Guide for Organizing a Park Event

A shared vision for your park event might emerge from a conversation with your neighbors, a suggestion at a neighborhood/ community association meeting that gets a lot of “yes” nods,  a question at a soccer game in a park, or advice on the tennis or pickleball court. Basically, you notice that a group of people are excited to explore the idea of a community event.  

A shared vision is important for several important reasons:

• The “funnel effect”--successful events often emerge from a collaboration in which different people contribute a variety of different ideas to the brainstorming process, resulting in an idea that all can support;
• From the beginning, it’s clear that more than one person will share the workload. It’s just too hard for one individual to do this on his/her/their own;
• You have a much better chance of drawing a good crowd to your event when you collaborate with other partners;
• It can be lots of fun (and, yes, some hard work) to imagine and plan a community event with a group of others. You are likely to deepen friendships and maybe make some new ones. And, when successful, you are building community from step one.

Successful events benefit from collective support. Collective support emerges from an inclusive process that results in an idea that most everyone can support. This is why a good brainstorming session, with interested parties, is a necessary first step.

Active listening is crucial, as well as sharing your ideas with the group. And it helps if everyone goes into the process understanding that there will likely be some compromise involved.

Here’s a helpful metaphor. Collaboration is like an orchestra. Each musician brings their own instrument, their own sound, and their own perspective on the music. At first there might be some clashing notes and mismatched tempos, but through careful listening, adjusting and harmonizing, the group finds a shared rhythm. True success lies in every participant's willingness to find a shared “symphony” that reflects the coordinated effort of all involved.

Here’s a simple plan for a brainstorming meeting:

1. Decide on a good day and time to meet to explore ideas for a park event. Plan for a time when a diverse group of people can make it. Be aware of busy work schedules, family obligations, etc. Locate a house or venue that is convenient for your gathering. If you’d like to look into reserving space at a community center (which is often free of charge), click here.
2. Invite those who have expressed interest in hosting a park event AND those who should be invited to the meeting. Think about a group of people and organizations (e.g., neighborhood associations/ groups, local non-profits, churches/temples/synagogues, community centers, families, dog-walkers, local schools, nature enthusiasts, etc.) that would make for an effective collaboration and partners who have the ability to attract the target audience/participants you want.
3. If possible, shop for and provide some simple snacks and beverages for the meeting. It always helps.
4. Decide on one or two people who are willing to serve as facilitators for the meeting. The facilitators should be good at encouraging participation by everyone and keeping things on track. One person could facilitate the discussion and the other person could take excellent notes. Note-taking, to capture all the ideas people share, is crucial.
5. At the beginning of the gathering, allow some time for people to mingle and introduce themselves Name tags help. Give everyone a warm welcome for taking the time to attend.
6. Begin the meeting by making the plan for the gathering clear. If you have a flip pad or white board, list the schedule of activities for everyone to see. For example:

• 6:30 pm: Snacks, Drinks, Socializing
• 6:45 pm: Introduction (Why are we here?)
• 6:55 pm: Sharing Circle (2-3 minutes each, around the circle). What kind of community gathering would you like to see in [name of] park? Why?
• 7:30 pm: General Discussion (After listening, which ideas excite us most? Which idea/s keep coming up?)
• 7:50 pm: Agree on a Shared Idea and Purpose
• 8:00 pm: Next Steps

7. This meeting may result in an idea that most everyone can support or it may call for another brainstorming session. It’s much better if something good and concrete emerges from one meeting. Few like the idea of too many meetings to accomplish the same thing. So, encourage both active participation and consensus.

If this meeting results in a date for the event - BRAVO! Do a little work to make sure your event date doesn’t conflict with other things going on. Check with the ABQtodo calendar for possible conflicts and avoid major city events like Summer Festivals, Balloon Fiesta, etc.

Once you have a concrete plan, you need to figure out how much your event will cost. Avoid moving forward without funds-in-hand. Community gatherings can easily go wrong with inadequate funding. So, plan early enough to create a budget and raise the money you need, whether through donations, in-kind gifts, or cash.

