For the latest in Friends of Williamston Park events for September, October, and November, check out our Fall 2026 Newsletter!

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We are very excited to offer a new way to stay involved with the Friends of Williamston Parks - a seasonal newsletter! This edition covers events in the spring months of March, April, and May. 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!

Back by popular demand, Chainsaw Art in the Park Encore! will bring regional chainsaw artists to Williamston’s McCormick Park, 230 N. Putnam St., on Saturday, Oct. 4. Offering many favorite activities from last year's successful weekend revitalizing the park’s tree sculptures, this family friendly event will feature live chainsaw carving, quick carve auction, music, food trucks, kids' activities, wood art vendors, portable sawmill and euchre tournament. Proceeds will benefit local park improvements.

Chainsaw Art in the Park, held Oct. 11-13, 2024, brought new life to one of the most unique aspects of McCormick Park, the wooden tree sculptures. The first set of carvings, created in 2009 when several trees decimated by emerald ash borer were transformed into works of art, had deteriorated and reached their lifespan. 

With the addition of new park entrance, accessible walkway, and sign in summer 2023, the master plan for Volunteers Community Park is complete.

For phase 2 of the project, FOWP raised more than $60,000 for a new picnic shelter, picnic tables, trees and other amenities with the help of a Michigan Economic Development Corporation Public Spaces Community Places matching grant. More than 150 people and organizations supported the campaign and phase 2 was completed in summer 2022.

Thank you Williamston area for making the Phase 2 campaign a success! Friends of Williamston Parks and the Williamston Area Beautification Fund have met their goal of raising $29,000 for a new picnic shelter at Volunteers Community Park. The money will be matched by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation through its Public Spaces Community Places grant program.

Last year was such a great success, let’s try to make 2023 even more successful!

Come join us on June 21st at 6:30 PM for the Annual Euchre Night during the Red Cedar Jubilee. 7:00 PM start. $10 per person buy in. There will prizes available for first place, second place and the individual with the most loaners, so be sure to bring your A game. 50/50 will also be available. We’ll see you there!

Friends of Williamston Parks and the Williamston Area Beautification Fund will celebrate the completion of the new picnic shelter at Volunteers Community Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 27. On the corner of Putnam and School streets in Williamston, the event will be held at 4 pm, followed by a free community picnic open to the public until 6 pm.

Last year was such a HUGE success, let’s try to make 2022 even more successful! Come join us on June 23rd at 6:30 PM for the Annual Euchre Night during the Red Cedar Jubilee. 7:00 PM start. $10 per person buy in. There will prizes available for the top three players, so be sure to bring your A game and we’ll see you there!

Friends of Williamston Parks and the Williamston Area Beautification Fund have met their goal of raising $29,000 for a new picnic shelter at Volunteers Community Park, on the corner of Putnam and School streets. The money will be matched by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation through its Public Spaces Community Places grant program.

Williamston Sunrise Rotary has made a lead gift of $9,000 to the Friends of Williamston Parks’ (FOWP) efforts to build a picnic shelter at Volunteers Community Park in Williamston. 

Williamston will soon complete its renovation of Volunteers Community Park with a new picnic shelter, seating, and walkway that will be made possible through a crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Williamston Area Beautification Fund, and Friends of Williamston Parks announced today. The campaign is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

Come join us on August 5th at 6:30 PM for the Annual Euchre Night during the Red Cedar Jubilee. Prizes include gifts cards to Old Nation, Sunny side, D&W and The Studio Shop. Grand prize is a beautiful, metal wall hanging of the foot bridge over the Red Cedar.

Friends of Williamston Parks recently installed a new piece of playground equipment at Williamston’s McCormick Park. Manufactured by Landscape Structures, the boogie board spans 10 feet and can hold multiple children.

Friends of Williamston Parks held a successful Clean-Up Day as more than 25 volunteers stained, painted, raked, weeded and other tasks to beautify McCormick Park on Saturday, May 8. The 2021 volunteers were Lina and Sean Chapman, John Bollman, the Bennett family, the Bertolino family, Shawn Elli, Jill Cutshaw, Carolyn Schein, the Rogers family, the Gailitis family, Teri Nelson, Earl Wolf, Mark Steinberg, Joe Wheeker and Todd Carlisle. 

Surf’s up at Williamston’s McCormick Park this summer. Friends of Williamston Parks plans to install a new piece of playground equipment in the wooden play structure. The boogie board replaces the trolley ride, which had been removed last spring due to updated safety regulations.

Like many organizations, several of Friends of Williamston Parks’ projects were put on hold due to COVID-19 precautions. However, the board met regularly outside and via Zoom to work toward the group’s goals. While Williamston’s parks were closed as a precaution for a short period of time, they provided a recreational outlet for many people during this time of social distancing.

Awesome job ladies!!!! FOWP would like to say THANK YOU to the volunteers from Independent Bank of Williamston who fulfilled a Columbus Day Community service project today at McCormick Park.

2020 Park Clean-up day will be June 6th from 9 am until 1:30 pm at McCormick Park. A household may sign up for one slot. Individuals will work at a safe distance apart. Tasks include staining the slats and play structure, painting, sealing wood sculptures and general trash removal and cleanup. Please review the available slots if you're interested in signing up. Thank you!