City of Rexburg is celebrating Parks and Recreation Month throughout the month of July. The first event will be held on July 2 and will be “Rexburg on the Green,"this event will turn Rexburg’s Center Street into a park for a day.
Reese Nelson, professor of the horticulture departmentat BYU-Idaho and one of the sponsors of the event said the goal of “Rexburg on the Green” is to get people outside and off their electronic devices.
“I think we’re all a little bit obsessed with our devices, spending an ordinate amount of time on them,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the idea of the event began because he is affiliated with non-profit group which promote activities to get people outdoors.
“I am affiliated with this non-profit group called “Come Alive Outside” and they have a platform of activities that they use to promote people to get outside,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the city has the need to get students outdoors and in nature.
“From the City of Rexburg’s perspective and the mayor’s, who happens to be a landscaper by profession, we all get the need to bring students in close proximities in nature,” Nelson said.
Nelson said there are a lot of benefits of getting outside which include, less stress and improve our mental and psychological moods.
“That’s the reason behind it,” Nelson said. “It’s not just a party. We’re trying to wean ourselves off our devices and get outside.”
He said Rexburg has a short growing season and hopes this event will help students take advantage of being outdoors this time of the year.
“For the students who are here, it really is the best time to go outside,” Nelson said. “We hopethis encourages them as an invitation or a springboard to do that.”
The event will be held on Center Street and will start at 4 p.m. and go until 10 p.m. It will include outdoor games, dancing and an outdoor concert.