Below, in green, is an example of a budget for a community event.

As you estimate your expenses and income for your event, it’s always better to OVER-predict expenses and UNDER-predict income, just to give you a little cushion. Include as much detail as possible. Also, if partners will donate items, include these as income items in the budget and match these, if possible, with expense items on the left side. For your “cushion” add 5% - 10% to the overall funds you need to raise.

Here’s a link to the budget template that you can download and use: Park Event Budget Template.

Also, this is a good time to decide what entity will be able to accept donations and distribute the funds as needed. It’s best not to designate a person to do this. Most commercial or corporate donors will NOT give to an individual. Check to see if one of your event partners (either a 501(c)(3) or an LLC) is a good entity to receive donated funds and distribute them as needed. Decide on your “fiscal agent” and complete whatever paperwork might be necessary for this arrangement.

Another good reason for a budget is that some donors ask to see it. It’s a way for them to confirm that you and your partners are a legitimate collaboration and have done some good planning.

Once you know how much funding you need, start looking for donations, grants and other sources of revenue. In some cases, event partners can contribute everything you need via in-kind donations. For example, one partner organization has all the tables and chairs you need. A local DJ offers to provide music for free. A climbing company offers a portable climbing wall free of charge to promote his/her/their business. A local printer will donate posters. Maybe.

More often, you will need to raise some funds to cover expenses. For example, you need $300 for balloons, bubbles, and kids’ prizes. There is a charge in order for Parks and Recreation to rent their mobile stage. The awesome puppetmaster you want for kids’ entertainment charges an hourly fee, etc. In these instances, you will need funds not covered by your event partners.

Note: you might want to contact the Parks and Recreation office to see what kinds of equipment, games, stage, movie projector, etc. might be available to you for a park event either free or for a charge. Here’s the office number: 505-768-5353.

If you approach a bank or a foundation or a business for a donation, you will likely need a basic fundraising “packet” (a few nice-looking pages stapled together) which includes the following:

1. A cover page with the title of your park event, date(s) and time(s) and a list of partners. The name and contact information of your “fiscal agent” (the entity that will accept donations).
2. A second page which describes your park event - it’s a) purpose, b) planned activities, c) audience (who will attend and participate), and d) expected outcomes (e.g. “build community connections in the _ neighborhood;” “celebrate dogs and their families and promote appropriate dog-walking etiquette;” “encourage teens to leave their phones behind and connect through disc golf”). This page is also where you make the “ask.” How much do you want from this donor? For example, include a sentence that reads, “We are requesting [$ amount] from [donor you are approaching with this packet]. It’s important to ask for a specific amount.
3. Always include a contact person with their email and phone number at the end of the description so the donor can easily connect with you.
4. A third page with the most up-to-date budget. If possible, include the ask amount in this budget with the name of the donor you are approaching.
5. A fourth page, entitled, “How We Recognize Our Donors.” On this page include a bulleted list of how you will publicly recognize your donors. Most business owners, for example, like others to know that they have contributed. For example, “We mention our donors on all our partner social media platforms–Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, websites” and/or “Signage at our event lists our donors” and/or “We mention all donors who give more than $200 during all media interviews.” And remember, this is a promise you make to donors, so make sure the recognition happens!

Important Note: Some potential donors will suggest in-kind donations, rather than giving cash. They might, for example, loan you their folding tables and chairs for the event or donate beverages and snacks. Be prepared to accept an appropriate offer and ALWAYS follow-up with a letter confirming the dates and details of the exchange. Then add the value of the in-kind donation(s) to your budget.

Here are potential sources of income for your event.

• Small park event grants. Call the Parks and Recreation Department to see if they have any funds available: 505-768-5353;
• Businesses located near the site of your park event, including banks and stores. Make an appointment with a store manager or owner and carry along your fundraising packet;
• Neighborhood associations/coalitions who have discretionary funds to support events in their districts;
• Local foundations whose mission it is to support public programs with themes related to your event;
• Individual donors—people you know who have the means to support your event.

