My neighbor Keith and I have been working with some of the large private property owners along the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road NE corridor to tidy up their properties and to help keep surrounding public properties clean as well. Neighbors know that the public spaces owned by the District government, Metro, and National Park Service (NPS) in the neighborhood need a little attention.
The reception has been generally positive. Keith reached out to Alan Thompson, the owner of the Chick-fil-A located at 220 Riggs Road NE, to ask if his team could help with cleaning up the area along the north side of Riggs Road between the bridge & 1st Place NE. That area, the responsibility of partly NPS & Metro, tends to get debris that ends up accumulating, making it a bit unpleasant to walk down the street.
Alan answered the call. Oh the transformation. I have not seen that area look so clean in many, many years.
Huge thanks to the property owners who recognize they are part of a neighborhood & want to help us keep it clean!
Riggs Road NE North Side After Chick-fil-A Cleanup
Riggs Road NE North Side Before Chick-fil-A Cleanup
Art All Night hosted by The Parks Main Street (TPMS) returns to the Riggs Park and Manor Park neighborhoods on September 30, 2023.
Visit small businesses, shop, dine, see local art, and experience live performances by artists from Riggs Park, Manor Park, and surrounding communities in Wards 4 and 5. Should be a fun time.
Register to automatically be entered in drawing for gift certificates from local small businesses in Riggs Park and Manor Park. Registrants must check-in at a TPMS Welcome Center to confirm eligibility.
Presented by The Parks Main Streets with financial support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Department of Small and Local Business Development. Additional support by Chick-fil-A Riggs Park, Riggs Park Place (EYA), Riggs Crossings Senior Residences (APAH).
Art All Night hosted by The Parks Main Street (TPMS) returns to the Riggs Park and Manor Park neighborhoods on September 30, 2023.
Visit small businesses, shop, dine, see local art, and experience live performances by artists from Riggs Park, Manor Park, and surrounding communities in Wards 4 and 5. Should be a fun time.
Register to automatically be entered in drawing for gift certificates from local small businesses in Riggs Park and Manor Park. Registrants must check-in at a TPMS Welcome Center to confirm eligibility.
Presented by The Parks Main Streets with financial support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Department of Small and Local Business Development. Additional support by Chick-fil-A Riggs Park, Riggs Park Place (EYA), Riggs Crossings Senior Residences (APAH).
Congratulations to Food & Friends! The neighobrhood organization was voted “Best nonprofit” and “Best place to volunteer” in Washington City Paper’s Best of DC 2023 people’s poll. The organization is located at 219 Riggs Road NE. Check out the website and volunteer opportunities at https://foodandfriends.org.
Backpack Giveaway August 4, 2023 4:00 pm-7:00 pm Riggs Liquor (5581 South Dakota Avenue NE, across from Walmart on Riggs Road)
Sponsored by Symone Brooks, John Yoo/Riggs Liquor, Chick-fil-A, and The Parks Main Street.
Backpacks will be filled with school supplies and hygiene items. Over 300 backpacks available. Food and backpacks available on a first come, first serve basis. Children must be present to receive a backpack.
Sixth Annual Riggs Park Art Crawl July 14 & 15, 2023 10:00 am-3:00 pm Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE
Vendors ● Music ● Books ● Live Painting ● Yoga Demo ● Face Painting ● Balloons ● Caricatures
Presented by The Parks Main Street, Culture Coffee Too, Center for Nonprofit Advancement, and the DC Department of Small & Local Business Development (DSLBD)
Whether you’re a historian or simply interested in preserving the legacy of our community, this workshop is for you. Attend and share your unique perspective to help create something special for Ward 5!
We are being blessed with a plethora of live music options in the neighborhood. Fridays at Fort Totten kicks off today at the Modern. And Hellbender is also featuring live music at the brewery.
First Fridays at Hellbender
Check out Bad Luck Gold at Hellbender (5788 2nd Street NE) tonight and every first Friday of the month 8 pm-10pm. El Jefe Pizza will be in the house tonight.
Hellbender is also bringing us Sunday Sounds. Summer is right around the corner. The weather is heating up and it’s the perfect time for That Sunday Sound. That Sunday Sound is a live music series sponsored by Hellbender Brewing Company and The Parks Main Street. Join Hellbender and The Parks Main Street for this FREE event, Sundays in June from 3:00 pm-5:00 pm to enjoy local musicians.
June Music Calendar
June 4: DJ Laura Lopez (soul/funk/city pop vinyl set)
June 11: The Potecasi Slade ‘Xperience (blues/funk)
The Parks Main Street is holding a series of community meetings to seek input on potential subjects for a Ward 5 commemorative work.
The DC Office of Planning is underwriting an effort to determine and select a “commemorative work” to honor and celebrate a person, place, or event in Ward 5. This project is called “Faces and Places: Commemorate People, Places and Events that Define our Communities.”
The Office of Planning and The Parks Main Street would like residents in Ward 5 to offer ideas and to be involved in this community effort.
The goals of this first meeting are to:
Inform Ward 5 residents about the project and invite their input.
