In the midst of Sarasota’s post-recession development boom, the Sarasota Farmer’s Market is adopting proactive measures to preserve Pineapple Park, with a day of festivities dubbed Save Pineapple Park Day, held on the grounds and planned for this Saturday, July 4. The park, complete with fountain, walkway and swaths of green grass, has long been a popular stop for Sarasota Farmer’s Market, but according to executive director Phil Pagano, preserving Pineapple Park is about more than the Market.

“The citizens of downtown use this green space quite a bit,” said Pagano. “There’s no other place to walk a dog or get on a piece of grass other than crossing 41. This is the closest spot.” Green space in Sarasota proper is important to Pagano, and he’s seen a lot of it disappear over the years, especially with recent development, he says.

With a day of outdoorsy community activities for families and children, including Rosaire’s Petting Zoo and performances from the Ted Stevens Band, Save Pineapple Park Day is the Farmer’s Market’s way of trying to bring the community at large on board to understand the value of Pineapple Park and send a message to the Sarasota City Commission that, should the issue ever come before them, “they should think about it when they vote on this particular issue,” said Pagano.

“I urge everyone to come out and take a look,” said Pagano. “I’m very confident. This is just the beginning.”

Save Pineapple Park Day is this Saturday at Pineapple Park.