We are thrilled to share that our Parks & Recreation Department was selected to receive the 2022 mParks Innovative Recreation Programming Award for their work on hosting Diwali Festival of Lights!

Diwali is the five-day Festival of Lights celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. The City’s Diwali Festival of Lights event included traditional classical dance performances, henna art, sidewalk chalk Rangoli art, a Diya lamp craft station, and a Glow Roll and Walk. The November event was the City’s second year celebrating the festival and we look forward to our third year celebrating Diwali on October 22, 2022.

The Michigan Recreation and Park Association’s annual awards honor exemplary park and recreation professionals and the Innovative Recreation Programming category recognizes creativity and high-level performance. The award was presented at the 2022 mParks Conference & Trade Show on March 6, 2022, at the Grand Traverse Resort.

We are proud of this recognition and congratulate our Parks & Recreation Department as well as their fellow winners and nominees. We are grateful for the support of the event sponsors, Stellantis through a generous donation from the Auburn Hills Community Foundation, and Genisys Credit Union, and appreciative of our staff that worked hard to make the event possible.

Lisa Passalacqua, Community Engagement Manager