Some of the above sources of funding will require applications or requests months ahead of time. Start fundraising as soon as possible, at least 3-6 months before your event.

Having a Word document or Excel sheet with “To-Do’s and Deadlines” is always a good idea so necessary tasks aren’t just floating around in someone’s head. Shared Google docs are a great place to create one document that you can share with representatives of your partner organizations. The document that you are reading, right here, is an example of a shared Google doc that anyone can access and read. You can also give some people the ability to edit the document which makes it easy for others to add, delete, revise and more. Many heads are better than one.

Below are some ideas for tasks and deadlines. Add your own to create a list tailored to your event.

8 Months Ahead of the Event

• Start the process of brainstorming, collaborating and creating a budget.
• Begin creating your fundraising packet.
• Begin creating your tasks and deadlines document.

6 Months

• Reserve your park and secure permits. Make sure there are no event conflicts at your park location.
• Start your fundraising and requests for in-kind donations.

4 Months

• Book speakers and/or entertainment.

3 Months

• Rent equipment.
• Recruit and coordinate volunteers.
• Start promoting your event with social media posts. Ask the Parks and Recreation Dept. if they might promote your event on their social media.
• Add your event to free or paid newspaper and online calendars.
• Pay close attention to your to-do list!

1 Month

• Promote your event heavily now both in print and online.
• Confirm all the logistics and donations and more…
• Consider creating a post-event survey that can be sent to attendees.

2 Weeks

• Visit your park to make sure it’s looking the way you want it to. If it needs some maintenance, call Parks and Recreation (505-768-5353).
• Meet with and (if necessary) train volunteers.
• Make sure you have the cell phone numbers of event partners so you all can be in touch on event day and during the days before.

1 Week

• Re-group with all your partners to make sure everything is in order and ready to go.
• Create sign-in sheets with space for names and email addresses.

The Big Day

• See “The Day of Your Event” below.

Once you know how much funding you need, start looking for donations, grants and other sources of revenue. In some cases, event partners can contribute everything you need via in-kind donations. For example, one partner organization has all the tables and chairs you need. A local DJ offers to provide music for free. A climbing company offers a portable climbing wall free of charge to promote his/her/their business. A local printer will donate posters. Maybe.

More often, you will need to raise some funds to cover expenses. For example, you need $300 for balloons, bubbles, and kids’ prizes. There is a charge in order for Parks and Recreation to rent their mobile stage. The awesome puppetmaster you want for kids’ entertainment charges an hourly fee, etc. In these instances, you will need funds not covered by your event partners.

Note: you might want to contact the Parks and Recreation office to see what kinds of equipment, games, stage, movie projector, etc. might be available to you for a park event either free or for a charge. Here’s the office number: 505-768-5353.

If you approach a bank or a foundation or a business for a donation, you will likely need a basic fundraising “packet” (a few nice-looking pages stapled together) which includes the following:

1. A cover page with the title of your park event, date(s) and time(s) and a list of partners. The name and contact information of your “fiscal agent” (the entity that will accept donations).
2. A second page which describes your park event - it’s a) purpose, b) planned activities, c) audience (who will attend and participate), and d) expected outcomes (e.g. “build community connections in the _ neighborhood;” “celebrate dogs and their families and promote appropriate dog-walking etiquette;” “encourage teens to leave their phones behind and connect through disc golf”). This page is also where you make the “ask.” How much do you want from this donor? For example, include a sentence that reads, “We are requesting [$ amount] from [donor you are approaching with this packet]. It’s important to ask for a specific amount.
3. Always include a contact person with their email and phone number at the end of the description so the donor can easily connect with you.
4. A third page with the most up-to-date budget. If possible, include the ask amount in this budget with the name of the donor you are approaching.
5. A fourth page, entitled, “How We Recognize Our Donors.” On this page include a bulleted list of how you will publicly recognize your donors. Most business owners, for example, like others to know that they have contributed. For example, “We mention our donors on all our partner social media platforms–Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, websites” and/or “Signage at our event lists our donors” and/or “We mention all donors who give more than $200 during all media interviews.” And remember, this is a promise you make to donors, so make sure the recognition happens!

