The City of Bridgeport Summer Activity Guide is hot off the press, offering programming for children and adults over the spring and summer months. Dates have been set for annually anticipated events, including family movie nights. Showing Friday, June 9 at Bridgeport City Park is the “Secret Life of Pets” and the annual “Dive-In Movie” at Bridgeport City Pool is a double feature this year: “Sing” on Friday, July 7 and “Finding Dory” on Friday, Aug. 11. The movies are projected on a large screen. Movies in the Park are free to attend and normal pool rates apply for the Dive-In Movie events.

 

Always one of the biggest draws are the city’s swim lesson series. Both morning and evening classes fill up annually on a first-paid basis. Registration cannot be made by phone; only in person at the Benedum Civic Center, 164 West Main Street.

 

“We try to make that fair by designating a Saturday morning for registration. Saturday, April 15 is the first day for swim lesson registration,” said Joe Shuttleworth, deputy director of Bridgeport Parks and Recreation. “We have a lot of prime slots for which there is limited space and they always fill up right away.”

 

The late-morning classes are among the most popular, as are evening classes.

 

“Parents like the classes which take place right before the pool opens so they don’t have to leave and come back to swim,” Shuttleworth said. “Some people need the evening classes, but they are limited too as we have other evening pool programs and events.”

 

April 15 is also the first day to purchase pool passes and rent pool facilities for this summer, but pool pass photos will not be taken until Monday, May 1.

 

Bridgeport Parks and Recreation is in the process of hiring lifeguards for this summer. The pool opens to the public 12 p.m. Saturday, May 27. Individual pool passes range from $85 to $115 and family passes range from $110 to $160, depending upon size of family and place of residency.

 

With regard to summer day camps, which are always very popular, the parks and recreation department will host Let’s Paint, Young Chefs and Little Explorers, the latter featuring themes of “Pirates Adventures” and “Under the Sea.”

Taught by Brenda Smith, the Let’s Paint camp runs June 27 to June 30 during which participating kids will create artworks revolving around a Troll theme. Activities include acrylic painting and craft projects in various mediums, including canvas, wood, slate and glass. Snacks are provided daily and the final day will feature an art exhibit so the young artists can show their projects to family members. The camp is suitable for children in second grade and up and the session costs $130.

 

Young Chefs Summer Camp runs in two sessions: June 13 to June 16 and July 11 to July 14. Children age 8 and older can participate, learning to properly measure, mix, roll and bake with their very own ingredients. The kid-friendly recipes include crescent cinnamon twists and razzle-berry hand pies. Even a field trip to the local Domino’s is planned during which kids can make their own pizza creations. The cost of the chefs’ camp is $150. Brenda Smith is also serving as instructor of the chefs’ camp.

 

Led by Anita Jesmer, Little Explorers’ Pirates Adventures runs June 19 to June 22 and Under the Sea runs July 17 to June 20, both offering morning and evening options. At the first camp, kids will learn about the life of a buccaneer, participating in a treasure hunt, sending messages in a bottle and making pirate ships and telescopes. The second camp encompasses information about whales, turtles, sharks, dolphins and other sea creatures. Day campers will make shark tooth necklaces and dolphin key chains, among other craft activities. Children ages 3 to 7 can attend. The cost is $35 per session.

 

Also continuing for the summer of 2017 are tennis camps sponsored by the United States Tennis Association. A variety of summer camps run in June, July and August, preceded by a spring camp – during which tennis fundamentals will be taught – in late-April and early May.

 

The summer will also feature karate taught by Kevin Drummond, Little Explorers taught by Anita Jesmer, Stamp Camp, caught by Kathy Hamrick and Refit taught by Cynthia Campbell.

Other special events slated for the summer months are Bridgeport Family Day at City Park to be held 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 22; the Dick’s Sporting Goods Fishing Tournament, 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June at Hinkle and Deegan Lakes; National Night Out at Bridgeport City Pool 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1 and a DNR Hunters’ Safety Course 6-9:30 p.m. May 8-10 at Benedum Civic Center.

 

Access the activities guide, which encompasses several other events and recreational opportunities, HERE.

 

Printed copies will be available at Benedum Civic Center, likely the week of March 20.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top: Benedum Civic Center (by Julie Perine), Young Chefs' summer day camp (by Julie Perine) and  Bridgeport Pool at National Night Out (by Ben Queen Photography.)