Cupcake Crazy is a recurring feature following a cupcake enthusiast on her quest to eat, bake and buy the best cupcakes around.
As a new resident of Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood, I was delighted to learn about a summer pop-up park located at Eakins Oval. This new “park on the Parkway” will be open through August 18, with daily events and programming featuring everything from a beer garden and musical guests to face painting, food trucks and free movie screenings.
On the park’s opening weekend my boyfriend and I decided to take a stroll down to check out all this great new neighborhood spot had to offer. We arrived on Friday evening to a lively scene:
The Food
Our first stop was the line of food trucks along the southern edge of the park. A sizable crowd enjoying the sounds of The English Beat stood between us and the trucks, so we danced our way through in search of the source of delicious smells swirling through the summer air.
There were four trucks (which I believe change quite regularly) all offering a variety of sweet and savory options. Not surprisingly I made my way to the Cupcake Carnivale truck for a sweet treat. With offerings like Burlesque Banana and Chocolate Guinness Geronimo, how could I go wrong?
It was a pretty steamy evening, so I opted for a cupcake with a fresh flavor and summery feel: Pink Lemonade Stand! I loved the fluffy lemon cake, and the lemon buttercream frosting had the perfect balance of sweet and tart going on. Between the tasty cupcake and friendly service, my experience at Cupcake Carnivale was wonderful. I will definitely be on the lookout for this truck in the future.
The Drinks
The beer garden at The Oval is open every Thursday evening, but to celebrate opening weekend they extended their hours to Friday. The garden is located under some shady trees on the northern side of the park, complete with lounge chairs and plenty of space for picnic blankets. The beer selection was somewhat limited, but the fact that I could enjoy a cold lager while watching the concert was pretty great.
The Fun
“The Beach” at Eakins Oval is SO cool. I can imagine this being a kid’s favorite spot, and maybe mine as well! Sandboxes, giant chess boards and Twister line the large open area across from the stage. We even found huge fans misting water over passersby, perfect for such a hot week. Cupcakes, beer and entertainment … I couldn’t ask for a better “mini-getaway” to escape to this summer!
Learn more about Cupcake Carnivale at cupcakecarnivale.com.
- Photography: Chelsea Sproul
