Summertime is almost here. City of Marysville and the creative minds in the Parks and Recreation Department have put together a colorful blend of fun special events, camps, classes, activities and recreational opportunities to fill every family member’s calendar.

If the recent bustle, hoopla and laughter at our community’s successful Healthy Communities Challenge Day are any sign of what’s ahead, you can count on numerous safe, healthy and family-friendly ways to play this summer that aren’t time consuming, and are either free or won’t cost a lot of money.

Marysville’s music and movies in the park give you two ways to spend your summer nights. Our annual Sounds of Summer Concert Series sponsored by The Cottages of Marysville kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 11, in the Jennings Memorial Park Lions Centennial Pavilion featuring the rock and roll and blues sounds of Shameless Hussy. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, fill a cooler and pack the sounds of music in your summer. The Popcorn in the Park outdoor movie series sponsored by Waste Management NW premiers Saturday, July 13, at dusk on the Jennings Park ball field with a showing of Hotel Transylvania (PG). This is just one of many great, entertaining family films over six weeks that you can enjoy under the stars, while snacking on free popcorn provided by the Marysville Kiwanis Club.

If you have household treasures to get rid of, bring them to Junk in the Trunk, the ultimate flea market on Saturday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Marysville Municipal Court parking lot across from the Post Office. Our “flea market on wheels” sold out last year, with participants reserving their parking spaces, opening their trunks, and displaying their household items, antiques and crafts for crowds of buyers. Food and music add to a festive atmosphere.

If you want to get your dog involved in the day’s activities, visit Strawberry Fields Park and spend the day at the Seventh Annual Poochapalooza outdoor dog event at Strawberry Fields on July 13. Poochapalooza is a day for the dogs, hosted by the Marysville Dog Owners Group, the nonprofit group that maintains Strawberry Fields for Rover Off-Leash Park. The day includes an adoptable dogs fashion show, pet contests, Flyball, flying disc championship, food, music and pet vendors, and new this year, the “Running of the Wieners” dachshund races, open to all dachshunds trained or untrained.

The fun for dogs continues at the Sixth Annual Scrub-a-Mutt on Saturday, Aug. 17, another outstanding event in Marysville at Strawberry Fields, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s like a day at the spa for Rover, with dog washing stations, nail trimming, pet vendors, demonstrations, vendors, food and much more.

The city of Marysville, through its dedicated Parks and Recreation Department director, staff and crew, has put together an incredible series of community activities, enrichment classes and summer camps that ensure you won’t have to look far to find something that appeals to your creative or adventurous side.

Summer Camps, Day Camps, Mini Camps, Kung Fu Camp, Sports Camps and a Summer Tunes Camp are just a few ways that your kids and teens can get inspired and have fun making new friends this summer. Many of our camps have your busy schedule and pocketbook in mind. Summer Day Camps for ages 7-11, sponsored in partnership with the Marysville School District, are structured so that your child can join for a week, or pick and choose as many as you want. Visit the City website and our ePlay online registration service for information, or pick up our Summer Parks and Recreation Activities Guide, since registration is already under way.

For adults, consider joining in community athletics. Dust off those cleats or bring out the old glove or racket and consider participating in our softball league, tennis classes, or get fit through one of our many running, kettlebell, Zumba, yoga or other fitness classes.

For golfers, visit Cedarcrest Golf Course to experience some of the best greens in the area. Whether you want to join up with a group, bring a team, start a league in the middle the week, or host a corporate or fundraising tournament, Cedarcrest Golf Course can accommodate. Bleachers at Cedarcrest rounds out your scorecard with a fabulous dining experience, served inside or on the patio.

Marysville is graced with 435 acres of beautiful parks and open spaces, with some areas inter-connected by walking trails and paths, fitness stations, or walking loops that use distance markers to help you measure your performance. A more walkable Marysville remains one of my priorities for our community. I’m happy to report that in the coming months, you can expect to have a couple more walking options when we extend Bayview Trail to the north in the eastside foothills, and the Qwuloolt Trail in the Qwuloolt Estuary Restoration area along Ebey waterfront and east within the estuary

These many summer special events, activities and recreational opportunities provide something fun for everyone. They will keep your children’s minds and bodies active over the summer months so they are prepared when it’s time to head to school in the fall.  I encourage you to make the commitment and get active this summer by enjoying all that Marysville has to offer.

Mayor Jon Nehring can be reached at mayor@marysvillewa.gov or 360-363-8091.