Important Note: Some potential donors will suggest in-kind donations, rather than giving cash. They might, for example, loan you their folding tables and chairs for the event or donate beverages and snacks. Be prepared to accept an appropriate offer and ALWAYS follow-up with a letter confirming the dates and details of the exchange. Then add the value of the in-kind donation(s) to your budget.

Here are potential sources of income for your event.

• Small park event grants. Call the Parks and Recreation Department to see if they have any funds available: 505-768-5353;
• Businesses located near the site of your park event, including banks and stores. Make an appointment with a store manager or owner and carry along your fundraising packet;
• Neighborhood associations/coalitions who have discretionary funds to support events in their districts;
• Local foundations whose mission it is to support public programs with themes related to your event;
• Individual donors—people you know who have the means to support your event.

Some of the above sources of funding will require applications or requests months ahead of time. Start fundraising as soon as possible, at least 3-6 months before your event.

Here are some effective ways to promote your park event:

Know Your Target Audience

The first step in designing an effective PR strategy is to analyze your target audience. Do you have a theme in mind? Who do you want to attract to your park event? What are the ages, demographics, and interests of your ideal participants? Are you planning an event for youth, specifically? Seniors? Dog-owners? City Council District residents? Families?

Create Effective Marketing Language

Once you decide on who you want to attend your event, create a title, signage, and messages that appeal to this target audience. What do they care about, desire, and/or need? Use language that will appeal to them and language that is appropriate for who they are. For social media, create a unique hashtag for your event and encourage people to share it via their social media channels. Maybe encourage attendees to share photos or videos related to the event for a chance to win prizes. This is a great opportunity to involve a younger person in your event organizing team, someone who is fluent with social media (especially if your event is meant to draw youth) to help you with creating effective messaging.

Take Advantage of Technology

To ensure attendees stay engaged and have a good experience, use email and social media to promote your event alongside the more traditional posters, signs, and word-of-mouth. Use email lists and/or platforms like Mailchimp, Omnisend, and Paperless Post to send personalized invites, updates, and reminders before the event. Contact Parks and Recreation and request that they promote your event on their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds. As organizers, use your own social media accounts (whether you are a member of a neighborhood group, association, or coalition or an individual) to promote the event. And don’t overlook the power of social media to document the event in real-time with photos and video as well as follow-up with reviews and reactions to the event.

Even More Uses for Social Media Platforms

To spread the word about your event, you can either set up event pages on social media platforms and/or encourage event partners to use their social media to cross-promote the event. Encourage partners to use social media to share frequent updates, sneak peeks, and exclusive content to attract your target audience. Also, consider paying for targeted ads to reach your target audience.

Make use of Local Media

Many local media outlets are interested in covering community events. For instance, newspapers might feature your event in their community section, while radio stations and TV channels may announce it during their broadcasts. To take advantage of local media, think about creating press releases and send them to newspapers and TV stations well in advance of your event. Be sure to include essential details such as the date, time, and location of your event. Offer interviews, too. Here’s a guide to writing a good press release for an event. And remember to list your event in community calendars that will promote your event for free.

Onsite Event Promotion

During your community event, designate someone to manage your social media accounts for live updates, making the event accessible for those who can’t attend.  Consider engaging attendees with activities such as scavenger hunts or trivia games, and maybe even offer event-branded merchandise like T-shirts and water bottles. You could even organize contests with fun prizes. These things will make your event more memorable and nurture connections and friendships among attendees.

Partner with Local Influencers

Local influencers, individuals in your community with a significant online following, can be powerful allies for promoting your event. Check with your event partners and youth involved in your event and ask if they know social media savvy friends who might be willing to promote your event, host an interview with organizers and/or attendees, or broadcast from the event itself.

You did it! The big day is here. Pat yourselves on the back.

