The City of Belmont is planning an entire summer for nearby residents, with various activities and events planned.
Every year, Belmont residents can count on several fun annual activities to indulge in during the summertime, including Movies in the Park, the Belmont Park Boosters’ Summer Concert Series, and Camp SOAR.
Patrick Schmitz is the recreation coordinator for the City of Belmont. He plays a massive role in setting up many events over the summer.
“The event I am most looking forward to in the summer is Movies in the Park. It gives the community a chance to gather in one of Belmont’s wonderful parks and enjoy a great evening together. I think it is important to give opportunities to the community to come together and enjoy being outside,” Schmitz said.
In addition to planning many community events, Schmitz also oversees Camp SOAR’s Counselor in Training (CIT) program. Camp SOAR is a summer camp for kids from kindergarten to fifth grade. However, involvement doesn’t cease after elementary school, as the camp also operates a CIT program for middle and high school teens.
Aniyah Bartley is a Carlmont student volunteering as a CIT for two weeks this summer.
“I think it’s exciting to take advantage of all that spare time that people, including myself, have in the summertime. It can be really easy just to take the summer off, but by being a CIT, I’m giving myself experience and finding a better use of my time,” Bartley said.
Yet another annual event this summer is the Summer Concert Series, which occurs for seven consecutive Sundays and is located at Twin Pines Park. It is run by Belmont Park Boosters, a volunteer organization dedicated to providing improvements to the City of Belmont’s public parks.
Valerie Marchant is the bass player for the High Water Blues, a Bay Area blues and R&B band. High Water Blues has participated in the Summer Concert Series for around a decade. This year is no different, as the band will perform in addition to six other bands throughout the summer.
“Playing in the concert series is great. It has a lovely atmosphere, and it’s nice to play with such a receptive audience. There are also nice boosters for a good cause. It’s probably the gig we look forward to the most,” Marchant said.
Based on the previous years experiences, Bartley feels that this upcoming summer will be full of joy and excitement.
“I think all the events and everything planned for this summer are great! Last year, I went with a couple of my friends to see the “The Parent Trap” which is one of the movies featured for Movies in the Park, and we had a good time,” Bartley said.
