Avon Indiana Parks and Recreation

10/10/2026

10/08/2026

Last week, we wrapped up our very first Pollinator BioBlitz, and what an incredible start it was! Together, participants submitted 251 observations and identified 174 different species. Even more exciting, nearly half of those observations achieved research-grade status, meaning they can be used by naturalists and scientists to help study biodiversity in our local ecosystem.

A big thank you to everyone who participated and contributed. Here are a few of our favorite finds from the month! If you spot your photo, be sure to tag yourself. We can't wait to do it all again next year!

iNaturalist.org National Recreation and Park Association

10/08/2026

🎃👻 GET READY FOR A SPOOKTACULAR NIGHT! 👻🎃

Registration is still OPEN for our FREE AYS Halloween Mile! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🍬

This family-friendly 1-mile run is a fun way for kids to get moving, enjoy some Halloween fun, and discover the joy of running — whether they already love to run, play another sport, or just want to try something new!

🎃 Costumes encouraged
👟 Running shoes required
🍬 Candy along the route
🏃 Fun, untimed 1-mile run
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents can run, too!

📅 October 27
📍 Cedar Elementary School
⏰ 5:45 PM
🎒 K–5 & families
💰 FREE!

⚠️ Everyone participating in the run must register, including parents running alongside their child.

👉 Learn more & register: https://loom.ly/1CUKgtY

🍬 LOCAL BUSINESSES — WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU INVOLVED!
We’re looking for local sponsors to help support this event and Avon Youth Sports. If your business would like to be part of the fun, we’d love to connect!

📧 Interested? Email [email protected]

This is Event #2 in our AYS Community Mile Series, and we’re excited to keep getting kids moving and having fun!

Grab a friend, pick out your costume, lace up those running shoes, and let’s make it SPOOKTACULAR! 🎃👻🏃

10/07/2026

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Fall fun is taking over Blue Heron Park on Saturday, October 10!

Start your afternoon with the Apple Mash Dash 5K at 2:00 PM, then enjoy the Harvest Hayrides Festival from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.

Run, ride, eat, play and enjoy an afternoon filled with hayrides, food trucks, live entertainment, bounce houses, apple launching, pumpkin fun, horseback trail rides and more!

Register for the Apple Mash Dash 5K at applemashdash.com

More event details at avonindiana.gov/hayrides

10/03/2026

HARVEST HAYRIDES IS ALMOST HERE!

Get ready for a full day of fall fun on Saturday, October 10 at Blue Heron Park!

Start the day with the Apple Mash Dash 5K at 2:00 PM, then stick around for the Harvest Hayrides Festival from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.

Enjoy hayrides, live music, food trucks, bounce houses, a fire breathing show, pumpkin drop, apple launching, horseback trail rides, face painting, Vendor Village, a b**r garden and more!

Register for the Apple Mash Dash 5K at applemashdash.com

Visit avonindiana.gov/hayrides for Harvest Hayrides details.

We will see you there!

10/01/2026

🎃👻 GET READY FOR A SPOOKTACULAR NIGHT! 👻🎃

Get ready for a spooktacular night of running, treats, costumes, and fun! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🍬

This FREE, family-friendly 1-mile event is a chance for kids to get moving, have some Halloween fun, and discover the joy of running - whether they already love to run, play another sport, or just want to try something new!

Here’s what’s waiting for you:
🎃 Costumes encouraged — just make sure they’re safe & comfortable to run in!
👟 Running shoes are required!
🍬 Candy along the route!
🏃 A fun, untimed 1-mile run
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents can run, too!

EVENT DETAILS:
📅 October 27
📍 Cedar Elementary School
⏰ 5:45 PM
🎒 K–5 & families
💰 FREE!

⚠️ Everyone who participates in the run must register - including parents who plan to run alongside their child.

👉 Learn more & register: https://loom.ly/1CUKgtY

This is Event #2 in our AYS Community Mile Series, and we’re excited to keep getting more kids out, moving, and discovering just how much fun running can be! 🧡

Grab a friend. Pick out your costume. Lace up those running shoes. Let’s make it spooktacular! 🎃👻🏃

09/30/2026

Today is the last day to participate in our 2026 BioBlitz! Be sure to load all your pictures of busy pollinators and plants into your iNaturalist app to help us document our diverse local ecosystem.

09/28/2026

Pollinator Patrol has been hard at work all month documenting the incredible plants, pollinators, and wildlife found throughout our parks and trails. There's still a few days left for you to contribute!

Simply download the iNaturalist app, take photos of your discoveries, and upload them to help build a better understanding of our local ecosystem.

Every observation counts! 🌿🦋

avonindiana.gov/parks

avonindiana.gov/parks

09/26/2026

Have you been part of our pollinator patrol? There are still a few days left to help us find and identify all the cool creepy crawly, fluttery, and buzzy pollinator pals that call our park and trails home! It is super easy to join the hunt. Just download the iNaturalis app, get out in the park or along the trails, snap pictures of the plants and insects you find, and load them into the app for identification! Submissions are accepted through September 30th.

National Recreation and Park Association