MLK FOOD PARK AT
FAIR PARK!
Guess what?! We're partnering with Fair Park First to bring the MLK Food Park to Fair Park for the summer! We're so grateful and appreciative for the opportunity to be a part of this HUGE narrative shift at Fair Park. The MLK Food Park will be held at Fair Park during the summer with multiple dates! We're excited to test out the food park in tandem with the vision of the Community Park design at Fair Park!
​
We recognize what Fair Park has done to the South Dallas community and we're planning on being intentional about every effort to make Fair Park for US. We can't wait to see you at our new home, creating new memories, exploring new ideas for Fair Park/South Dallas and adding more love to the food park!
Thank you to Fair Park for reaching out to create this partnership to expand the food park and its impact!
See you soon at the MLK Food Park at Fair Park!
​
Image from Fair Park First website for Community Park
BACKGROUND
INFO
The history of South Dallas runs DEEP beyond what many have heard and seen. The base of this history tends to lie in the Texas State Fair grounds, aka, Fair Park. Praised as a national treasure, a local standout and venue that's seen acts/events of all types - a large part of this history tends to disregard the "how" of Fair Park. Fair Park is located in the heart of Sunny South Dallas, abuts and joins various communities (Jubilee, Mill City, Queen City, Dolphin Heights, etc.) that was once comprised of Black middle class families, Black owned businesses and essentially a safe haven of Black culture in Dallas. Fair Park's history is one that inevitably has ties to racist design and implementation practices which displaced numerous Black families and the Black community of South Dallas. A history that currently casts a strong tension amongst Black residents of South Dallas, the city of Dallas and Fair Park.
​
You may be wondering why any of that was stated and/or what it has to do with the current place activation project, the MLK Food Park, that's been going on in South Dallas. Recently the food park closed out its FOURTH successful phase of activating a vacant lot in South Dallas with our eyes set on finding a more permanent way to operate as a safe space. In the midst of that, Fair Park has been interacting, creating and designing a Community Park that will be located within the park as a green space, and outdoor gathering space with programming, farmers markets and the like.
​
With the (not-so-long) history of Fair Park's institutional racism as it relates to South Dallas' Black residents, the plans for a Community Park were met with skepticism. But as our vision of the MLK Food Park has grown in the last year it's always been about designing and curating accessible, safe, inclusive spaces for South Dallas residents. Particularly geared at providing a space that develops, encourages, and spotlights businesses that are owned/operated by Black and Brown South Dallas residents. In addition to being able to actually function as a true park space with access to green space that the community can utilize at their leisure.
​
The renderings and ideas for the Community Park plan is available here. And will also be available to view in person during the food park's time at Fair Park - be sure to check it out, get familiar with it and voice your thoughts. Community building doesn't happen without YOU. South Dallas - for us, by us.
​
Helpful links for info on Fair Park and the Community Park design.
11A-4P
SUNDAY
JUNE 26
11A-4P
SUNDAY
JULY 10
MLK FOOD PARK AT
FAIR PARK SCHEDULE
12P-4P
SUNDAY
JULY 24
12P-4P
SUNDAY
JULY 31
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |
SPONSORS + PARTNERS
 |  | |
|---|