CRC UA Welcome Series

The CRC Welcome Series was launched in the fall of 2023, timed around National Welcoming Week (September 8-17) and bringing together various community groups to include a new resident welcoming component in their respective programming. If you are a new or newer UA resident, we hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to learn more about your hometown of choice! Watch for plans for our 2024 UA Welcome Series early in the New Year.

2023 UA WELCOME SERIES EVENTS

Equal UA Welcome Booth at the UA Farmers Market
4-6 pm, Wednesday, August 23
Tremont Center
Equal UA | www.equalupperarlington.com
Representatives from Equal UA were on hand a the community’s weekly Farmers Market to meet with new and newer residents.

UACA’s Neighbors Night Out
5-10 pm, Saturday, September 30
Tremont Center
UA Civic Association | www.uaca.org
A UA Civic Association tradition from when the community was first developing has been reformatted for today’s residents. Neighbors Night Out was a fun evening of food and entertainment, while also serving as a “welcome mat” for newer members of our community, so that they could meet their neighbors, and learn more about their community and how to get involved.

“Upper Arlington History 101: Making Sense of What We See in Our Community”
6:30 pm, Thursday, October 26
Friends Theater, Tremont Library
Upper Arlington Historical Society | //uahistory.org/
Kristin Greenberg, Executive Director for the UA Historical Society shared an enlightening discussion on the history of UA, from how it got its name to why we are known as the Golden Bears, with some insight on distinguishing community markers along the way.

UA Police & Community Relations Introduction for New Residents & Immigrants
6 pm, Thursday, November 30
Lower Level Meeting Room
Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road
UA Police | upperarlingtonoh.gov
Our community relations officers in the Police Division are planning to host one of their introductory sessions, tailored to new or newer residents and immigrants. Recognizing that an unplanned encounter with a police officer can be an intimidating experience for anyone, this program will help attendees better understand the methodology and goals that guide officers in their interactions with community members.

Cherry Blossom Celebration

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
2024 Upper Arlington Cherry Blossom Celebration
Monday, April 8

Check back in the New Year, as plans for the 2024 Cherry Blossom Celebration take shape.

2023 Upper Arlington Cherry Blossom Celebration

5 pm, Monday, April 3
Mallway Park, Arlington Avenue
The community was invited to participate in a celebration of the grove of cherry trees in Mallway Park by the Veterans Plaza, as part of a broader series of activities scheduled across Central Ohio in celebration of spring and to provide an opportunity to learn about Japanese culture.

UA’s celebration was presented by the following groups: Asian American Community Services (AACS), the Upper Arlington High School AAPI Student Organization, and Cover to Cover Books.

St. Mark’s Culture & Artisans Fair

The Community Relations Committee is pleased to be a supporting partner of the St. Mark’s Culture and Artisans Fair. This event received a $1,000 CRC Innovation Small Grant in 2023, and will be part of the CRC’s UA Welcome Series in 2024. Please check back for updates in the coming months.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE 2024 ST. MARK’S CULTURE & ARTISANS FAIR:

10 am-3 pm, Saturday, May 4, 2024
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
2151 Dorset Road, Upper Arlington

Pride Month Flag Raising Ceremony

Each June, community leaders, including members of City Council and the Community Relations Committee, invite the community to join with them as the Pride Flag is raised on the front plaza of the Municipal Services Center.

Watch for details of the 2024 ceremony.

UA Pride

UA Pride is an annual event hosted by Rainbow UA. This event received CRC Innovation Small Grant funding in 2022 and 2023, to help it become established. For 2024, the CRC will be incorporating UA Welcome Series activities within the UA Pride event.

2024 UA PRIDE
Sunday, June 9
Mark your calendars for the 2024 UA Pride event. Check back for details.

Photo Credits: Josh Rodstein

Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony

In 2022, the City of Upper Arlington added Juneteenth to its annual roster of public holidays. That same year, members of City Council and the Community Relations Committee initiated the community’s first Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony.

In 2023 we were honored to be joined by Columbus historian and author, Rita Fuller Yates, and our 2022 Community Relations Award recipient, Reita Smith, to participate in the celebration.

Watch for details of the 2024 ceremony.

UACA’s Neighbors Night Out

The Upper Arlington Civic Association held its first Neighbors Night Out event in September of 2023. This event was the recipient of a $5,000 CRC Innovation Small Grant, in support of its focus on providing a welcoming component for new or newer residents in our community. The Community Relations Committee also took advantage of this event to host a welcome table as part of the CRC’s UA Welcome Series.

Watch for details of the 2024 Neighbors Night Out.