Twilight Picnic for the Parks is more than an event, it is an extraordinary celebration of Allegheny County’s 12,000 acres of parkland and the 23 million visits the parks receive each year. The event’s vibrancy is a testament to the strength of our park communities and an opportunity for the people who help ensure these vital green spaces are well funded and cared for to enjoy the space they have helped to cultivate.

This year we are proud to announce that since its inception in 2017, Twilight Picnic for the Parks has raised over $3 million to support our mission of improving, conserving and restoring the nine county parks. Additionally, the event has also helped the Parks Foundation to establish and grow vital relationships, with many coming together to celebrate both our shared love for nature and our unwavering dedication to Allegheny County’s parks. This impact cements Twilight Picnic for the Parks as a major success in fundraising and as a means to build a better future for everyone in Allegheny County.

To all of you who supported Twilight Picnic for the Parks, your presence, generosity and passion are what drives us forward. To those of you who couldn’t make it, we hope you can feel a closeness to the event because of the impact it will create in your favorite county park. Together, we celebrate not just an event, but a shared vision for a greener, more sustainable future for everyone.

Event Recap

Around 350 guests from all corners of the county came out on Saturday night for Twilight Picnic for the Parks to support the county parks under white peaked tents and a dazzling rainbow at the Caren Glotfelty Meadow at Hartwood Acres Park. Guests enjoyed smooth, soulful music by Paul Cosentino’s Boilermaker Jazz Band. They dined on elevated picnic fare from the finest local ingredients prepared by big Burrito Catering. Guests stayed late in the evening for assorted sweets, including Islay’s ice cream, and on-going performances that had the crowd dancing along.

Nancy Byrnes of Nancy Byrnes Events transformed this hidden gem of a meadow site in Hartwood Acres, located off the beaten path of the Amphitheater, into the perfect balance of summer chic with rustic sophistication and incorporated the beauty of the surrounding landscape into the evening’s woodland theme. Florist Becca Ringham Myerburg, owner of Eleven Mile Farm, grew and designed the floral arrangements, creating a garden experience like none other.

Brief remarks were given at the event from Parks Foundation Board Member and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Presenting Sponsor representative Dan Onorato, Parks Foundation Board President Chip Babst, County Executive Sara Innamorato and Parks Foundation Executive Director Joey-Linn Ulrich.

This year County Parks Director Andy Baechle was honored for his service and dedication to Allegheny County’s parks throughout his tenure. Director Baechle’s friendship and leadership have guided us to success since our founding and we have proudly worked together to raise over $19 million for our parks during the past 15 years. To thank Director Baechle for this amazing legacy, we honored him with the presentation of an engraved kayak paddle.

Impact: Raising an Impressive

$3 Million for Your Parks!

At its core, Twilight Picnic for the Parks is about raising funds to support the nine Allegheny County Parks. This year we can once again say that we raised over $407,000 for your parks, bringing the total impact of the event to over $3 million since the event’s inception in 2017! 

The funds generated through ticket sales, donations and sponsorships provide the crucial resources necessary to drive our projects forward, with each dollar raised has been an investment in safeguarding our parks’ delicate biodiversity, history and uniqueness for generations to come. Here are some project highlights that the funds are directly helping to support:

• Improve
  • Carol R. Brown Sculpture Garden in Hartwood Acres Park
  • Round Hill Park’s Allée Restoration & Visitor Center Rain Garden
  • Trail Connectivity Between White Oak and South Park
• Conserve
  • Barn Solar Meadow in Deer Lakes Park
  • Ecological Assessment and Action Plans for all 9 parks
  • Stream Studies for all 9 parks
• Restore
  • Cascades in South Park
  • Edgebrook Shelter in South Park
  • Observation Tower in North Park

As we reflect on the success of this gala, we are more motivated than ever to continue our work. The funds raised will enable us to make significant strides in our projects and initiatives, ensuring that our parks remain vibrant, welcoming spaces for all to enjoy.

Thank You!

We are so grateful to everyone who helped make Twilight Picnic for the Parks possible. We would especially like to thank our Presenting Sponsor, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield; our Lead Sponsors, PNC Bank and UPMC Health Plan; our Supporting Sponsors, United States Steel and the Allegheny County Parks Foundation’s Board of Directors; and our Moonstruck, Stargazer and Parks Fan Sponsors. Additionally, thank you to our event leadership: Honorary Chairs Carol R. Brown, County Executive Sara Innamorato; Event Chairs Maris & Robert Dauer, Sally & Will McCrady, Shelly & Dan Onorato; Host Committee Chairs Carole King & Chip Burke, Megan & Jason Lange and Pam & Ken McCrory.

We would also like to thank Allegheny County, Allegheny County Parks and Nancy Byrnes Events for all their help and coordination in planning and organizing the event; The Boilermaker Jazz Band, big Burrito Catering, Rebecca Ringham Myerburg and Eleven Mile Farm, John Altdorfer Photography and so many others who contributed to the amazing atmosphere at Twilight Picnic for the Parks. Lastly, we want to thank all our guests, volunteers, donors and staff who helped to make Twilight Picnic for the Parks the special event that it was.

Make a donation in honor of Twilight Picnic to support your nine county parks!