Their Lunar New Year celebration was so fun. Appropriate for all ages, with lots of yummy food vendors offering the best of bao, korean hotdogs, & all the sweet treats. The DJ was awesome & my kids really enjoyed the performances. Shout out to Dumpling Haus! Their bao was delicious. Aside from LNY, the park hosts many events through out the year, so bookmark its website to keep up-to-date. There is parking very close by to the park itself, and many restaurants/bars to try out. Only restrooms available were portable so be prepared for that. read more

Market Square Park - Fu dog performance - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Finally made it out to Blanket Bingo Night, and it did not disappoint! It's $10 for 9 rounds -- super affordable and tons of fun. We actually won the first round and scored a $50 gift card to Barbacoa! They were also celebrating Día de Muertos, and with every bingo packet purchase, they gave out a rose crown headband. Such a lovely and festive touch. Definitely a souvenir ill cherish. Overall, this event was a 5/5 experience. Great atmosphere, great prizes, and great vibes. Can't wait for the next one! read more

Market Square Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We went to check out the lights and it was cool, but there were a few homeless people (one did something that elicited a negative reaction from my kid) that made it awkward. There was a janitor cleaning the place up at night and there were games to play also, which were all great to have. Parking was easy and a few people were taking tons of photos in small groups, which made the environment friendly. read more

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I'm very impressed with downtown and this park! This is my fifth day living in downtown and I'm extremely impressed. This park is absolutely great! Yes there is homeless people but so far they seem to keep to themselves. This park is well maintained with a ton of features. A section of the park is dedicated to a lady who lost her life on sept 11th. What a beautiful way to memorialize her. I'm blown away by this park. I will def come here over and over again. read more

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Came here for the Lunar New Year celebration. A great venue for such an important event. There were so many local vendors selling unique products too. read more

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Here's the tea: I love the downtown Houston farmers market at Market Square Park! It's been ages since I've written a Yelp review, but here we are. It's a great place to discover and support local growers and makers. There's also live music and different activities each week. I highly recommend checking it out, whether you're rolling with friends, family, solo, or a pup. It's from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. every Saturday through May 25, 2024, and it'll begin again in the fall and run from September 7 through November 16, 2024. read more

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Market Square Park is a nice place to relax and unwind. They even host events like movie night in the park, blanket bingo, fitness class just to name a few. I've been to blanket bingo twice and enjoyed each time I've been. They even have a Nikos Nikos on the property I would definitely recommend you explore this park. read more

Market Square Park - Blanket Bingo setup - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

It's time to market down in our diaries and drive over here and park and explore it. This is a lovely little park that takes up one square block in the downtown area. It's pretty adorable and perfect for it. It's definitely one of the highlights of this area, and a place that I keep coming back to when I'm in downtown and want a bit of greenery. Although of course Discovery Green is even better. read more

Market Square Park - This little piggy went to market square park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is a great historic park in the Theatre District. There's also a dedicated dog park section. The dog park is popular but can get quite dirty, so it's a good idea to wash your dog after a visit. The park hosts a variety of outdoor community events, including movies, fitness classes, markets, blanket bingo, and some cultural events. There used to be a restaurant here called Niko Nikos, which closed about a year ago and no replacement has been announced yet. While the presence of homeless individuals can be an issue at times, city employees do a good job of minimizing disruptive panhandling. Jehovah's Witnesses often promote their religion and sometimes stand in areas that block access to the park's signage. As a nearby resident, it's unsettling that the city or park management seems to endorse this, as it makes the park feel less welcoming. read more

Market Square Park is a well known park downtown. It's located to a lot of hot spots, close to Main Street and a bunch of other bars and restaurants. It's not a large park but a cool one. While I've visited on numerous occasions, I stopped by on Christmas Eve to check out the park in its full splendor. There are quite a few highlights. Plaques and information about the park's history is spread out throughout the park. There are also several statues, including a 9/11 memorial for a Houston native who passed away on the hijacked plane. There are artistic benches on all sides of the park. Plus, a dog park and Nikko Nikko's in the center. This is not a park where there are walking trails or plenty of space, but it is a unique park and a historic one at that. read more

