude. We are lucky to have her as part of our growing team!
Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services
Main Office
City Hall - 2nd Floor
111 North Main Street