Every Monday, after work (starting at 6pm), hoards of people congregate at the statue of Lincoln at Delaware Park near Shakespeare Hill to participate in what has become a fairly massive gathering of hula-hoopers, drummers, jugglers and slackline walkers.
I remember the days when it was just the jugglers setting up by the statue. Then came the drummers. The drummers attracted the hula-hoopers, and this year the slackline walkers have joined the fray. Yesterday my buddy and I stood transfixed as we watched everyone preparing for the affair – the hoopists were doing their stretches, and the various musicians were tuning their instruments of choice. Before long there was an orchestration of sounds and colors surrounding us, with more participants arriving by the minute.
One of the things that I love most about this gathering, is the willingness to share with others. The slackline walkers were encouraging people to step up on the line to balance test anyone willing to “walk the line”. There were extra hula hoops, and the jugglers are always happy to teach skills to passersby. There even appeared to be some vacant drums available for folks to try.
If you’re new to the area and you’re looking to meet an interesting group of people, stop on over and join in on the fun. Be sure to take a walk around to the other fields and depending on the evening you will also find organized volleyball games and pick-up ultimate disc games. This is the epicenter of many alternative sports and activities in the city. The setting is one of the best around, and people tend to stick around until nightfall.