Friends of Williamston Parks (FOWP) Summer 2026 Newsletter!

Friends of Williamston Parks

Summer 2026 Newsletter

We are excited to continue our newsletter for the 2nd edition that covers events in June, July, and August! We will share information on activities at local parks and opportunities to get involved, continuing to grow and refine our communications as we go. Thank you for being a subscriber!

What’s Happening at the Park

There are exciting activities going on in our local Williamston parks this summer, so we encourage you to get out there, get involved, and enjoy yourself!

Annual Euchre Tournament Fundraiser at the Red Cedar Jubilee: Thursday, June 25, 6:30pm

It’s time for the annual Red Cedar Jubilee, coming up the week of June 20-28, 2026!

The Jubilee is a long‑running community festival in Williamston created to celebrate the city’s founding and to bring residents together for fun, entertainment, and charitable giving. It began in 1971 as a centennial celebration and the Red Cedar Jubilee committee was formed the same year to make it an annual event. See the event Facebook page for more details and the full schedule.

Friends of Williamston Parks is hosting the Euchre Tournament on Thursday, June 25 at the Howard Dahlstrom Park as a park fundraising event. The $10 buy-in starts at 6:30pm and game play begins at 7:00pm. Visit www.williamstonparks.org/euchre to review tournament rules.

Local prizes will be up for grabs from Kodet’s Hardware, Michelle Nails, D&W Fresh Market, Sunnyside Cafe, Old Nation, Vintage Hair Design, Clearly Fit, Sun Theatre, and Zynda’s - thank you to our gift sponsors!

Come on out to support our local Williamston parks, play Michigan’s favorite card game, and enjoy music by local singer/songwriter Jessey Adams in the food and beverage tent!

Concerts at the Shell: Thursdays 7-9pm All Summer!

The Williamston Summer Concert Series has begun! Featuring FREE concerts in Williamston's McCormick Park all summer through August 20, 2026.

2026 National Night Out: Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Save the date! More details will be shared on Facebook in the coming weeks.

Local Park-Related Meetings in Williamston

Friends of Williamston Parks Board meetings will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 6:30-7:30pm in June, July, and August. Prior to the July 14 and August 11 board meetings, please join us at the pavilion at 6:00pm for a Walk in the Park. We look forward to seeing you there!

June 9 - Williamston Depot Museum (meeting at 6:30pm)
July 14 - Williamstown Township Park (walk at 6pm, meeting at 6:30pm)
August 11 - Simmons Memorial Park (walk at 6pm, meeting at 6:30pm)

We are always looking for volunteers and board members for future years park-improvement activities. If you’re interested in getting involved, please email williamstonparks@gmail.com, visit our website for more information, or feel free to join us at a meeting!

The City of Williamston monthly Parks and Recreation Commission meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of every month. A great first step to becoming more involved is to familiarize yourself with the 2024-2028 Parks Plan.

Williamstown Township hosts regular Planning Commission meetings, typically on the 4th Wednesday of every month. They have recently updated their Williamstown Parks and Recreation Master Plan and are working to establish a regular schedule for their Parks & Recreation Committee as well.

Looking Back on Past Events

Red Cedar River Regatta and the Red Cedar Water Trail Dedication - May 16

As part of the inaugural Red Cedar River Regatta, the Williamston Rotary hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at McCormick Park on May 16, 2026 to dedicate the Red Cedar River Water Trail as the newest state designated water trail in Michigan!

From its gateway in Williamston, the water trail extends 30 miles to the confluence of the Red Cedar River with the Grand River in downtown Lansing. The new water trail will expand opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and wildlife viewing in our region.

The trail showcases the diversity of mid-Michigan landscapes, from farms and forests in its upper reaches, through Meridian Township’s extensive network of riverside parks, to the beautiful campus of Michigan State University. After campus the water trail follows along more parks, the Lansing River Trail, all the way to the confluence with the Grand River in downtown Lansing. Our region is enriched by the development of this new water trail and the recreational opportunities it affords.

Check out this exciting video from Bridge Michigan announcing the Red Cedar River Water Trail: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HLM0H-HL9fc and be sure to get out on the water!

Kayakers on the Red Cedar River in Williamston, Michigan near McCormick Park hold up their paddles in celebration of the open of the Red Cedar River Water Trail.

