Parkland events draw bigger crowds; city outlines lineup for Parkland Day and family festivals

Felicia Trainor, assistant director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Parkland, told the advisory board the department is seeing higher participation across seasonal events and distributed dates for upcoming gatherings, including Parkland Day and an advisory board meeting on March 2.

“Please mark your calendars,” Trainor said, announcing City Commission meeting dates and the Parkland Day theme, “stars, stripes, and sunshine,” and asking board members to help judge parade entries.

Special events coordinator Adele Trezino provided numbers she said demonstrate growth: the farmers market increased from 5,930 attendees last year to 7,925 this year; the November Hayride & Bonfire rose from about 1,100 to 2,500 after the city increased ticket sales; and a pet expo day grew from about 5,250 to 8,408. Trezino described the farmers‑market attendance method as “the amount of cars that come in and then times it by 2.5.” She also said Light Up the Park featured about 225 performers this season and sponsorship at the farmers market rose to 14.

Board members asked staff to clarify ticketing and attendance calculations. A member noted that Snowfest sold 900 tickets while observing thousands attended; staff explained Snowfest tickets are sold per child and families frequently attend with non‑ticketed adults and siblings. “So even if one kid was participating, there was a whole family attending in very large numbers,” Trezino said.

Corey Keane, recreation coordinator, reviewed program offerings tied to the events schedule: winter session classes beginning Jan. 12, teen workshops (business, urban art, photography), new pickleball instruction through a contracted vendor, a mayor‑vs‑residents chess challenge, and a Family Fun Fest that is already accepting sponsorships and vendor applications. Keane also described a five‑week “walkie talkies” outreach series that will place mayors or commissioners at parks on weekends to boost turnout and engagement.

For older residents, Keane said the new senior health and lifestyle expo aims to recruit 30–50 vendors and will target the city’s 55‑plus population. Keane noted a range of free senior fitness classes offered to City of Parkland residents and encouraged businesses and community groups to participate.

Staff said details and registration links will be posted on the city’s social media channels and through routine registration systems; flyers and schedules for the walkie‑talkies series were available at the meeting.

The board did not take formal action on events; staff said they will return with additional details and promotional materials.

The advisory board will next meet as scheduled on March 2, with the City Commission meeting dates set for Jan. 14 and Feb. 4.