Remember that you and your partners should arrive early enough to make sure everything is set up by the time your guests start to arrive. This is also a good time to check in with everyone involved in organizing the event. Luckily you have all their phone numbers handy, right? Also, they might need to be in touch with you, so carry your cell phone around with you and make sure the ringer is loud enough for you to hear. Or, better yet, keep it in your pocket on a loud vibrate so you won’t miss a text or call.

Bring your checklist with you so you can go over, one more time, all the important details and make sure everyone is where they need to be, doing what they need to do.

Most importantly, perhaps, is to roll with the punches. Things might go a little differently than you expected and you will need to be flexible. This is perfectly okay as long as everyone is safe and having a good time.

You should have a good time, too. You want to have a good memory of this day, after all your hard work, so relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. “Don’t sweat the small stuff” is a great mantra for the day of your event. Try to be as present as possible, with your partners and with your guests. Most of the time, little hiccups go completely unnoticed by those attending and having a good time. Big hiccups, of course, will demand some on-the-spot problem-solving.

In general, remember to smile. Greet your guests enthusiastically and make them feel welcomed and wanted and important. No matter what happens, if they feel this way, your job is done.

After the event, host a gathering with your event partners and those who were important contributors. Serve snacks and beverages, just as you did when you started the project. Also include a warm thank you to everyone who made the event possible. In this way you will continue to build and nurture community relationships.

Measuring Your Success

Measuring success is important. It allows you to assess whether you achieved your goals and objectives. It’s important to understand what worked well and what needed improvement. This is a good time to be open-minded and listen to what people have to say, whether you agree with them or not. Yes, you put a lot of hard work into the event and it might be hard to hear criticism. But you may hear all kinds of praise, too!

After 10-20 minutes of socializing, ask attendees to sit in a circle. Then, ask for feedback by going around the circle and allowing everyone 2-3 minutes to respond to the event, each person in turn, without interruption. Let everyone else know that this will involve lots of listening, without interruptions, in the first round. Encourage people to take notes. After the first go-round, where everyone spends time listening, you can encourage general discussion and polite cross-talk.

Always encourage honest and diplomatic sharing. At the same time, stop any personal accusations or inappropriate blaming by gently interrupting the person and encouraging him/her/them to keep it civil.

It’s a great idea to have a secretary or scribe for this part of the meeting, so all the comments get recorded.

In terms of measuring success with attendees who were not organizers, make sure to collect names and email addresses at the event and send a brief survey to those who signed up. Getting feedback from participants is a very good idea and worth the trouble. Make the survey easy to fill-out and anonymous to encourage honest feedback. A few user-friendly apps include Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, and Jotform.

If you are able to do this before the follow-up meeting with organizers, you will have some data to present about how the event felt for attendees.

Also, evaluate your event not just in terms of how people experienced it but how you did with the finances. Review your budget and assess how you did in predicting expenses and paying for what you needed.

Finally, be sure to celebrate your achievements and recognize the contributions of all involved in making the event successful.

Bringing a community park event to life takes vision, collaboration, creativity, and persistence. By following the steps in this guide—from forming a shared vision and building partnerships to securing funding, organizing logistics, and reflecting on the outcomes—you are helping to activate public spaces in a way that fosters connection, joy, and neighborhood pride.

Remember, an activated park is more than a backdrop for a single event—it’s a gathering place that reflects the energy and care of its community. Whether this is your first park event or one of many, your efforts contribute to a healthier, safer, and more vibrant Albuquerque.

The Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is here to support you. If you’re so inclined, invite us to your event so we can celebrate with you and your community. It also gives us a chance to learn more about what makes for a successful and meaningful park event. We enjoy opportunities to learn.

We hope this guide empowers you to take the next step in activating the parks in your neighborhoods—and we look forward to seeing your park come alive.

Sincerely, MPRAB Board (July 2025)

• Valerie Martínez (Chair, At-large)
• Tony Johnson (At-Large)
• Julie Radoslovich (Vice Chair, District 2)
• Jim Souter (District 4)
• John Ajie (District 5)
• Larry Lite (District 6)
• Annie Montes (District 7)
• Fredrica “Rickie” Bergquist (District 9)