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Hear Philly: Family Fun And Wellness Returns To The Oval This Summer

By Gavin Lichtenstein

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In its third year, The Oval at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will transform into a summer getaway in the heart of center city. The free summer park at The Oval will run from July 15 through August 23 with events and themes 5 days a week.

Kathryn Ott Lovell is the Executive Director of the Fairmont Park Conservancy and calls the pop-up park at The Oval an event for people of all ages.

"We have different themes for different days," Lovell says. "Wednesday is our wellness day, Thursday is arts and culture, Friday is food and flicks, Saturday is game day, and Sunday is family fun."

This year's summer series is different from previous years. In 2015, The Oval will be featuring artwork on the parkway by Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn of Baltimore. The artwork is themed a summer kaleidoscope for its ability to bring vibrant colors and artwork to the surface.

Lovell explains the cities goal in this free park is to get families of all ages involved and active while focusing on family fun and wellness in the city of brotherly love.

"We are really just looking to activate this great public space," Lovell says. "For10 months out of the year this space is a surface parking lot and people park there and for 6 weeks out of the year we get to turn it into an amazing park."

Events start at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday through Friday and go through 10:00 p.m. On weekends, the family fun starts at noon and ends at 7:00 p.m.

Also new to The Oval this summer, a local artist is creating the design of the popular beer garden. Brian Dragon of Gale Nurseries in Gwynedd, Pa. is creating the design of the beer garden out of recycled material, but focusing on flower crates.

For an updated full list of events and summer schedule you can visit their website at ovalphl.org.

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