Garfield Square Blog

Day of the Dead is coming up on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 and The Marigold Project is inviting artists and community groups to participate in the creation of five large-scale altars in Garfield Park (26th Street & Harrison).
 
Call to Artists:
Thanks to a generous grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission Neighborhood Festivals Program, The Marigold Project will award up to $400 to each chosen altar proposal to cover artist fees, materials and supplies. Most of the selected altars will be larger than 4x4 feet. In the past, altars have honored a range of themes and people: Youth that have died because of Gang Violence, Our Rain Forests, Soldiers that have died in War, Women of Juarez, Pets, Bicyclists in the City, People who have died of AIDS, Local Musicians, and Grandmothers. Community groups/Artists do not need to be located in San Francisco. Our theme for this year is "Whispers of Death", celebrating the wisdom of our ancestors. We encourage proposals that invite participation from festival attendees.
 
To apply, send a proposal outlining the following:
A) Concept, Vision
B) Visual mockup (include space requirements, i.e. square footage)
C) A projected budget
D) Artist(s) involved 
E) Special needs or materials
F) Contact information: Mailing address, Home Phone, Cell Phone, Email.
 
Deadline for submissions is September 15.
 
Please email: maicaf@earthlink.net with the Subj: Day of the Dead 2009 altar proposal
 
If your group is interested in creating an altar but has never created one before, please contact us. We have volunteers that can help facilitate a workshop.
 
Marigold Project is a small, volunteer-run, non-profit organization in the Mission District of San Francisco. We are responsible for coordinating and hosting San Francisco's Annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) public altar exhibit that happens every year on November 2nd. The procession begins at the corner of 24th & Bryant in the Mission District of San Francisco and finishes at Garfield Park. Day of the Dead has been a cultural tradition in San Francisco for the past 30 years and remains a true community event, with no corporate sponsors.
 
Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have. I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Sincerely,
 
~Maica and The Marigold Project
www.DayoftheDeadSF.org
 
Day of the Dead: Monday, November 2, 2009. The procession begins at the corner of 24th and Bryant in the Mission District and Finishes at Garfield Park. Please take BART to this event!

It was a busy Saturday in the Mission District on August 22^nd 2009. With the Mission Backpack Giveaway just wrapping up at Bernal Dwellings and the Street Food Festival happening on Folsom Street, neighbors gathered at Garfield Square Park for an Ice Cream Social event hosted by NPC. With free ice cream provided by Humphry Slocombe, cookies from Anthony’s Cookies and a comic-drawing workshop by 826 Valencia , there was plenty to do (and eat) at the park. Check out photos from the event here.

Garfield Square Park has seen a host of improvements in the last several years, and one additional area of opportunity is building the social fabric that will keep the park safe, clean and enjoyable for all. One neighbor, Seth Garz, understands this well and has organized the publication of the Garfield Square Mezcla a newsletter aimed at sharing stories about the park and between the many different park users that make the space wonderful. As more events are held at the park, and more neighbors read and contribute to the Mezcla, Garfield Square will continue to grow not only with physical improvements, but with a invigorated sense of community as well. If you would like to participate, please contact Matthew Silva at msilva@sfnpc.org or (415) 621-3260.

If you have visited Garfield Square Park lately, you might have noticed copies of The Mezcla, a new neighborhood newsletter. Conceived as a community-building project by neighbor Seth Garz, it is available both in English and Spanish. Click here to read the June issue. Anyone in the community is welcome to contribute articles, poems, photos, etc. to garfield_newsletter@gmail.com. Or drop submissions in the manila envelope inside the Rec Center.

On Monday, March 30th, 2009, over 15 youth came to Garfield Square to help beautify and clean up their neighborhood park. As part of a service day in honor of Cesar Chavez, these youth came out on their day off to make a difference in their community. Trash grapplers and trash bags in hand, youth took to the task of ridding the park of discarded bottles, loose litter, and other items that cluttered otherwise beautiful areas. Most importantly, the young people's work helped set the example for park users, who learned the valuable lesson of stewardship through observing the youth group's actions. If you would like to participate in a workday at Garfield Square, please contact Matthew Silva at msilva@sfnpc.org or (415) 621-3260.

Parks in San Francisco host a variety of users and uses: from athletic field users to dog walkers to families with children. These different people come from all over the neighborhood to enjoy a shared asset. Their neighborhood park is what brings them to the same place, but community is what brings them together

At Garfield Square, park group members are starting to organize a park newsletter, which aims to provide a forum for connecting the wide variety of park users. The newsletter will publicize stories from park users about their particular experiences at Garfield Square Park. If you use Garfield Square, and would like to make a submission the newsletter,please email your submission to garfield.newsletter@gmail.com or drop it off in the envelope marked "newsletter" at the main entrace to the clubhouse. We also accept Spanish language submissions.

Thank you!