There are plenty of benefits to living in Downtown Long Beach: It may be close to work for some residents; it gives access to the Downtown food and entertainment scene; the beach is even within walking distance.

Now, the newly remolded Lincoln Park is adding another amenity: ongoing free events at the park.

Studio One Eleven, in conjunction with nonprofits the Long Beach Community Foundation and the Knight Foundation, are focused on creating a park that will center the community through concerts, training seminars, dance, family events and more.

Sinead Finnerty-Pyne, the marketing director for Studio One Eleven, and Isha Patel, the senior urban designer for the studio, have been tasked with creating a space that is welcoming and entertaining for everyone in the community—from families that live nearby to unhoused residents who spend time at the park.

For their first Sunday Picnic in the Park event, Studio One Eleven tapped local singer-songwriter Alyssandra Nighswonger. On this week’s episode of The Word Podcast, Finnerty-Pyne, Patel, and Nighswonger talk about what goes into organizing events in Lincoln Park and how they can make everyone feel safe.

You can find out about upcoming events at Lincoln Park by visiting the park’s Instagram page here.

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