CUYS’"Party in the Park" Features Soccer, Music and Farm Education

Chester’s Sun Village Park has a brand new playground, thanks to the combined efforts of the City of Chester, Chester Education Foundation, PECO, and Kaboom, the non-profit organization in business to end playspace inequity.

To celebrate and experience this beautiful new playspace, Chester Upland Youth Soccer planned a special Soccer Saturday there, and invited Keep Music Alive, Greener Partners, Chester Education Foundation and “It’s a Family Affair” food truck to add to the festivities. In addition to covering all expenses for the delicious Jamaican and soul food lunch, CUYS also freely distributed new athletic apparel from Good Sports and fresh apples, bananas and clementines to all attendees.

Keep Music Alive brought its popular instrument petting zoo, which consists of guitars, keyboards, ukuleles and dozens of different percussion instruments for everyone to try. The amateur musicians even were invited to select their favorite instruments for a parade through the space.

At Greener Partners’ Farm Explorer truck , children and adults enjoyed a hands-on lessons about edible plants, seasonal eating, and nutrition - plus a refreshing smoothie that included hand-picked herbs and was blended using the power of a uniquely equipped stationary bike.

Chester Education Foundation shared snacks, play-dough and information about its youth programs.

The park’s lush green fields and colorful autumn trees were a great setting for the soccer scrimmage that ended the day.

City of Chester Councilman Stefan Roots presided over the event, and later graciously commented, "“As Director of Parks and Recreation, my greatest joy is seeing our wonderful parks and playgrounds enjoyed by all generations. The unique event the Chester Upland Youth Soccer organization brought to Sun Village park on Saturday is exactly the type of partnerships we treasure. Groups are welcome from all over Delaware County to bring youth programming to Chester parks and playgrounds. Thanks CUYS for a decade of service to youth in the Chester Upland school district.”

One parent in attendance, Ariana Lee, shared these sentiments: “Thank you again for hosting this event! We had a really great time. We thought we’d stay for just a little while but we spent most of the day there and enjoyed every minute of it.”