Book Swap by D Magazine

57 Temporary Parks Come to Dallas!

Area citizens showcase community possibilities with transformed parking spaces

Dallas, Texas, September 19, 2012 — The streets of downtown Dallas will be temporarily transformed on Friday, September 21st as the city celebrates International PARK(ing) Day, a community-focused event that challenges the definition of public space. 42 groups will create spaces for fun and social interaction along Main Street (between St Paul and Griffin) and Harwood Street (at Bryan) from 11:00am–7:00pm. Utilizing permitted on-street parking spaces, citizens are challenged to create welcoming “PARKS” that propose or demonstrate non-commercial ideas of what they’d like to see as part of the public space that defines this community. Temporary in nature, these spaces revert back to vehicle parking after several hours.

This year’s “PARKS” are free and open to the public and will include yoga spaces, reading lounges, pop-up museums, art installations and other social areas for downtown residents, visitors and employees to enjoy. Entertainment organized by Deep Dallas Music will showcase local musicians in three performance spaces along Main Street.

PARK(ing) Day was developed in 2005 as a guerilla art project by Rebar and has spread from its origin in San Francisco to over 160 cities around the world (all participating on the same day). The grassroots project has been adapted by independent groups to champion creative, social or political causes relevant to individual communities. The event was brought to downtown Dallas in 2011 by area residents with a mission to be a forum for constructive change; local organizations are encouraged to partner with design talent and advocacy groups to showcase creativity and produce community-enhancing spaces.

PARK(ing) Day 2012 Participants

Happy PARK(ing) Day! We’re happy to announce our full list of participants. These teams represent organizations, individuals, and businesses from downtown Dallas and other areas in the region. View our map to find the location of each participant.

  • 1900 Elm Lofts: Garden party & croquet lawn
  • 5152inc: Art
  • AIA Dallas Emerging Leaders Program: CityWalk playground
  • Architecture for Humanity / Azteca: Performance stage
  • bcWORKSHOP: Retrofitted shipping container
  • Central Track: Urban dance party
  • Cherie Amie Lingerie LLC: Showcase of fair-trade organization empowering women
  • City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department: Goooaaalll! Park
  • Cool Cones Shave Ice: Rest area and shave ice
  • Corgan Associates, Inc.
  • Creative Craniums: Sculpture and art park
  • D Magazine: Book swap and reading lounge
  • Dallas Holocaust Museum / Center for Education and Tolerance: Pop-up museum
  • Dallas Moustache: “Moustachery” to support Movember USA
  • Dallas Regional Chamber: “Live-Work-Play”
  • Douglas Prude: Games and seating
  • Downtown Pawz / DogFit Dallas: Dog park
  • Downtown Residents Council: Urban living room and resident lounge
  • El Centro College: Being green
  • Feet First & Hair: Manicure and pedicure spa
  • Girl Scouts: Flag etiquette and flag retirement instruction center
  • Mad Hatter Café: Baked goods and “aguas frescas”
  • Nasher Sculpture Center: Pop-up museum
  • Oglesby Greene
  • Operation Yoga: Yoga park
  • Revolutionary Pants: Ice cream stage
  • Spire Realty Group, LP: RC racetrack
  • Spokes Pedicabs: Pedicab transportation
  • THRWD Magazine: Art gallery and reading lounge
  • The Knit Witted Bees: Knitting circle
  • The Playhouse Fun Project: Sculptural installation
  • The Space
  • Tishgart Family: Homemade arcade games and handcrafted prizes
  • Tonya G & Alisia M: “Our Place in the Sun” and Voter Registration
  • Urban Artistry Presented By Gerard Claiborne: Art park
  • UTA Program in Landscape Architecture
  • UT Arlington School of Architecture: Performances spaces
  • Underworld Art Gallery: Art park
  • Wallace Roberts & Todd LLC: “Green street” demonstration
  • Which Wich? Superior Sandwiches
  • World Wear Project: Clothing recycling and donation center
  • Yelp Dallas: Refreshments
  • [x]cube GAMES

PARK(ing) Day 2012 Entertainment

A big component of PARK(ing) Day Dallas is the lineup of local musicians and performers adding to the atmosphere of the day. Below is the lineup of entertainment that will be provided at three creatively-designed performance areas. Deep Dallas Music has organized over 20 local musicians, poets & performers to provide entertainment throughout the day. Special thanks also goes out to Ferralog Studios and City Tavern for sponsoring the audio equipment for the day.

City Tavern Stage (Stage 01) 
Stage Location: Downtown on Main Street in front of City Tavern
(Between Field & Akard right in the middle)

11:00 – 12:00 :: Frog Harvest
12:00 – 1:00 :: Justin Dyer
1:00 – 2:00 :: Tito Ortega
2:00 – 3:00 ::
3:00 – 4:00 :: Mike Freiley
4:00 – 5:00 :: Rick Alvarado
5:00 – 6:00 :: Alex Caruthers
6:00 – 7:00 :: Ann Stover

Pegasus Plaza Stage (Stage 02)
Stage Location: Downtown on Main Street at Pegasus Plaza
(Akard & Main Street is the closest intersection)

11:00 – 12:00 :: Kyle Brooks & The Rhythm & Beards
12:00 – 1:00 :: Sugarfoote & Company
1:00 – 2:00 :: Park(ing) Day Drum Circle led by S-Ankh Rasa
2:00 – 3:00 :: Park(ing) Day Poetry Hour
3:00 – 4:00 :: The Klanks
4:00 – 5:00 :: Tony Q Project
5:00 – 6:00 :: Teen Music Showcase presented by The Septien Group
6:00 – 7:00 :: Ducado VeGA

Comerica Stage (Stage 03)
Stage Location: Downtown on Main Street in front of Comerica Tower
(Ervay & Main is the closest intersection)

11:30 – 12:30 :: Nick McCord
12:30 – 1:30 :: George Irwin
1:30 – 2:30 :: Lara Parker
2:30 – 3:30 :: Felix Flores
3:30 – 4:30 :: SuZanne Kimbrell
4:30 – 5:30 :: Paul Ramon
5:30 – 6:30 :: Tony Rey

PARK(ing) Day 2012 After-Party

Join us for an evening in the park as PARK(ing) Day comes to an end! Neighborhood Sponsor Thanks-Giving Square will be hosting PARK(ing) Day participants and community members to celebrate successes of the day in a fun outdoor setting.

The after-party event is open to the public and will begin at 6:00pm. Come down to enjoy dinner from food trucks (The Butcher’s Son and Potato-Potahto), shave ice from Cool Cones Shave Ice, and a beer garden provided by Beyond the Box. The Just-Us League will entertain visitors with visual art.

Bring a blanket, bring your dog, or bring your PARK(ing) Day creation!

Event Flyer

PARK(ing) Day Dallas is one week away! Please share our event poster (download a printable version) to raise awareness of our event!