Kudos to the Norwalk Advisory Commission on the Arts and Culture for putting together the inaugural "pARTy in the Park" event last Saturday. Even though Mother Nature served up a dose of dreary weather during the arts and music festival, the organization still made sure Norwalk and everything it has to offer shone brilliantly.

The variety of art, entertainment and activities that were meant to be discovered beginning at the Maritime Aquarium and winding along the Norwalk River all the way down to the Pine Island Cemetery, Mathews Park and the Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum made visitors oblivious to the rain that fell.

"I think when you look at pARTy in the Park, what you come away with is the sense that Norwalk is re-imagining itself," said Jackie Lightfield, commission chairperson. "All the development that has taken decades to happen and will take decades more is a part of rebuilding the city into a vibrant, cultural, cool place to be. Norwalk has this amazing geography, miles of waterfront, and beautiful parks. In many ways we took inspiration from the landscape we had, Mathews Park, Oyster Shell Park, Heritage Trail and North Water Street and re-energized that link between the urban and the parks. When you think

of the great waterfront parks in Boston, like the Charles River Esplanade, you see that arts, culture, businesses, residences and recreation co-exist to provide a vibrant quality of life. It's the thing that will identify Norwalk as unique, because we've preserved much of our waterfront as public space."

Lightfield added that the best part of the event for her was seeing so many people having such a great experience despite being cold, wet and tired. "They're already planning the next event, no down time, full speed ahead. People have already uploaded photos to Flickr and posted about it in Facebook," she said.

Among some of the things pARTY goers experienced was meeting artists like Alexandra Tsocanos, who showcased her handcrafted recycled clothing line, and Susan O'Neill of Norwalk, who displayed her vibrant acrylic paintings. She likes to paint commissions, which start with photographing people's houses, their pet or whatever they might desire a painting of. Interestingly, she started painting in 2007 at the age of 52. On her Web site, www.susanoneillpaintings.com, she quotes George Eliot: "It's never too late to be who you might have been."

And there was more than art to challenge pARTy goers. There was much to learn about Norwalk along the way. As guests entered Mathews Park, they stepped back in time at Pine Island Historical Cemetery and met "residents" of the cemetery, actors dressed in period clothing, who discussed what life was like for them. Among the honored residents that talked with people last Saturday was the first person every buried there, Elizabeth Bartlett (1685-1723)

In the tunnel of film area under the Crescent Street Bridge, organized by the Norwalk Advisory Film Commission, members showed their passion for attracting more films to the community. They urged people to sign a petition to support the Connecticut film and digital media tax credit and announced that in 2010 Norwalk will premier is first annual film festival at venues throughout the greater Norwalk area.

There was even a Milk Jug Labyrinth that explained the history of a typical one-gallon plastic milk jug and why recycling them is important. Visitors also learned that Norwalk will be offering enhanced curbside recycling collections. In the past, only plastic containers #1 and #2 were collected, but as of July 1, plastics #3-#7 will also be collected.

Prior to the event, Lightfield, promised pARTY in the park would entertain, enlighten and excite. It didn't disappoint and we look forward to next year's festival.