Chicago Park Introduces Grateful Dead-Inspired Playground

August 12, 2016

Chicago’s Douglas Park has recently unveiled a new music-themed playground dubbed the Sunshine Daydream Playground, named after the closing section of the Grateful Dead’s “Sugar Magnolia” tune, DNAinfo Chicago reports (via Live For Live Music).

Area children from a Douglas Park Swoosh Summer Academy helped the playground officially open, marking Chicago’s first ever playground devoted to music. The playground includes toy drums and xylophones, a climbable plastic standup bass and even a fountain featuring dancing bear sculptures.

The playground is part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s continuing “Chicago Plays” initiative and was made possible by a hefty donation from AirBnB after the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well concerts at Soldier Field last summer. “We wanted to build something in a neighborhood that kids and families can meet, where they can feel like they belong,” says Alex Ward, AirBnB’s host of community operations.

“Music is a universal language, whether it’s the Grateful Dead or ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb,’” says Arthur Richardson, central region manager for the Chicago Park District. “I think anything that we can introduce these kids to something that expands the horizons of their imagination is a good thing.”