think warm thoughts...

So...it's cold outside. Really cold. It's cold enough that all I really want to do is hibernate for the next few months. I have a Slanket (it's fuzzy and leopard print-y and oh so warm!), a bunch of good books, a laptop and an internet connection (guess who spent most of her weekend watching old episodes of Farscape on Netflix [yes, I am a geek]) - I could be entirely happy.

But, as they say, time and tide and Fun Fourth wait for no (wo)man. It's just over six months away, and while that may seem like a long time, the truth is that July will be here before we know it. We're already brainstorming - really, we started planning 2010's Fun Fourth Festival on July 4th, 2009. Our goal, as always, is to take what we've learned in previous years and see what works and what doesn't. Some things we scrap, some things we just tweak a bit.

The thing that is most helpful, though, is feedback from The Public. We can't help but see the Festival from a different perspective than everyone else. We may think that something is a great idea, but we don't know for sure until the big day. So we're putting the question to you, The Public. To steal a bit from Conan O'Brien: People of Earth, what would you like to see at the Fun Fourth Festival?

Let us know! Are there things that you definitely want us to keep? Are there certain things you could do without? Is there something that you've always wished we would have? Now is your chance to help us in our quest to create a more perfect Fun Fourth Festival! Feel free to leave any and all suggestions in the comments section. Or, if you follow us on Twitter, send us a tweet! Or you can write on our wall on Facebook!

While you're at it, be sure to mark your calendars so that you don't miss out on any of the Fun Fourth events:

Saturday, June 26th - Freedom Run
Friday, July 2nd - Kickoff Block Party
Saturday, July 3rd - Fun Fourth Parade & Street Festival
Sunday, July 4th - Pops Concert & Fireworks

Be sure to visit our website for more information!

Baby its cold outside!

So, here we are....Festival of Lights was a success ---

large crowds, great music, beautiful decorations! BTW check out our photos (taken by the talented Lynn Donovan) on Flickr. So, here we are in January working on all sorts of projects:

• booking bands for Tunes @ Noon (every Wednesday from May through October) in Center City Park.
• working with the Center City Park marketing committee to develop a park produced event to coincide with First Friday.
• assisting the local chapter of National Forum for Black Public Adminstrators with one portion Forum 2010 -- the convention being held in Greensboro this year.
• planning for the 2010 Fun Fourth Festival is under way -- bands, crafts, food vendors, fireworks -- all of your favorites plus some new activities. (As a side bar -- because July 4th is on a Sunday in 2010 the schedule will be a little different) Block Party on Friday, July 2, Parade & Street Festival on Saturday, July 3 and Fireworks on Sunday, July 4 -- its a total weekend of Fun!!

Really all I can think about is --



Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and warm 2010!!

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