CITA PARK: New Haven's Night Market Features Beer Garden Built On Inclusion & Culture

In the picturesque streets of downtown New Haven, a significant movement is coming to fruition—beer, music, food and vibes, with a heart and soul that’s built around black and brown culture and presence. The vision comes alive with the debut of CITA Park at the New Haven Night Market on May 17, marking the arrival of the region’s first beer garden that is prioritizing a welcoming celebration of black culture and people.

The craft beer industry, known for its creativity and community, has yet to develop its legacy of inclusion. It's a space that thrives on diversity in taste but is often lacking in representation. There has always been a population it comes to the people who want to produce and enjoy thoughtfully made beer. This is where "Change in the Air '' steps in—a foundation created to disrupt and diversify the craft beer industry and be a beacon of light for Black and Brown expression within the craft beer cultural space.

“Change in the Air” has thrown multiple beerfests that were successful, fresh and left patrons collectively saying: “we need to do this again!” The natural evolution was to create a seasonal beer garden, event space and performance series, set to debut at New Haven's Night Market on Friday, May 17. The collective efforts of innovative allies in the craft beer world, enthusiasts and event curators that prioritize black spaces and demonstrate a passion for executing dope events has culminated in the creation of CITA park. If you value craft beer, New Haven vibrance, or any version of a good time, this project should definitely be on your radar.

The Heartbeat of CITA Park

CITA Park isn't merely a place; it's a sanctuary of inclusivity and cultural celebration. Born from the partnership between various community organizations, this outdoor beer garden embodies the spirit of community, diversity, arts, culture, and, of course, exceptional craft beer and cocktails with a special highlight on black and brown owned beverage producers.

Set to operate from May 17 to October 31, CITA Park offers an oasis where event-goers, beer enthusiasts, foodies, and social impact advocates can gather to enjoy a diverse palette of events and flavors. From live music and DJs spinning Latin, Afro Beats, Hip Hop, R&B, Blues, Funk, to Jazz, to an array of food vendors representing all cultural diasporas, the park aims to be a melting pot of experiences.

A Movement Towards Inclusion

The inception of CITA Park and its objectives are reflections of a larger initiative spearheaded by the Change in the Air Foundation. Their extensive efforts have already made substantial impacts:

●  Raising over $100,000 towards the African American Brewers scholarship, helping diversify an industry that has traditionally been less accessible to people of color.

●  Celebrating the graduation of seven scholarship recipients from Sacred Heart University's brewing science program, contributing fresh, diverse voices into the craft beer community.

●  Launching initiatives like the Change in the Air Festival, the most diverse beer festival in the region, providing a platform for over 70 black and brown artists, musicians, and vendors, and being recognized by Boston magazine as one of the "festivals not to miss this summer."

Beyond Beer – A Vision for the Future

The ambitions of CITA Park and the Change in the Air Foundation extend beyond crafting a welcoming beer garden. Their vision encompasses disrupting the status quo and challenging industries to be more inclusive, representative, and diverse.

There is also the desire of their board- a list of change agents and bright stars in the food and beverage solar system of CT-to be innovative and pull off the best damn beer garden the world has ever seen. Through actions like the establishment of the CITA Mobile app, aimed at keeping the community informed and engaged with events, to proposals for future like establishing paid internships for aspiring black and brown beverage professionals who may not want to be a brewer or own a brewery but see themselves in other roles like sales, marketing, or Taproom management, etc.

Jamal Robinson, CITA’s co-founder and a 20 year craft beer industry veteran spoke to me about the soul behind the scenario: “This movement is not about creating a segregated space. It’s about creating a space with intention- not just through the kind of music we play, but also our collaborations with other black and brown leaders of culture that will activate the space. If you’re black or brown in New Haven, especially black, there aren’t a lot of spaces to just hang out and vibe that truly feel like they are built around or for our culture.

“The foundation has always felt that diversifying the beer industry means diversifying who’s working in the industry, and diversifying the spaces where people drink beer and hang out. That was our intention with the original festival, and CITA Park is an opportunity to do that all summer long, while being a residual fundraiser for the scholarship with proceeds going back towards the endowment fund.”

A conversation with General Manager Eugene Morton gave me a feel for the excitement around the music and art that are the pulsating lifeblood of this project and the vibes in the garden. After success in multiple cities developing events and spaces that epitomize a passion for artists, he brings a real understanding of what makes the people move.

His anecdote for why this space is necessary really resonated with me. “Joey Garlics is one of my dad’s favorite restaurants. I absolutely love shepherd's pie from an Irish pub. When I enter an Irish pub or an Italian eatery, it is understood that these spaces reflect and highlight those ethnic groups. I’m not kicked out. I’m not made to feel less than. I get my shepards pie and enjoy my beer. That’s what we are doing. We will be prioritizing black voices. The welcoming of all peoples is a “yes/and '', not an “either, or”.

Join the Celebration

CITA Park's debut at the New Haven Night Market is more than an event; it's a stepping stone towards a progressive, inclusive, and diverse craft beer industry. It symbolizes the possibility of a community where everyone is welcome, and every culture is celebrated through the universal language of beer.

We invite you to be part of this inaugural celebration—to stand with us in a place where representation, diversification, and disruption matter. Whether you are an event-goer, a beer enthusiast, a foodie, or simply someone who believes in the power of community and inclusivity, CITA Park has something for you.

This garden, this movement, is for you. It’s for everyone. Join us at CITA Park, where every sip tells a story, and every moment shared contributes to building a more inclusive world.

GET IN TOUCH WITH CITA-

changeintheairfest.net

Private / semi private events -bookings - collaborations - Citapark@gmail.com or info@changeinthrairfest.com

@cita_park on all platforms