Share details about Commemorative Works projects and offer examples.
Provide information about the community engagement and selection process.
Hellbender Record Fair May 6, 2023 1:00 pm-7:00 pm 5788 2nd Street NE
Hellbender Brewery is hosting a record fair on Saturday, May 6 from 1pm to 7pm. In addition to numerous vinyl vendors, there will be two food trucks, a DJ, and a live band! This is a free, all ages event and fun for the whole family.
Hellbender Brewery is also accepting non-perishable donations for the University of Maryland’s food pantry which works to help eliminate food hardships for University of Maryland students and ensure that all students have a steady source of healthy food.
More information about the event can be found here.
Culture Coffee Too will be closing its doors at 300 Riggs Road NE at the end of March after five years of providing a space for culture, coffee, and conversation in Riggs Park. Owner Veronica (Ms. V) Cooper opened the Riggs Park location after moving from a location on Kennedy Street NW. She stated in her closing note that she has enjoyed building community in Riggs Park over the last five years and now it is time to move on. Build community she did.
A couple of years ago, I wrote a letter in support of the coffee shop for an award. The words are fitting now as I think about how much I will miss Ms. V. I wrote then:
As the owner of Culture Coffee Too, a coffee shop and arts space in the Riggs Park neighborhood in Northeast Washington, DC, since 2017, Veronica Cooper has made it her business to make her business the cultural and community hub of the neighborhood.
Culture Coffee Too is the quintessential neighborhood small business sitting in the heart of the Riggs Park neighborhood’s commercial corridor. In the three years that Culture Coffee Too has been open, I have seen and been part of the overwhelmingly positive impact it has had on the community. When I served as president of the neighborhood civic association, I had the pleasure of speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate Culture Coffee Too’s opening in 2017. In 2018, Ms. V spearheaded the Riggs Park Art Crawl, bringing art and patrons to neighborhood businesses in Riggs Park. Another successful art crawl followed in 2019, making the neighborhood a little brighter with placemaking murals at neighborhood businesses.
At the end of 2018, I helped start the neighborhood Main Street. The Parks Main Street supports the commercial corridors of the Riggs Park and Manor Park neighborhoods in Washington, DC. It was only fitting that we launched the Main Street at Culture Coffee Too, inviting neighborhood residents, business owners, and all those interested in seeing the commercial corridor of these neighborhoods thrive to join together to make it happen. With Culture Coffee Too, Ms. V. serves as a connector—connecting small business owners, connecting artists, connecting residents. Any time someone steps inside the shop for a cup of tea, a breakfast sandwich, or maybe a smoothie, taking in the artwork on the walls of that month’s featured artist, it is likely that person will leave having met someone new.
I have been told that the coffee shop may be replaced by a Wingstop, a fast food chicken restaurant. (More about this on-brand decision by JBG later.)
Culture Coffee Too will hold a closing party on March 18 at 7:00 pm. Until then, feel free to stop in to give Ms. V her flowers.
Whether you’re a local resident or just visiting for a few days—stop by The Parks Main Street Holiday Lights to explore, shop, and dine this holiday season.
The businesses of The Parks Main Street will be decked out with holiday lights from November 18 through January 8. Wander the corridor with neighbors and visitors to enjoy amazing holiday events, activities, and promotions throughout the month. Then cast your vote for your favorite light displays between November 18 and December 11.
Where to see lights:
Culture Coffee Too (300 Riggs Road NE)
Joo & Soo Cleaners (5585 South Dakota Avenue NE)
Hellbender Brewing Company (5788 2nd Street NE)
Peaches Kitchen Restaurant and Catering (6214 3rd Street NW)
The Learning Curve Child Development Center (6234 3rd Street NW)
The VIP Room (6201 3rd Street NW)
The Davis Center (6218 3rd Street NW)
The Parks Main Street Holiday Lights is part of a broader, citywide DC Holiday Lights effort encouraging residents and visitors to shop small and explore the District this holiday season. Starting November 25 you can participate in our citywide Holiday Lights Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win great prizes from local DC businesses! Check back for more details.
Joining The Parks Main Street and Mayor Bowser in recognizing the life of Ms. Vanilla Beane. A life well lived. May she rest in peace.
–@TheParksMainSt honors the life and contributions of DC Maker, iconic small business owner of Bene' Millinery & Bridal Supplies in Historic #ManorPark Business District and "D.C. Hat Lady" Mrs Vanilla Powell Beane. Rest in Power! September 13, 1919 – October 23, 2022. #ward4pic.twitter.com/qC3ZIYvklO
Edwin Washington and The Parks Main Street did it again, pulling off another great Art All Night for the second year in a row.
The Parks Main Street (TPMS) participated in its inaugural Art All Night in 2021. This year on September 23, under the leadership of Mr. Washington and with the help of a team of volunteers and serveral sponsors, TPMS once again fully activated two distinct neighborhoods–Riggs Park and Manor Park–for Art All Night 2022. No small feat.
