This Summer, Unplug To Grow: Pitney Meadows Community Farm And Brave Lion Wholehearted Wellness Invite Families To Screen-Free “Summer Sunset Socials” At The Farm!

Sign up for Summer Sunset Socials now through the Pitney Meadows Community Farm Event Calendar! www.pitneymeadowscommunityfarm.org/calendar/events

What if you could press pause on your busy week, set down your phone, and step into an evening filled with sunshine, laughter, kites, and fireflies? This summer, Pitney Meadows Community Farm and Brave Lion Wholehearted Wellness are making that vision a reality with their new weekly series: Summer Sunset Socials: Unplug to Grow: Curiosity, Community & Joy.

Launching Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025, and running every Wednesday evening through August 6th from 6:30–8:30 PM at Pitney Meadows Community Farm (223 West Ave., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866), these events offer more than just family fun; they are a gentle rebellion against the frantic pace of modern life. It’s an open invitation to slow down, look up, and truly connect with the people and world around you.

Forget schedules. Forget screens. Forget the impulse to capture and post. At Summer Sunset Socials, the only thing you need to savor is the feeling of warm grass beneath your feet, the sky turning gold as the sun sets beyond the fields, and the company of community.

"Summer Sunset Socials are simply an opportunity to cherish the curiosity, innocence, and wonder of childhood, nourish the senses, and grow meaningful community connections,” says Pitney Meadows Executive Director, Brooke McConnell. “... and to do so without the tug and distraction of our phones! These gatherings are for us grownups too, of many generations, to slow down and see the summer through the lens of the current moment, not our screens."

Upon arrival, families will be required to check their phones at the “door," creating a shared agreement to be fully present. From there, the evening unfolds naturally… no set agenda, no loud entertainment, no pressure to do anything but enjoy and to just be.

Summer Sunset Social attendees are welcome to:

• Fly a kite across a wide-open sky...
• Play lawn games that make you giggle like you did as a kid...
• Deal out cards at a quiet table and make a new friend...
• Make bubbles as big as your imagination, or draw joy right onto the pavement with sidewalk chalk...
• Wait for the fireflies to arrive and twinkle their tiny magic into the dusk...
• Join in artistic exploration with an array of local creatives who will guide you in playful, soul-filling ways...
• So much more!

And the best part? These gatherings are for all ages and all kinds of families… parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors, couples, and anyone seeking a rare chance to slow down and savor simple, meaningful connection. 

"I keep hearing that everyone wants to be on their phone less, but don't know how to do it, or feel like they will be the odd one out. Well, we are creating these events to take the pressure off,” says Leah Ferrone, founder of Brave Lion Wholehearted Wellness. “Please join us for one of these savored summer evenings where you feel radically present and full of joy and possibility. I'm pretty sure most of the world's issues could be solved during an intergenerational card game at a farm picnic table. But you will have to come find out for yourself."

Rooted in the belief that true growth happens when we unplug and tune into our surroundings, Summer Sunset Socials offer something increasingly rare: space to cultivate joy, curiosity, and real togetherness.

At these gatherings, families will:

• Grow community through laughter and shared, intergenerational play
• Grow self-awareness through mindful, embodied activities
• Grow a connection to nature through sensory-rich moments on the farm
• Grow inner wisdom through quiet reflection
• Grow relationships by strengthening the bonds between family, friends, and neighbors in real time

And there’s no need to rush… this is a come-as-you-are, stay-as-long-as-you-like evening, meant to feel like an unhurried summer picnic that you’ll want to linger at.

So set down your phone. Step into the sunset. Come to your Community Farm, and grow everything that truly matters.