Friends of Friendship Park announced a lineup of events happening Saturday to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the park’s inauguration.
"We're celebrating the past — because of 51 years. We are celebrating the present: by the work and the events that are happening. But we are also thinking about the future. And the future is not: fenced off, more border walls that preclude the safe and secure coming together of people and families and community and culture."
Workshops on native plants, a Kumeyaay ceremony, and a free concert from guitarist Javier Batiz will be held on from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Mexico side of Friendship Park.
But celebrations on the U.S. side will look much different.
"While there will be this large, public concert, free and open to the public on the Mexican side, sadly, the U.S. Side of Friendship Park remains closed," said John Fanestil with Friends of Friendship Park.
He said Customs and Border Protection, San Diego Sector hadn't granted public access to the park since February 2020, citing staffing shortages.
To lament the closure, Fanestil said an art installation would take place on the U.S. side of the park.
"We’ll be hosting an installation of empty chairs on California state park property, which is outside of the strip of federal land which we know as Friendship Park," he said.
One hundred fifty empty chairs with messages from supporters will be on display from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Fanestil hopes the contrast of the celebrations will send a message.
"We often say there's a huge party on the Mexican side of Friendship Park, a perpetual fiesta, and someday we feel people here in the U.S. should be able to join the party,” he said.
Fanestil also said a stakeholder summit would be held next month to gather community input for the design of Friendship Park.
The summit comes after CBS put a pause on construction that included two 30-foot tall walls.
“CBP commissioner Chris Magnus said the purpose of the pause was to engage in conversation with the community," Fanestil said. "Well, we’re convening the community."
The stakeholder summit will be held on Sept. 9 and 10. CBP officials have not confirmed if they will attend the summit.
