2025 HPCL executive board members Billy Williams, Chatara Dunn, Rev. Galen Warren, Taler Jefferson, Gina Riley and Clayton Tatum. Mariea Jefferson Stephenson is not pictured.
The Hamilton Park Historic Preservation Foundation (HPHPF) and the newly created Hamilton Park Civic Communications Team (HPCCT) are partnering with the City of Dallas and the Dallas Parks Department to host an Arts and Music Fest this month. The event will honor Hamilton Park legends and foster unity in District 10 while featuring a vendor market, food vendors, live music and educational seminars, among other community resources.
The foundation was created in 2007 and is the sister organization to the Hamilton Park Civic League — long a pivotal group in historic Hamilton Park. The foundation paused operations in 2020 due to COVID, but they are revving up again, and the Arts and Music Fest will kick off their newest efforts in a big way.
2018 HP Legends Fest honoring the late Charles Smith and the late Mr and Mrs Curtis J Smith.
The festival will run from 2-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25 at the newly refurbished Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center. Attendance is free, but participants are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. Organizers say a few surprises are also planned.
“The goal is to begin creating a unified D10,” said Gina Riley, who was part of the community team which successfully advocated for bond funding to renovate the recreation center. “There has been a tremendous amount of participation and events coming into the Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center since its reopening in 2022. We are so excited, but we need to create vessels of consistent partnerships to ensure the center’s operational success.”
Vendors seeking to be included may apply in person at the recreation center from 3-6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The deadline to register is Oct. 17.
The Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center is at 12225 Willowdell Drive.
2025 HPCCT members Mariea Jefferson Stephenson, Bobbie Thomas Keller, Amanda Muniz Nickerson, Mari Hamilton, Barbara Callahan, Karen Johnson Hill, Ruby Mundy, Charmaine Jefferson, Laura Bruton and Gina Riley.
