There’s a “Picnic in the Park” every Friday in Mansfield from 11 am.-6 p.m. It was started by a caricature artist, former coffee store owner and local volunteer, Jeff Rickles. He simply wanted to see Mansfield’s park receive increased activity.
Rickles started Picnic in the Park last September.
“With the city having problems financing park activities, even maintaining the parks have been an issue,” Rickles said. “I wanted people to say ‘Hey, let’s come down to Mansfield’s Central Park, it’s a nice park.’” Every Friday, weather permitting, Rickles takes his sound system to the pavilion and plays music for the public.
Rickles previously operated a coffee shop originally located in the Richland Mall, and then across the street from Chase Tower at Haring Jewelers, because he had a passion for coffee. His office is now within Chase tower.
His ability to do caricature also prompted direct involvement with the public. “In 2009, I used to go to Carousel Park among other locations, and do caricatures. I used to do some in Disneyworld and other places in Florida,” Rickles stated. Now he focuses his energy in potential projects in Chase Tower, where he shares an office with Finditinmansfield.com on the fourth floor.
Every Friday, though, he’s encouraging brown bag picnickers to enjoy the afternoon and Ed Pickens’ outdoor cooker on the square. He’s even extended invitations to vendors of the Farmer’s Market to continue their sales in the square after the Fourth Street location reopens for the day. “Other vendors are welcome to come out,” Rickles said, “And to those who have food vendor’s licenses too.”
Rickles envisions music as a way to promote activity in the park, and to provide even more opportunity for merchants and artists and the general public to interact. “The facts on just a normal day, you have traffic, you have kids playing, but Picnic in the Park can grow into whatever it can be.”
Rickles wants to generate activity in Mansfield’s public spaces. He would also like to conduct an online ministry in the future and use a space the fourth floor of Chase Tower to bring street ministers of all faiths together in one place.
Rickles is confident if more people see more activities in Mansfield, there’s room for Picnic in the Park to grow.
“Look, if I’m going to be a merchant in Mansfield, I want to reach out.”