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Market Square Park is one of Houston's oldest parks! It is the original Houston town center, first established in 1836! Today it is a small, 12-acre park located in downtown Houston featuring activities/events (pre-covid era), surrounding restaurants (including a Niko Niko's cafe in the center of the park), plenty of tables to sit and hang out at, and a dog park. Make sure to read the historic marker, as the history behind this park is what makes the park special! read more

I spent a bit of time here at Market Square Park after a good walk and needing a little rest. This is a cool park and is very well maintained. Apparently it wasn't always this way. No worries, today it's shady with lots of trees, benches, smooth brick walkways and some really well kept landscaping. A bunch of folks were having a pretty awesome picnic too. Dog park! Love it! read more

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Nice area to chill on the grass, sit at a table under the shade or under the sun. Niko Niko's has total monopoly to serve food there, though you're really at one crossing of so many other good places to eat and drinks, that you can order to-go from! Barnaby's, Cru, Batanga.. Otherwise, there's a CVS right at the corner to get some favorite chips! Went there for a bingo night, that happens once a month. Sat under the covered area, where they have big fans. So helpful! Parking is limited, keep in mind it is downtown. I'd suggest to arrive early in the evening to get a nice spot! read more

Market square park is a fun little outdoor area in downtown Houston that offers free concerts, movies and bingo nights! Located in between Milam at and Travis st, theres a parking lot Next door, which is nice. The weather was perfect...we sat under the stars and watched some live music for the first time since stupid covid hit. There's a small niko niko Greek food hut, they sell beers and other drinks...restrooms are also located on the property. The only thing I didn't enjoy were the homeless people walking up and asking for money or drinks, but it was really nice to get out and enjoy some outdoor time again! read more

Market Square Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This review is for the Saturday-only farmers market that was packed up and gone by 1pm. What in the actual hell?! Ya know, some of us work long hours over the week and don't want to be rushed on a Saturday morning to hurry up and get downtown so we can buy our vegetables on time. Others of us are stuck working or taking classes on Saturday mornings and couldn't make it there by 1pm if we tried. Get better hours and get a clue. I expected a farmers market in Houston in 2023 to have a better sense of reality, but this reeks of such urban hipster cluelessness, I thought I was in Austin for a minute. No thanks. read more

Thank the lawd Market Square Park has been beautifully reconstructed and revamped for a more family-friendly, neighborhood hangout. This park used to scare me. But now, it's my favorite spot for a fall evening with my little man, Texie. There's a small covered stage for free musical performances, a grassy area to conduct your own picnic, on site Niko Niko's -serving wine. Woo-hoo! - two dog parks, fountains, sculptures, hand sanitizing stations every which way you look, table seating and benches. I like how they worked in the old mosaic benches that were once used as beds for the homeless sleeping in the park. Something tells me they were re-worked though. And on evenings when there are scheduled performances, the entire Market Square area joins in on the action hosting food and beverage tastings. Noteworthy: I spotted Hotel Icon mixing up bevs right outside of Voice, and black and white flicks were projected on an old building across from the park. And a cupcake truck paid a visit to lure kiddies and sweet-toothed adults over for a little innocent indulgence. On one particular Saturday eve, my gf and I enjoyed a bottle of wine from Niko Niko (they can't give you the bottle, so they poured our bevs in giant plastic cups), strolled around with her kids, snapped photos, entertained the dog at the park and plopped down on the itchy-but-so-worth-it grass to enjoy live blues from the band. I honestly love this park far better than Discovery Green. It's much smaller in size and not as "busy," but they've packed some great elements that make for a perfect couple of hours here. The only downside of this park is that I - and I'm sure other locals - would appreciate the presence of a few more street cart food options. I'm sure Niko Niko's forked over a lot of moo-lah for their space, but a coupla hot dogs or pretzels would pair perfectly with a nice evening here - and they'd be a lot more affordable for other families. Hopefully they'll bring a small farmer's or art market to space ... though I can see reason why they want it to remain simple and clean. The upside is that so many bars and eateries perimeter the park grounds: Les Givral's Kahve, Treebeards, Hearsay Gastro Lounge, Voice, and more. I simply love it here. read more

