Anniversary - October 2022

Friends of Ridley Creek State Park 50th Anniversary Celebration

The Friends of Ridley Creek State Park is proudly celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the park and we want you to join in on the fun on October 5th and October 8th!

Mansion Tours and Talks: October 5th

On 10/5 join us at the Mansion to take part in tours of the mansion, listen to historical presentations led by Keith Lockhart, and enjoy some refreshments! Keith is the author of a Delaware County historical website and history blog who has collected many photographs, documents, historical information, and materials over the years. He will be hosting two presentations: one covering Ridley Creek State Park's history and the second covering Delaware County. Guests will have a chance to view old photos, guess the places shown and then see what they look like today. This event is free and open to the community. Pre-registration for the mansion tours and the historical talks is required.

• Mansion Tour 1: 6:15pm-6:45pm
• Ridley Creek State Park Historical Talk: 6:15pm-7pm
• Mansion Tour 2: 6:45pm-7:15pm
• Delaware County Historical Talk: 7pm-7:45pm
• Mansion Tour 3: 7:15pm-7:45pm

50th Anniversary Community Day: October 8th

Then on October 8th, we will be offering several activities for you and your family at Picnic Area 17 to enjoy including a 5k fun run to kick off the day. Throughout the day attendees can also enjoy food trucks, music, entertainment, scenic hikes, tours of the grounds, and the chance to learn more about our beautiful park.

Attendees may bring their own chairs, refreshments/picnic and any food provided by food trucks will be pay as you go. This event is free and open to the community. Pre-registration for the fun run, scenic hikes and general admission to the celebration is required.

This event is rain or shine. In the event of extreme weather conditions, we will contact all attendees to update them on our plans to reschedule.

• Fun Run: begins at 9am, Check-in at 8AM
• The loop course starts at Area 17 and will take you through the Multi-Use Trail of the park. The run is un-timed and open to kids and grown-ups of all ages.
• General Admission Celebration: 10am-3pm
• Join us for a picnic in the park to celebrate our 50th Anniversary. Enjoy music, entertainment, food trucks and feel free to bring your own chair and picnic and enjoy the day!
• 3 Mile Nature Walk: begins at 9:30am
• Join your DCNR Park Naturalist for a 3-mile leisurely nature walk from Area 17. We will explore birds, trees, wildflowers, and park history along the way. Dress for the weather along with good walking shoes, water, and snacks. Binoculars would be a fun addition. Limit: 20 people.
• 4-5 Mile Hike: 10am
• We will hike 4-5 miles at a moderate pace on the wooded park trails, from Area 17 to Ridley Creek and back, with two steady hill climbs.
• 1.5 mile Historical Walk on Multi-Use Trail: begins at 10:30am
• The historic walking tour will first cover 1.5 miles of trails and some of the Multi-Use Trail (MUT) for 45 minutes in the southeast section of the park, including the Moller and Mullen farm ruins. The optional second part of the tour will take an additional 1.25 miles on the MUT and include the Worrall House, the oldest house in the park, built in the late 17th century. Comfortable shoes with good tread for trail walking are recommended. Narrative will include history of the land and structures, and some history of the development of the park.
• Nature exhibit opens at Noon
• Visit with your DCNR Park Naturalist at Area 17 for an informal exhibit on local flora and fauna, as well as discuss questions about park wildlife, habitat, and native vs. invasive species.

Pre-registration is required for the fun run, hikes, walks and the general admission to the event. Click here to sign up to join us on 10/8 today: https://RCSPCommunityDay.eventbrite.com.

50th Anniversary Volunteer Day: Sunday, October 9th

Help beautify the Park as we construct picnic tables and tidy up around some picnic areas in the Park. No special skills or tools needed. We will be working from 9 am to noon with light refreshments afterwards. Please contact Gary Sawyer at muddyboots@comcast.net for more details.

Calling Ridley Creek State Park Volunteers!

We are in need of volunteers for our 50th Anniversary event on 10/8 to help with activities including but not limited to set up/clean up, handing out refreshments, assisting with parking, and guiding runners along the race route to keep them on track and motivated! If you are interested in helping out, click the links below to sign up: