Celebrate Hopkins Park at the Grand Opening Dedication Celebration

Wed May 29, 2024

DeKalb, IL— Hopkins Park will come alive with excitement on June 14 at 5:00 pm as the community gathers to celebrate the Hopkins Park Dedication Celebration. This special event marks the grand opening of the NEW Hopkins Park Playground and racquet courts, and shares updates with the public about the Hopkins Pool Replacement Project. The celebration is free and promises a fun-filled evening for the whole family!

The Hopkins Park Dedication Celebration has a jam-packed schedule of activities that will keep attendees engaged and entertained throughout the evening. The festivities kick off with a Bike Parade, starting at 5:00 pm sharp, where participants are invited to decorate their bikes and join the parade from the Hopkins Park Shelter to the new playground. Bike parade participants will even have the honor of being part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the dedication. Staff can’t wait to see all the creative bike decorations!  

Following the Bike Parade, the Dedication Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting will commence at 5:15 pm. Join the Park Board and Park District staff as they officially open the new Hopkins Park Playground and racquet courts and answer questions about the highly anticipated Hopkins Pool Replacement Project. This is a momentous occasion for the DeKalb community, and the Park District encourages everyone to join them in celebrating these exciting additions to Hopkins Park. 

From 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm, the festivities continue with an array of activities for all ages. Enjoy tasty delights from local food trucks such as The Press Box, Burritoville, and Sweet Butts Cotton Candy. Engage in friendly competition and test your skills with pickleball and tennis round-robin gameplay on the brand-new racquet courts. Although free, pre-registration is required for gameplay, completed through the registration portal at dekalbparkdistrict.com. Spots are limited, so sign up early! 

For those seeking a more relaxed experience, there will be a variety of games and activities to enjoy. Build your own birdfeeder, participate in a scavenger hunt, join in a balloon toss, unleash your creativity in the sidewalk chalk art challenge, or simply groove to the beats of a live broadcast with 94.9 WDKB. This celebration aims to bring the community together and create lasting memories. 

As the sun begins to set, settle in for a mesmerizing movie experience with a screening of Encanto (PG) in the park. Gather near the Band Shell as this family-friendly movie comes to life on a giant inflatable movie screen. The show starts when nature turns off the lights, creating a magical ambiance that adds to the charm of the evening.

The Hopkins Park Dedication Celebration is an event not to be missed. Mark your calendars for June 14 at 5:00 pm and join us at Hopkins Park, located at 1403 Sycamore Road. This special event is an opportunity to celebrate our community's continuous growth and development. 

For more information about the dedication celebration and the Hopkins Park improvement projects, please visit dekalbparkdistrict.com/capital-improvement-projects or call (815) 758-7756.