A steady flow of park-goers lingered in Schenley Park this past Friday enjoying Eleventh Hour Brewing’s custom lager, Lula La Chula’s Mexican cuisine and live music from Pittsburgher Katelyn Fajardo during the kick off of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s third beer-garden series.

“ We wanted to find a way to get Pittsburghers out into the parks but in a very relaxed way while also giving back to our mission and helping to sustain these really cherished public spaces,” said Alana Wenk of the conservancy.

Wenk said the Parks on Tap beer garden series has grown in popularity, attracting waves of about 50 people at a time in relaxed crowds during each event. In addition to requesting the rotating food vendors, participants last summer asked for musicians to be added to the events, Wenk said.

“This year, we are doing it every other week,” said conservancy CEO  Catherine Qureshi, “So, we’ve really doubled it. It was so successful, so enjoyed. People came. There’s no agenda. There are no speeches. It’s just people coming after perhaps a long week … They can relax with their friends.”

That’s exactly how Carnegie Mellon University civil and environmental engineering researcher Noah Asch and his colleague  Albin Wells described their experience.

“ I’m a PhD student, or just graduated, but at Carnegie Mellon right next door, and it’s nice to take off a bit early on a Friday and hang out outside when it’s nice out,” said Wells, a native Pittsburgher.

“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity and especially when it’s in this lovely setting right next to Phipps,” Asch added, “I think this is a great thing for the community and for Pittsburgh as a whole.”

May 15 was the first of eight events scheduled through September. Between  sponsorships and proceeds generated from the beer sales and food vendors, more than $20,000 has been raised to date. Funds support spaces such as the Schenley Park Visitor Center, where all of this year’s events will be held.

“ I think people yearn for passive relaxation, to be in a space and without any expectation of themselves or even of other people,” Qureshi said. Parks on Tap furthers her organization’s mission to not only support operations but also to improve Pittsburghers’ quality of life.

“Everyone is welcome,” she added.

This year’s Park’s on Tap food and music lineup at the Schenley Park Visitor Center includes:

May 15 — Featuring Lula La Chula with music from Katelyn FajardoMay 29 — Featuring La Palapa with music from Van GilderJune 12 — Featuring Revival Chili with music from TurkeyfootJune 26 — Featuring No Horns Pizza with music from Tucker MuetzelJuly 31 — Featuring Revival Chili with music from Cody Piper and Julia NorahAugust 14 — Featuring No Horns Pizza with music from ZoobAugust 28 — Featuring Hibachi Lou with music from Brad YoderSeptember 25 — Featuring No Horns Pizza with music from Skye Burkett

The parks conservancy nonprofit works under a public-private partnership agreement with the City of Pittsburgh to restore and improve the city’s park system. The conservancy has raised more than $150 million and completed 24 major park improvement projects since its founding in 1996. The conservancy works with thousands of volunteers, hosts hundreds of events, and provides programming for more than 7,500 children each year.