The next two “Family Fun Nights” are scheduled for July 24 and Aug. 21 and will be held at Bliss Park’s Reynolds Pool from 7-9 p.m.
Reminder Publishing photo by Peter Tuohy
LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow Parks and Recreation Department is making a splash at the town pools with three themed family events on select Friday nights across the remainder of the summer.
The town’s “Family Fun Nights” series at Greenwood and Reynolds Pool kicked off on June 26 with a beach and tropical night, with the next event on July 24 at Reynolds Pool, located in Bliss Park at the corner of Bliss Road and Laurel Street. The theme is “Family Game Night.”
The fun continues on Aug. 21 with a “Family Float and Glow Night” at Reynolds, with “Furry Friends at the Pool” closing out the summer season on Sept. 4 at Greenwood, 231 Maple Road.
Each event runs from 7-9 p.m. and is free with a season pool pass. Attendees can also enter with the daily admission, which is $10 for residents and $13 for non-residents, or $5 after 5 p.m. every day.
The July 24 event will feature large games at different stations, with Aug. 21 having glow in the dark vibes. Sept. 2 calls for attendees to bring their dogs for a swim.
Parks and Recreation Director Bari Jarvis said the events are an initiative that the town always did before the COVID-19 pandemic and are slowly being brought back. She added that the events are weather dependent, and the first one on June 26 went on through the pouring rain.
“The June 26 event, we had such high hopes for,” Jarvis said. “It was one of those Fridays where we had spot showers, but everyone still had fun. It was a smaller crowd than we had hoped, so we really hope we get a large crowd for July 24.”
Reynolds Pool will host the next two events, and Jarvis recommended families to enjoy the new Bliss Park playground and have dinner in the park before attending the event.
She added that the department always tries to prioritize family friendliness when picking themed events, and that the game night has been a hit in the past. She said that the pool managers are leaned on also as “frontline staff” to interact with guests and hear input on what events they would like to see.
Jarvis said her favorite part about events like these is being able to connect with the community.
“It’s fun to see people during the day,” Jarvis said. “We see people’s children during the day for swim lessons, but to see families enjoying each other in a really nice atmosphere is always fun.”
Town pools are open from 1-8 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m to 7 p.m. on the weekends. More information and updates can be at longmeadowma.gov/503/Aquatics.
