The Wedge Heads Into a Full Summer of Neighborhood Events

The market, LHENA's signature annual fundraiser, combines a neighborhood bake sale, a swap meet, a small farmers table and an art market with vendors into a single morning, rain or shine. LHENA, the nonprofit that represents the dense, renter-heavy neighborhood known as the Wedge, runs the day on volunteers who set up tables, staff booths and break it all down.

That reliance is the group's standing model. City funding covers the basics of operating a neighborhood organization, but the events that draw neighbors out depend on residents donating time, and LHENA keeps an open volunteer call running through the season. The association is governed by an 11-member volunteer board and asks new residents to start with a single event rather than a standing commitment.

Mueller Park carries much of the neighborhood's communal calendar. Beyond the June market, the park hosts the National Night Out gathering on the first Tuesday in August and a monthly litter pickup, the next on June 20. The Uptown Farmers Market also runs nearby on Thursday evenings at the Lagoon and Girard plaza.

Volunteer sign-ups and the full events calendar are posted at thewedge.org.