Local talent and youth talent were the name of the game in Riggs Park. Lamond-Riggs resident Robynn Mitchell attended the inaugural TPMS Art All Night in 2021. She returned this year as a vendor with her catering company of seven years Elevated Genius Catering & Events, doing brisk business. In addition, Lattimore Funnel Cakes, Cooks & Chefs, Dogs on the Curb, and Lickity Split all answered the call for food at this year’s event setting up shop in front of Troka Insurance. While waiting to pick up food, people could play games, jump double dutch, and check out perennial favorite fire dancer Jordan Seitz (video).
Elevated Genius Catering & EventsLickity Split Ice Cream Social EventsLattimore Funnel CakesDogs on the CurbCooks & Chefs
As for music, at event headquarters at Culture Coffee Too, the night started out with a bang with super talented sister rap duo Live to Love Family. They brought the energy that I knew I needed on a Friday night. Local favorite Cecily also blessed the crowd with her vocals.
Live Love Family Sister DuoVocalist Cecily
I do not know if it was intentional to showcase the talent of a lot of young people, but it was great to see and I was only too happy to support. Sixteen-year-old Duke Ellington High School visual arts student Skylar Ogunshakin sold paintings, journals, and other art under her brand Marie Sky Art with her mom Cece by her side. Check out her work on facebook and instagram.
16-year-old Skylar Ogunshakin also known as Marie Sky Art
At the soHBCU table, one could shop for unique gifts and support scholarships for students at historically Black colleges and universities.
soHBCU table at Art All Night
Riggs Park resident Alta Koer returned for this year’s event with live painting and artwork.
Artist Alta Koer live painting the scene at TPMS Art All Night 2022
Princess Riddick, a dance teacher at Rocketship’s Riggs Park campus, set up shop selling her Official Royal Watch jewelry. Unitees, a local Riggs Park business and supplier for this year’s Art All Night t-shirts, was a popular stop for their unique Native Tongue apparel.
Official Royal WatchUnitees
A few DJs kept the energy and good vibes flowing throughout the night.
More artists and vendors were on hand that I did not get to check out at Hellbender Brewing Co. or Riggs Wine & Liquor.
In all, Art All Night 2022 by The Parks Main Street delivered, bringing out residents by bringing fire, energy, and talent to Riggs Park.
RMac Creations by Renee McDonaldJacq & Joe’s Coffee Co.2211 BeadsHealth NeuroticsElla Belle Candle CompanyThe Parks Main Street Executive Director Edwin Washington (l) with H Street Main Street Executive Director Anwar Saleem (r)
Our neighborhood has an area development plan that was initiated by the LRCA, completed by the DC Office of Planning in 2008, approved by the DC Council in 2009, and fully incorporated into the DC Comprehensive Plan in 2021.
One element of the plan envisions “parks and open space” for the District-owned green space (“District Green”) on the southwest corner of South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE near Food & Friends.
This Saturday September 24, 2022, the LRCA invites neighbors to the District Green to Look & SEE.
“SEE” stands for “Site Experience Event.”
At your own pace and in no particular order, walk the land, see information displays, talk with your neighbors, have light refreshments, and envision what you would like to see in this community open space.
Come as you are & come-and-go as you please any time between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.
Note: To enter the Food & Friends facility, you must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Masks are optional.
Art All Night showcases the visual and performing art talents of DC’s creative community, while supporting local businesses!
About this event
The Parks Main Street (TPMS) is excited to bring to the communities of Riggs Park and Manor Park a live, in-person end of year celebration during Art All Night. Private spaces throughout our business corridors transform into galleries, vending booths and performances for an evening of art in all its forms.
Grab your lawn chair and hang out with us all night (well most of the night)!
Come visit small businesses, shop, dine, see local art, and experience live performances by artists from Riggs Park, Manor Park and surrounding communities in Wards 4 and 5.
Art All Night is the perfect stimulant for Art, Community, and Commerce!
All registrants will automatically be entered in drawing for gift certificates from local small businesses in Riggs Park and Manor Park! Registrants must check-in at a TPMS WELCOME CENTER to confirm eligibility.
Ed. Note: Last year’s Art All Night by The Parks Main Street was a good time. Looking forward to this year’s event.
From The Parks Main Street
SAVE THE DATE
Art All Night @ The Parks Main Street is ONE MONTH away!
Join us Friday September 23, 2022 from 7p – 11p
The Parks Main Street (TPMS) is excited to bring to the communities of Riggs Park and Manor Park a live, in-person end of year celebration. Private spaces throughout our business corridors transform into galleries, vending booths and performances for an evening of art in all its forms.
Grab your lawn chair and hang out with us all night (well most of the night)! Come visit small businesses, shop, dine, see local art, and experience live performances by artists from Riggs Park, Manor Park, and surrounding communities in Wards 4 and 5.
Art All Night is the perfect stimulant for Art, Community, and Commerce!
Register FREE to attend! All registrants will automatically be entered in drawing for gift certificates from local small businesses in Riggs Park and Manor Park!
Art All Night @ The Parks Main Street Art venue schedule:
Next Stop...Riggs Park 
