This event celebrated the third return of goats to Ward Acres Park, highlighting the success of Goats Fest as a community-centered sustainability initiative. City officials and the Ward Acres Conservancy Group described the festival as a win-win for the park and residents, emphasizing environmental education, invasive vine removal via goat grazing, and increased public engagement with natural spaces.
Goats Fest is the epitome of an excellent community event. We are talking about environmental issues, but also the community is just coming out and enjoying the asset that Ward Park is. So it's exciting to be here. This is our second festival, the third return of the goats. The purpose, the overall theme is sustainability in the long run for the city and its residents. So Goats Fest is really about connecting people with nature and helping residents see all the hard work that goes into keeping our parks healthy. Well, this Goats Fest event here at Ward Acres Park is a win-win both for the Ward Acres Conservancy Group as well as the community. It's been an unbelievable opportunity this week from Ward Elementary School visiting to all of the city residents that joined us here today to learn about sustainability, about how the goats are taking out so many uh parts of the park that are uh intruded with invasive vine removal and it's a such a healthy, sustainable way, not using gas powered equipment uh to really promote sustainability in our park and citywide, and this is a way for thousands of people uh the last couple of years to discover Ward Acres Park that they haven't before. So thanks so much to the Ward Acres Conservancy Group for now truly making this one of the most highly attended events within our parks department in the summer.