Williamston goes Gaga for Gaga Ball - May 3, 2026

A big heartfelt thanks goes out to Eagle Scout project leader Carter K, all the volunteers who installed the gaga ball pit at McCormick Park, and special thanks to the Mullens family who allowed Carter to use their tractor and trailer to move dirt and materials to make the project go faster and smoother. Thank you all for improving our Williamston parks!

The new gaga ball pit (shown below) was installed on May 3, 2026. The bracket kit was purchased online from Coach Cliff’s Gaga Ball Pits, the lumber was donated by MPC Lumber here in town, and the sand base was purchased from R&C Excavating out of Webberville. Carter raised $1,000 to cover the cost of the kit and sand, including $200 in donations from family members, $400 from Old Nation Brewing Company, and $400 from Friends of Williamston Parks.

Carter had a fantastic crew of 17 volunteers from Troop 63 including: Joel B, Aiden M, Ethan C, Andrew S, Noah B, Carter B, Caleb K, Kaden O, Ben H, Max A, Jonathan B, Andrew B, Corey O, Charlie M, and Sarah K. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. Thank you!

Bring a class dodge ball down to the park and try it for yourself. Check out How to Play Gaga Ball: Rules, Strategy & More if you’d like to learn more. Go gaga!

New gaga ball pit built with green metal brackets and natural wood slats, fresh sand base, surrounded by wood chips and a large steppingstone, ready for years of fun.

Annual McCormick Park Clean-Up: May 2, 2026

At the annual McCormick Park Spring Clean-up on Saturday, May 3, we enjoyed a lovely, dry cool day after weeks of rainy weather delayed the original workday planned for mid-April. We had an awesome turnout of 15 volunteers who worked from 9am to 12pm. They raked and shoveled up 24 bags of leaves, redistributed sand in the two sandboxes, cleared out trash, removed a hornet’s nest, swept the sidewalks and walking surfaces in the play structure, repaired broken fence slats, and distributed wood chips around all the wooden chainsaw sculptures.

The national average value of volunteer time is estimated at $34.79 per hour for 2026, so if every volunteer contributed just 1-hour, the annual clean-up event amounted to a minimum $525 investment in our beautiful park. Thank you all for volunteering! We appreciate you and value your time!

Volunteer and board member Earl Wolf and volunteer Brad Cameron raking around the beehive play feature at McCormick Park.

Park Spotlight: Howard Dahlstrom

Howard Dahlstrom Memorial Park is located at 200 Mechanic Street in Williamston, Michigan and sits just south of the Williamston Community Schools sports complex.

Dedication: The park was dedicated to Howard Mitchell Dahlstrom (April 25, 1947 – September 22, 2017) to serve as a tribute to a local leader whose work left a lasting impact on Williamston. Howard served his community as a volunteer fireman for 13 years, was a member of Williamston Sunrise Rotary for 13 years, Lions Club for 37 years, as well as the Eagles, Chamber of Commerce, Williamston Area Beautification Fund, and spent many years raising the funds to build the American Legion Band Shell. Howard served as Vice Chair of the Williamston Parks Commission and was honored as Williamston’s Citizen of the Year and Rotarian of the Year in 2012, among many other volunteer activities and accomplishments over his lifetime.

The park also symbolizes the community’s commitment to preserving green spaces for recreation and community gatherings.

Amenities: Multi-use open space including for use as a sledding hill in the winter, and for dog owners and seasonal events such as the Red Cedar Jubilee.

We hope everyone enjoys the Howard Dahlstrom Memorial Park while appreciating the legacy of the members of this community who have helped make Williamston a great place to live for generations to come.

Friends and family in front of the pavilion during the 2018 Howard Dahlstrom Park dedication.

About FOWP

Formed in 2015, Friends of Williamston Parks is a volunteer community group working to enhance the quality of life of Williamston area residents by funding, planning and implementing local park improvement efforts.

Through recreation opportunities and encounters with nature, we believe Williamston area parks are vital to the community’s character, an asset to economic development and beneficial to people of all ages.

Please visit our website at www.williamstonparks.org or find us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date!

FOWP operates under the umbrella of the Williamston Area Beautification Fund (WABF) 501(c)3 status.

Support our Parks!