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Longwood parks board reschedules luau for July 19, seeks volunteers for 'friends of the park' group
Summary
Parks staff and board members rescheduled the canceled luau for Sunday, July 19 (tentatively 4–8 p.m.), discussed heat and noise mitigation (misting fans, shade), and the chair proposed forming a volunteer 'friends of the park' group to assist with plantings and fundraising.
The Longwood Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on May 5 heard plans to reschedule a rain-canceled community luau and discussed volunteer support for park projects.
Chair opened the meeting and staff member Chris said the luau will be rescheduled. "We are rescheduling the luau," Chris said, noting organizers and the production company prefer a Sunday date. Committee member 6 announced, "You'll see it's for it'll be July 19. It'll be a Sunday," and staff confirmed the planned hours remain 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Why it matters: the board framed the change as a way to avoid conflicts with the farmers market and limit late-night noise complaints while keeping the event accessible for families. Staff and members discussed heat and safety concerns and possible mitigations, including requesting CERT to provide misting fans and adding shade areas near high-traffic play zones. "If we can have misting fans out there, CERT does have that capability," Chris said.
Board members also reviewed adjacent event logistics: the splash pad and water inflatable will operate during the luau and inflatables will be positioned toward shaded areas of the park; the production company (Aloha Productions, Rachel McElroy) planned an earlier rehearsal to facilitate setup.
Separately, the Chair proposed creating a volunteer "friends of the park" group to support landscaping, small capital projects and fundraising. "I'm trying to get together another volunteer board... that could take on projects that could assist parks and rec," the Chair said, asking members to recommend local contacts. Members suggested outreach to the Sanford Garden Club, church bulletins and the historical society as recruitment channels.
The staff noted several other summer events on the calendar, including a father-daughter dance on June 18 and a Juneteenth program on June 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and said fireworks and larger events will require police and fire coordination and state permits.
Next steps: staff will circulate an updated entertainment schedule and event plan ahead of the next meeting, follow up with CERT about misting fans, and the Chair will collect names for the volunteer group.
