#eastfairmountpark

[philaparkandrec]

Coltrane at 90: Jazz Walk in Fairmount Park

On Saturday, September 17, jazz lovers flocked to East Fairmount Park for the Jazz Walk, a one-day outdoor celebration to acknowledge pioneering American jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane's 90th birthday. The event, which was organized by Philadelphia Jazz Project, featured six stations located around the East Park Reservoir with live music, information, and refreshments.

Philadelphia Jazz Project works to inspire a network to support, promote, archive, and celebrate the Philadelphia jazz community. The event, which marked the second year that the Jazz Walk has taken place in Fairmount Park, is part of a nine-day series of free jazz performances in Philadelphia celebrating John Coltrane’s 90th birthday, taking place from September 17-25. Coltrane moved to Philadelphia from the south when he was 16, and at one point he lived in a home right on the edge of East Fairmount Park on N. 33rd St., which is now a National Historic Landmark.

Jazz Walk participants walked from site to site around the East Part Reservoir, enjoying the beautiful day and taking in the sounds of jazz performers including Space Whale Ensemble, Eye2Eye Trio & Larry Price, Terry Lawson & Alan Nelson, Chris Stevens, Korey Riker, Josh Lee, Tim Price Trio & Michael Pedicin, Suzanne Burgess & Paul Jost, Sam Reed, Larry McKenna, Pete Chavez, and many others.

After the event ended, guests were invited to a Jazz Walk after party at the historic Hatfield House hosted by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy, and Parks on Tap. Visitors brought lawn chairs and blankets, enjoyed food and drinks, and listened to more great jazz music under the stars.

All of the Philadelphia Jazz Project’s John Coltrane birthday celebration events taking place from September 17-25 are free and open to the public.

Click here to explore the event schedule.

[philaparkandrec]

Philly Stones League: A Unique Sports Opportunity in Fairmount Park

The Philly Stones League was started 10 years ago by three friends--Chris Kinka and John Janick of Philadelphia, and Jason Sivak of New York--while on a camping trip in Western New York. They invented Stones out of boredom using sports equipment that they packed with them. 

Stones, formerly called bocce golf, combines elements of bocce, golf, chess, billiards, and basketball. It is a ball toss game that is played on a defined obstacle course. Teams, which are often duos, throw their stones at a target ball with the closest ones scoring points. With each round, the target ball advances on the course and when the end of the course is reached, the team with the most points wins. 

In terms of playing surfaces, Stones can be played in any environment, but terrain with slopes and hills is recommended. Obstacles and boundaries on a course can be anything as long as it’s not man-made. This includes things such as rocks, tree trunks, bodies of water, branches, and bushes. The stones used to play are different sizes, and players choose which size works best for the specific situation, similar to how golfers choose a club for different holes. According to Chris, while the game is very basic, you can’t truly grasp it until you give it a try. Teamwork is an essential element of the sport and players are told to never out throw their teammate. 

The Philly Stones League recently began in East Fairmount Park, off of the Boxers’ Trail near Mt. Pleasant Mansion in Strawberry Mansion. It is one of four Stones leagues currently in existence. The others are in New York and other areas of Pennsylvania. The league has eight teams with one vacant spot left, and is open to all ages and skill levels. The league is fashioned in an intramural set up, where teams within the league play against each other, but a more competitive aspect could develop if there is a demand for it. The league is very low cost--players pay a league fee of $50 for a two-person team, plus fees to play in more competitive tournaments if they wish. 

If you don’t want to play in a league, the course in Fairmount Park is open to the public. Every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., there are open lessons with no sign-ups necessary.

According to Chris, there are many reasons that people should get involved with the Philly Stones League. “It’s played in the woods, so it gets you outside,” he said. “Due to the obstacle course element of the game, you become intimate with nature while you play.” Plus, “because of the team layout and the fact that it’s an intergenerational game, playing Stones gives the opportunity for families to bond.” 

To learn more or to sign up for the Philly Stones League, visit their website or Facebook page.

[philaparkandrec]

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