Friends of the Rail Park Announces Summer Sunset Series

After an event hiatus through the pandemic, the organization is hosting a free summer event series on Friday nights at the Rail Park 

PHILADELPHIA —

Friends of the Rail Park (FRP), the non-profit organization that stewards, programs, and advocates for the Rail Park, announced their Summer Sunset Series, beginning June 18. Through September, Friends of the Rail Park will host specially curated wellness sessions followed by hands-on workshops, conversations and performances in partnership with local organizations, community members, and artists. The series of free events will take place at the park every other Friday, from 5 PM to 7 PM. 

“After a challenging year and a half, Philadelphians are looking to get outside, connect with each other, and experience what our city’s arts and culture communities have to offer. Over 25 organizations, institutions, and individual artists will be filling the roster for the Summer Sunset Series” said Rebecca Cordes Chan, Executive Director of the Rail Park. “Our public parks are the perfect spaces to safely resume the activities we enjoyed pre-pandemic, and we’re excited to reactivate the Rail Park with a focus on wellness and community building after a long event hiatus.” 

The Summer Sunset Series is hosted in partnership with Nalaverse, a Black-owned and women-led mental wellness community emerged during the pandemic to offer pay-what-you-can virtual meditation, breathwork, and yoga classes. Each event in the series will begin with a wellness session, curated by Nalaverse. 

“We’re excited to partner with the Rail Park to offer inclusive meditation, breathwork, and sound healing classes. Our classes have been virtual since August 2020, so we’re really grateful for the opportunity to share Nalaverse with the Philadelphia community in-person,” said Theresa Shropshire, Co-Founder and CEO of Nalaverse. 

The Series will kick off on June 18 with the Rail Park’s Third Birthday Party. The free event will feature a guided meditation by the Nalaverse, live music by REC Philly, performances by Kun-Yang Lin dancers, a printmaking workshop with local artist Justine Kelley, a walking tour with Land Health Institute, and more. 

Event capacity is limited due to ongoing observance of COVID-19 precautions and pre-registration is required for participation. More information can be found on the Rail Park’s website at therailpark.org/summer-sunset.

Friends of the Rail Park 

Founded in 2010 after years of advocacy by a committed group of community members, Friends of the Rail Park (FRP) is the non-profit organization that drives the vision behind the transformation of historic rail lines that traverse Philadelphia into the Rail Park. FRP’s mission is to build bold, transformative, and inclusive public space that connects Philadelphia’s residents and visitors to the city and each other. Working in close partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, FRP is part of a growing international movement of infrastructure reuse projects, supporting community development and transforming cities in the process. 

The Rail Park is a vision for a three-mile linear park and multi-use pathway connecting 10 distinct Philadelphia neighborhoods and 50+ city blocks along the site of former historic Reading and Pennsylvania Railroad lines. The above and below grade site offers an opportunity to create a world class public space driven by collaborating with communities from every corner of the city, building from existing cultural assets, promoting health and wellness, and advancing equitable access to the investment in this large-scale public works project, positioning the park as an integral part of comprehensive community development in Philadelphia. 

Opening to the public in June 2018, Phase One of the Rail Park is a $13 million project transforming a quarter-mile section of the former Reading Railroad—which reaches from Broad and Noble streets up onto the elevated 1100 block of Callowhill Street in Philadelphia. Serving as a stunning “proof of concept,” Phase One is a welcoming community greenspace, with pathways, low-maintenance perennial plantings, trees, seating, bench-style swings, local art, and elevated city views. The design preserves and restores much of the historic steel viaduct structure, while introducing materials of a similar industrial scale and character.