‘Growing the Park’ Sets Attendance Record; Celebrates Great Park Progress

July 13, 2011 – IRVINE, California – The Great Park unveiled two new features on Saturday, as vintage aircraft soared overhead nearly 25,000 visitors during the fourth annual “Growing the Park” community festival. The Park has grown to nearly 60 acres of public space, and the event activated the Palm Court Arts Complex and the expansive North Lawn with arts and sports activities. Saturday’s “Growing the Park” event — now the largest annual public event in Irvine and one of the largest in the county — concluded with a fireworks spectacular that provided a perfect ending to a day of fun at the Park.

More than 40 “Park Partners,” including the LA Galaxy, the Anaheim Ducks and Arts Orange County, provided activities of all kinds for visitors to enjoy. The event’s growth is indicative of growing overall attendance at the Park. In 2010, more than 400,000 people visited the Park for free Balloon and Carousel rides, free events like “Growing the Park,” charity events such as AIDS Walk Orange County, and other events hosted by private organizations such as Cirque du Soleil. So far in 2011, Park attendance has already surpassed 250,000.

Starting today, the Park will be open seven days a week, with the Great Park Balloon and Carousel continuing to provide free rides Thursday through Sunday. The Great Park Gallery will open Thursday through Sunday beginning July 23.

Open recreation spaces such as the North Lawn and picnic areas, along with the Great Park Visitors Center, will be open seven days a week, with free sports equipment available for checkout. Summer hours will continue through Labor Day, as follows: Monday-Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Thursday-Friday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.

“The Great Park provides a unique and evolving space for all of Orange County to enjoy,” said Beth Krom, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Corporation. “As we begin to program our expansive North Lawn area with sports clinics, and open our Great Park Gallery and Artists Studios, we will continue to add to the diversity of experiences available here, all for free.”

The Orange County Great Park, which is being developed through an innovative public/private partnership, launched the iconic Great Park Balloon in 2007. The following year, the surrounding 27.5-acre park space opened and was activated with Friday night dance parties and Saturday night concerts during the summer. Since then, new Park features and events have been added annually, including the Carousel, Kids Rock, Farmers Market and the Great Park Farm.

Historic Hangar 244 is undergoing rehabilitation and is expected to be complete by the end of July, in time for this year’s summer concert festival August 5 – September 3. The fourth annual Flights & Sounds Summer Festival features Branford Marsalis and Lucinda Williams, among others. By the end of 2012, the Park’s current 200-acre and nearly $70 million development will be complete, with the opening of the South Lawn soccer fields and the Community Garden.

For more information about new hours and amenities, or to sign up to receive updates about upcoming events and the free sports clinics, visit www.ocgp.org.

About the Great Park
The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park is currently 27.5 acres and includes an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. A $70 million development plan to expand the Park to more than 200 acres is currently underway. The plan will build out a core section of the Park for the most immediate and wide-ranging public benefit, including the initial components of the sports park, a 114-acre agricultural area, and an art and culture exhibition space. For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org

Press Contact:
Jenn Starnes
Public Information Officer
Orange County Great Park Corporation
(949) 724-6574