Parks and recreation highlights 75 events for 2025; city debuts new website

Lynn Roy, the city’s communications and recreation coordinator, told the Yelm City Council on Sept. 9 that the parks and recreation program will finish 2025 with about 75 events and demonstrated the city’s new website.

Roy said the department is on track to end 2025 with roughly 75 events — about six per month or 1.5 per week — and that those programs “reached thousands of residents and visitors.” She credited partnerships with local organizations, businesses, nonprofits and other city departments for expanding offerings.

Prairie Days, the city’s largest annual festival, drew about 1,000 more attendees than the prior year, according to Roy. The four-day celebration included bingo with the Alliance Club, a Friday “party on the prairie,” a Saturday kids day hosted by the Old Chamber of Commerce, entertainment and contests, and a mush ball charity tournament. Roy said the mush ball tournament raised about $1,000 for the Cure San Filippo Foundation.

Roy explained that the department uses geofencing through a partner, Experience Olympian Beyond, to estimate event attendance and visitor origin. She said the technology reports counts of distinct device users for a set geofenced area and time window and does not provide contact information: “We don’t get any other information. Like, can I call these users? ... It’s just 12 people were there or, you know, 52,091 people.”

The department also received a PARC grant to host STEAM-focused activities this year, including galaxy craft, dinosaur day and a Little Buccaneer Bash; Roy said two fall events (Boo Bash and Little Buccaneer Bash) remained upcoming at the time of the meeting.

Roy demonstrated the city’s new website, noting new features such as a news/alert banner, consolidated quick links for public notices, agendas and minutes, an improved navigation structure for government/departments, and clearer access to services such as public records requests and facility reservations. She said the site had been live about a month to six weeks and that council members had already provided some feedback for adjustments.

Councilors asked practical questions about the website interface; Councilor Kenheiser asked whether the quick-link tabs are personalized and Roy explained the position of the tabs can vary by device and view. Councilors commended the variety of events and the apparent increase in attendance.

Roy said upcoming events include Prairie Days 2026 (June 25–28), fall ceramics and cookie-decorating classes, Boo Bash on Oct. 25, a haunted market on Oct. 23, holiday events beginning Dec. 5 and community programming through 2026, including planned centennial celebrations and new ideas such as a Friday-night car show.