FPP Announces next Executive Director

Katie Long

Dear Friends and Supporters,

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Friends of Patterson Park, I am thrilled to announce the appointment of Katie Long as our new Executive Director.

Having served with Friends of Patterson Park as Program Director for 16 years, Katie brings with her a deep passion for community building, urban green spaces, and inclusive public engagement. With over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience and a strong record of fostering partnerships and driving mission-based growth, Katie is positioned to guide Friends of Patterson Park into its next exciting chapter.

She joins us at a pivotal moment as we continue to expand our impact in the community through programming, advocacy, and stewardship of Patterson Park, as well as growing our new Cedar House space. Katie’s background in community development and her commitment to equity and access align perfectly with our mission. We are confident she will be a strong voice for the Park and the people who love it.

The Board conducted a thorough search process, and Katie’s vision, experience, and enthusiasm stood out every step of the way. Her leadership will be instrumental in deepening our community connections and continuing to have Patterson Park remain a treasured green space among future generations.

"I’m both thrilled and deeply honored to step into the role of Executive Director with Friends of Patterson Park. This Park and this community mean so much to me—it’s been a joy to grow alongside both over the past 16 years. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful Patterson Park is as a gathering place, a resource of recreation and wellness, and a source of pride for so many people. I’m excited to continue building on that legacy with the rest of the fantastic FPP team and to invite even more neighbors, partners, and visitors to experience everything this incredible park has to offer.”

We also want to take a moment to thank our staff, volunteers, members, and partners for their ongoing dedication and support during this time of transition. The work of Friends of Patterson Park has always been grounded in collaboration, and we are excited to move forward together under Katie’s leadership.

Please join us in welcoming Katie Long in this new role with the Friends. We look forward to “re-introducing” her to many of you in the coming weeks. In the meantime, feel free to stop by our office or reach out with a note of welcome—we know she would love to hear from you.

With gratitude and anticipation,

Ted Walsh
Board President
Friends of Patterson Park

Park Volunteers Rock!

Volunteers are essential to caring for Patterson Park! We’re incredibly grateful for all that they do to not only make the park look beautiful, but how passionate they are about the health of our treasured green space. Check out this video highlighting Spring 2025’s Spring into Action volunteer day in Patterson Park!

Interested in getting involved? Sign up below for upcoming opportunities!

Video produced by Jeffrey White.

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Towson University Tennis Day Wrap Up

For the second time, Friends of Patterson Park partnered with the Towson University Women’s Tennis Team and USTA Mid-Atlantic to host the Towson University Tennis Play Day! Kids from Patterson Park were invited to join the TU team on the tennis courts at Towson University, where everyone got to show off their amazing tennis skills! The event began with a doubles exhibition match with TU players and was followed by a special on-court clinic where kids practiced their tennis skills, participated in fun games and drills, and received instruction from TU college players as well as TU Head Coach Jamie Peterson!

We want to thank all of the youth players, parents, Towson University Tennis Team, and coaches (along with TU Coach Peterson, we were joined by Coach Laura, Coach Maddy, and Coach Pinkett!) who came out to make the day so special. It was a great kickoff to the Fall Tennis season and we look forward to seeing everyone on the Patterson Park Tennis Courts!

Mueveton + BabyFest 5K Wrap Up

On September 7th, Friends of Patterson Park was thrilled to partner with Baltimore Medical Systems and Johns Hopkins Centro Sol for the annual Mueveton + BabyFest 5K & Health and Fitness Expo! This year’s event was held with the 5K run/walk starting and finishing near the Patterson Park Observatory. In partnership with Road and Trail Events, the race was timed and chipped for the first time ever and, even on a rainy Sunday morning, we had 123 finishers of the 5K! Check out the race results and race photos from the event!

We want to thank our lead sponsor Johns Hopkins Medicine, along with media sponsor Somos Baltimore Latino, and all of the wonderful community partners, organizations, and volunteers who came out to make this year’s Mueveton + BabyFest 5K and health and fitness expo a success! A special thanks to USTA Mid-Atlantic’s Tennis Play Day, and SaveMart and Leftover Love for providing delicious post-race food.

Lastly, we want to thank all of the kids, adults, babies in strollers, and dogs who came out to participate in the free 5K around the park and the expo. We can’t wait to see everyone for next year’s Mueveton + BabyFest!

Summer Concert Series Wrap Up

Thank you for another WONDERFUL Friends of Patterson Park Summer Concert Series presented by PNC w/ media partners WYPR & WTMD!

We want to thank everyone who came out throughout the summer for some amazing concerts below the Observatory, as well as thank all of the performers, sound engineers, sponsors, and vendors that made the series another great one!

Thank you to presenting sponsor PNC and media partners WYPR and WTMD, as well as supporting sponsors Mark Supik & Company, David Rosario State Farm Insurance, Maryland State Arts Council, and Baltimore City Recreation and Parks!

Click through below to see some of the photos from this year’s concert series.

Citi DC Open Kids Day Wrap Up

We want to thank the kids, coaches, and parents who got on the bus early Saturday morning and went with Friends of Patterson Park to the Mubadala Citi DC Open! Our Tennis 101, Match Ready, and Girls Rule the Court™ players all got to be on center court with the pros in the morning participating in fun tennis games and drills. We then got to watch some great tennis matches, get player autographs, participate in all of the days activities (in part with Coach Janet on court!), and get an up close look at how the pros get ready for a match on the practice courts (including Venus Williams!).

We of course want to thank USTA Mid-Atlantic, the Kahlert Foundation and USTA Foundation for supporting free youth tennis programming in Patterson Park and this trip!

We can’t wait to start up the next session of FPP youth tennis later this month and look forward to more Patterson Park tennis throughout the year!