Families kick off summer in Central Park

WASHINGTON — Families flocked to Washington’s Central Park Friday night in search of ridiculously good times.

The evening featured bubbles, face painting, music, games, smiles, and plenty of laughter.

City Point Church led the children in activities from the bandstand.

“We are so grateful to partner with the Chamber to celebrate our great city,” City Point Lead Pastor Tony Widdel said. “Getting to lead kids in fun games and share worship music in the square is such a fun way to show our community how much we care.”

To draw the young crowd closer to the stage, they started activities off by sending Nerf Gun darts out to be retrieved and exchanged for suckers.

Keeping with the ridiculous theme, the church invited children to participate in toilet paper unraveling contests, giant corn hole, bouncy ball tosses, and water balloon toss.

All these fun games included prizes for the winners.

Additionally, children took the opportunity of Family Day to “Touch a Truck” and “Touch a Police Car.”

The firemen, police officers, and families were all smiles as they inked the white police car with hand prints and taped cut outs of their hands all over a Washington fire truck.

Other things to do included bounce houses and pony rides.

“This is the best day ever!” four-year-old Piper Moore yelled as she consumed snacks from one of the food trucks with Grandma Gail.

Attendees could not have asked for better weather to enjoy the festivities either.

“It really is a gorgeous day,” Chamber Director Michelle Redlinger said Friday. “Lots of families have come out. This is such a fun way to kick off summer.”

Throughout the evening, City Point Worship Band enthusiastically led those in the square in two sets of worship music.

“Isn’t this so cool to be able to do this [sing worship music] in the square?” Widdel’s wife Cari Widdel said of the worship sets.

The whole evening came to a close with the first Movie in the Park, Encanto, played on a large blow up screen, which families watched while snuggled on blankets throughout the Central Park lawn.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com