In October 2018, we partnered with Montgomery County Planning, Montgomery County Parks Department, and the Randolph Civic Association to create the county’s first pop-up park in the Randolph Hills Shopping Center. The project, called White Flint Placemaking, was a huge success in bringing the community together to create a neighborhood gathering space.
During the placemaking event, a couple of the employees of 7 Locks Brewing talked about the possibility of hosting a winter beer festival in the space. The festival would showcase the seasonal craft beer created by all of the local breweries in the area and help continually activate the newly created park.
Three months later, we were excited to hear that the Winter Beer Festival was hosted by the Randolph Civic Association on February 9! Hundreds of neighbors came out and braved the cold and huddled around the firepits to enjoy local beer, snacks, hot chocolate, and s’mores. All of the vendors sold out and had to restock halfway through the festival.
The pop-up park has become a permanent fixture for the neighborhood. Allen Krondstadt, the property owner, has generously supported the efforts of the Randolph Civic Association by installing a gazebo, permanent electric connections, and trash receptacles in the space. More landscaping will be added in the spring and the Department of Transportation is planning to plant street trees along Boiling Brook Parkway.
We are very proud of all of the work the neighborhood has done to make this space their own, and we are incredibly excited to see what they have in store for the coming year.