Malone to Host Celebrate Trails Day Event at Rec Park on April 30

The town and village of Malone will host a community celebration April 30 at its Recreation Park in honor of national Celebrate Trails Day.

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) — the nation’s largest trail advocacy organization — hosts Celebrate Trails Day to encourage people across the country to take a moment to celebrate the health and community benefits of their favorite trails. This year’s nationwide event takes place April 23; Malone will host its celebration one week later due to spring break.

“The 80-acre Malone Rec Park is the heart of our community,” said Rec Park Director Jennifer Hathaway. “The park is used for gatherings, sports, family picnics and recreation. It’s truly alive with excitement throughout the year and we are excited to continue our efforts to revitalize this beautiful resource. The Malone Recreation Park Commission is continually working to offer more facilities, classes and events to help families enjoy free opportunities to bond with community members and maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Celebrate Trails Day is a perfect opportunity to encourage families to get some fresh air, take a walk, enjoy all that the park has to offer and welcome spring with their community members.”

Malone’s celebration will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include the following activities:

• Scavenger hunt
• Sensory walking trail
• Bike scavenger hunt through Malone
• Adirondack Raptors presentation (noon to 1 p.m.)
• Franklin County Public Health information table
• Fairy House Building  (1-2 p.m.)
• Cornell Cooperative Extension activities — Wild Edibles Walk (2-3 p.m.)
• SNAP Ed walk & lesson
• JCEO food truck
• Bike rodeo (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
• Bike blender smoothie station

Since 2019, trail use has surged as people seek outdoor spaces for exercise and connection with friends and family. Trails encourage the community to get outdoors and make traveling by foot, bike and wheelchair more accessible to everyone. For Celebrate Trails Day on April 23, and beyond, RTC offers resources and events to encourage people to make trail use part of their daily lives.

“Outdoor physical activity soared during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Andrea Goff, coordinator for The Heart Network’s Creating Healthy Schools & Communities Program. “But with folks returning to in-person work, and with school and community activities relaunching, we feel there’s a sense of urgency to continue this trend of more people getting outside, whatever that looks like. Community trails and recreational assets like those available in Malone can help people improve their physical and mental health.”

Hosted on the fourth Saturday of April, Celebrate Trails Day is an annual spring celebration of America’s trails. Started by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in 2013, the celebration encourages people across the country to get outside and enjoy the nation’s exceptional trails and trail systems. Last year, more than 170 partner organizations and over 3,500 people from 48 states and Washington, D.C., reported taking part in Celebrate Trails Day.

For more information about Celebrate Trails Day, visit railstotrails.org/celebratetrails. Celebrate Trails Day is supported by “Parks for All” championed by Hydro Flask, Athletic Brewing Company, Catrike, Clif Family Foundation, the CDC’s “Active People, Healthy Nation” initiative, Dogfish Head, Mirrycle, the Recreate Responsibly Coalition, IZIP and Warm Peet.

The Heart Network collaborates with health systems and public health agencies across the North Country to design, develop and implement strategies to decrease the incidence of cardiac disease, stroke, and related chronic disease. The Heart Network administers three programs to help build foundations for healthy communities: Health Systems for a Tobacco Free North Country, Creating Healthy Schools & Communities, and the North Country Chronic Disease Prevention Coalition. To learn more, contact Executive Director Ann Morgan at amorgan@heartnetwork.org or (518) 891-5855.