NoMa Notes: PumpkinPalooza Kicks Off October 21

Just because we have to be socially distant, it doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate PumpkinPalooza! Join us October 21-30 for a hybrid of socially distanced and virtual activities to celebrate the Halloween season in NoMa!

This year, we’re hosting three pumpkin pick-up days at three different locations in NoMa, where we’ll be distributing FREE pumpkins along with decorating supplies and fun goodies!

  PUMPKIN PICK-UP DAYS & LOCATIONS:
> Wednesday (10/21) 2 – 6 PM | REI Plaza (201 M Street NE)
> Thursday (10/22) 10 AM – 2 PM | Qualia Coffee (151 Harry Thomas Way)
> Friday (10/23) 2 – 6 PM | Union Square (999 North Capitol Street)

Register for a specific location and time slot to reserve your pumpkin and help us practice social distancing. Masks are required at all pumpkin pick-up locations.

Then from October 21-26, post photos of your decorated pumpkins or Halloween costumes on Facebook tagging @NoMaBID and #NoMaPumpkinPalooza to enter our online competition for the following categories and win great prizes! Winners will be announced online October 27-30.

COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

> Scariest Pumpkin
> Most Creative Pumpkin
> Cutest Pumpkin
> Most “NoMa” Pumpkin
> Best Pet Costume
> Best Child’s Costume
> Best Adult Costume
> Best “Mask Moji”

Click here to register and review competition rules. Please note pumpkins subject to availability.

Nature is everywhere, even in bustling NoMa! Join us during your lunch hour on Thursday, October 15 or your Saturday morning November 7 for a socially distanced, outdoor walk to be with other nature-lovers in NoMa and learn to identify the creatures and species that surround you! Capital Nature experts Ana Ka’ahanui and Stella Tarnay will help you discover and appreciate the plants and animals that make their home in our neighborhood. From old urban trees, to new rain gardens filled with bugs, birds and other hidden critters, to the forgotten corners of historic NoMa, you may be surprised and delighted by what you discover! Register here and remember masks and social distancing are required.

According to legend, everyone has a doppelgänger. Well, Swampoodle Park just met its long-lost twin. We’re excited to share with you the news that our sister organization, the NoMa Parks Foundation (NPF), has purchased the vacant lot at 1100 Third Street NE, directly across the street from Swampoodle Park, for what we’re temporarily calling “Swampoodle II.” Owned by the DC government, Swampoodle Park II will be similar in size to Swampoodle Park, which consists of nearly 8,200 square-foot.

NPF looks forward to working with the community and DC government agency partners to deliver the perfect bookend to complement the award-winning Swampoodle Park and bring yet another remarkable new park to NoMa for the community to share and enjoy for years to come.

Just as we have with all previous projects, we will continue to share updates and opportunities for community engagement with you. Read the full news release here.

Have you had a chance to sneak a peek at NoMa’s new art installation in the 1200 First Street NE lobby? We are loving the pop of life MK Bailey has brought to NoMa. The piece is a collage of silhouettes of the various structures and objects the artist encountered over the course of several days while exploring NoMa on foot.

Although we won’t be holding our traditional opening for the Lobby Art Project due to COVID, we will be launching a short video introducing the artist and the story behind this beautiful new work, her first large-scale mural! Stay tuned on NoMa BID’s Instagram.

Energy & Environment is sponsoring a FREE electronics recycling drive on Saturday, October 17 from 10AM – 2PM at the New York Avenue Recreation Center (100 N Street NW). Tell your friends and let’s all do our part to recycle our electronics safely.