An effort to link new residents with those who have been here longer has evolved, with the result being a new event slated for downtown on Wednesday night.
Ely’s first Chapman Street Block Party will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. at Puddle Jumper Park, the “pocket park” located on the 100 block of East Chapman Street.
Food and beverages will be available, and the public is invited, and after brief opening remarks, participants will be encouraged to go up and down Chapman Street to stop in at any of the several businesses that will be open for longer hours that evening.
A scavenger hunt is also planned, and participants are invited to reconvene at the pocket park at 6:30 p.m. for dessert and prizes compiled of various goods from event sponsors.
The block party is the brainchild of Ely’s Boundary Waters Connect, which has sponsored numerous programs and services aimed at connecting Ely area residents with each other.
Plans for Wednesday’s festivities came from discussions Boundary Waters Connect’s Lacey Squier and Kelsey Lee of Potluck Kitchenware, a Chapman Street business that is co-sponsoring the event.
Rather than coming together for a new residents’ social, which have been held previously at the Ely Folk School or Northern Grounds’ Society Hall, Squier, Lee and Save the Boundary Waters’ Jess Kulik came up with the block party idea.
“We eventually got to a place of scheming up a Chapman Street block party,” said Squier. “Recognizing the potential benefits of shining the spotlight on Chapman Street. There’s a lot of activity on Chapman Street and sometimes folks you talk to aren’t as keenly aware.”
The block party may raise that awareness with a format that allows participants to go from business to business to get acquainted.
“We’re anticipating more of an open house style event, where people don’t have to stay the whole time,” said Squier. “We’re open to all and trying to be as generous as we can, but food is while supplies last.”
Ely’s public safety night is also occurring Wednesday, allowing opportunity for some intermingling between the two events.
In addition to Potluck Kitchenware, several other businesses have signed on as event sponsors including The Ely Echo, Boundary Waters Kitchen and Market, Five Pines Trading Company, Jessie Brooks Massage, Kekekabic Studios, Paddle & Portage, Sage Foundation, Sisu Designs, State Farm Insurance/Lindsay Keen Agency, and Treehouse Broadband.
“We’re just so grateful to these partners,” said Squier. “And we’re excited to make use of and show off the improvements to Puddle Jumper Park.”
