Open Thread: What do you want to see from Oval+ this year?

It’s that time of the year again—the popular pop-up park Oval+ is returning to Eakins Oval for the 6th summer.

The park, which transforms the northernmost section of The Parkway from 20th to Art Museum Drive into a pedestrian-only recreation space, opens Friday and runs through August 19. It will see interactive installations, like an 800-square-foot sandbox and a misting pavilion, as well as mural art installations, food trucks and a beer garden. Overall, it will be a place for Philadelphians to walk, bike, and lounge. It’s accompanied this year by the Barnes Foundation’s new installation, called “The Canopy” which features a mesh canopy through the trees just off the Parkway, with games and lounge areas underneath.

Park goers may notice that Oval+ has grown this year—that’s because the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation issued a survey last year, asking what residents wanted to see change about the pop-up park. They learned that people wanted to see more family-friendly activities, as well as easier access to the space.

Now that it’s opening again, we want to turn to you once more for input. What do you hope to see from this year’s Oval+? How would you like it to be improved from last year? What part of the park are you excited to experience again?

• Barnes canopy and oval+ open this week [Curbed Philly]
• Oval+ returns with plans to extend to the parkway [Curbed Philly]