The Bridle Trails Park Foundation invites Kirkland residents who enjoy horses, 10K runs and a plethora of pancakes to the 11th annual “Party in the Park” celebration set for June 22.

As the foundation’s biggest event of the summer, president Ken Hite expects hundreds of volunteers and at least 1,000 people from the community to attend Bridle Trails State Park that day.

“It gets pretty crowded,” said Hite. “It’s one of several events we put on to get people to the park, get people enthused and get donations.”

Hite and other board members of the foundation are tasked with funding half of the net operating costs each year for 40 years in accordance with a 2003 donation agreement with the State Parks and Recreation Commission.

“Bridle Trails State Park was on the closure list,” Hite said. “The state was going through budget woes like they are today and to save money, they were looking at closing the park.”

But the Kirkland community reacted by forming the nonprofit Bridle Trails Park Foundation and agreed to fundraise about $40,000 on an annual basis.

In turn, the 120-plus-year-old park will remain off the state parks closure list and the community is free to enjoy 28 miles of horse and pedestrian trails, horse show grounds with three arenas and a picnic area.

Party in the Park, which generates a “good chunk” of the park’s revenue, will include a 10K run, a 5K run, and a 5K and 10K walk, said Hite. Hungry athletes or regular park goers are welcome to a $5 pancake and bacon breakfast with coffee or juice while The Black Pearls entertain.

“Let me tell you, it’s a lot of bacon to cook,” Hite laughs, who enjoys riding his two horses and hiking with is dogs at the park.

Hite said The Black Pearls have “magnificent dancing and choreographed Friesian horses that are from the Netherlands” that perform. Horse drill teams and “jousting knights” will accompany pony rides, cake walks, face painters and a Donkey Dash for kids.

Because of the high volume of guests and need for horse trailer parking, the foundation has provided a shuttle service that will run from the Central Park Tennis Club to the park every 10 minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources managed the park’s land grant in 1889 until Washington State Parks began leasing the land in the 1930s. State parks eventually acquired ownership in the 1960s, according to the foundation’s website.

The 482-acre park is now home to Douglas firs, woodpeckers, mice, salamanders, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, the occasional mountain beaver and even rarer coyote.

To volunteer at Party in the Park, contact pipvolunteers@bridletrails.org. Runners can register at active.com or in person at Everyday Athlete in Kirkland and can email run@bridletrails.org for more information. To help the Bridle Trails Park Foundation out with their park funding, become a sponsor by contacting btpf@bridletrails.org.

For more information about the foundation or Party in the Park, visit www.bridletrails.org.

Event schedule

When: Saturday, June 22

8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Bridle Trails State Park Horse Show Grounds

Northeast 53rd and 116th Northeast in Kirkland

Schedule:

7:30 a.m. – Day-of-race registration and packet pickup begins. Cost: $30 pre-registered – $35 day-of-race of race for adults; $15 pre-registration and $20 day-of-race for kids 15 years and under.

8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Breakfast: Pancakes, bacon, coffee or juice – $5 a plate

9:00 a.m. – 10k begins

9:05 a.m. – 5k begins

9:06 a.m. – 5k/10k walk begins

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Pony rides (suggested $5 donation), cake walk, face painters, Donkey Dash

10:00am – 12:30pm – Free entertainment featuring jousting knights, equestrian drill teams

Schedule courtesy of the Bridle Trails Park Foundation