Market Square Park - Live tunes - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is the area that is bounded by Travis, Milam, Congress and Preston streets. This area is what I would call the center of downtown. There is a lot of history to be found here. Just look around and you can see a lot of the old 19th Century architecture. One of the oldest locations is La Carafe. Just by looking at this building you can tell that if their walls could speak they would tell wonderful stories from years past. All around the sides are beautiful tile mosaics. Also in the center there is a huge sculpture. I would recommend checking this place out during the day. At night there are lots of bums that use this area as sleeping grounds. read more

Great family friendly environment. The dog park is very convenient for downtown living. A great place for the local bicyclists to meet up. Niko Nikos is located in the middle of the park, such a delicious Houston staple. read more

Really great spot for a good walk! The views are nice, and the ambiance is fantastic especially at night. They even have a Niko Niko's here that serves coffee. Definitely make a trip here if you have a dog! The park is very pet friendly. read more

Tiny park in the middle of downtown Houston. It is the size of one block. The two things of note here are the cafe in the middle of the place that appeared to cater to the lunch crowd, and the dog park. It is okay if you want some tranquility in the middle of the skyscrapers. read more

Market Square Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

One block, that's it. That's all it needs. Doggy play area Nikos Nikos Greek American Cafe on the lawn Plenty of in the sun and Covered seating Meet up for social bike rides City provided bike rentals Eateries surrounded read more

Market Square Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Took my puppy love here. Cute place in downtown with NikoNiko's in the middle. It has 2 dog parks in the outer part of it, was too cute. I will be back here too! read more

Market Square Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

Market square is aptly named. Back in the 1850s, it began as a public market. It was the central market place in Houston. Over the years, prosperous businesses began erecting buildings around the square. (eg-Kennedy Bakery, which is now La Carafe) In fact, City Hall used to be along Market Square. After a few fires and rebuilds (four), it moved, but the original clock face is still there. If you ever wondered what that brick column on the corner of Travis and Congress was, and why it made noise occasionally, that's why. An auditory reminder. If you walk through the remodeled square, you'll see reclaimed tile work from entrances of businesses torn down and tiles of old pictures and newspaper articles of the square along your journey. The four mid-block entrances have beautiful benches with infinity-edged painted ceramic tile fountains. The center of the labyrinthine paths lead to a sculpture. Beyond its history, and present day history lesson, Market Square is also surrounded by a few of the original buildings, which are homes to some new businesses, and some rather old ghosts. For those interested, here is a quick, and not complete rundown of the previous buildings and their new businesses: Kennedy Bakery-La Carafe Cotton Exchange Building-The Cotton Exchange (bar) and office building City Hall and Market House-Greyhound Bus Station-parking lot-Park Dukes of Hollywood Tailors-CharBar Fox Kohlman Building-Warren's Baker-Meyer Building-Treebeard's read more

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It is square. It used to be a market back in 'ye olden days. The name does not lie. But that is only the beginning. Back in the slightly less olden days, before the renovation, this was still a really sweet place to look shady and hang out; and it was well-situated to be located near the watering hole CharBar when I went off the clock and the tasty tasty Treebeards for lunch when I needed some jambalaya. After the renovation it is now an amazing space, something that seemed unpossible (like Ralph Wiggum failing English) to see in downtown just a few years ago when I moved here. Singlehandedly with the introduction of the dog park, it has made living downtown desirable and easy to do with your hairy children, instead of being relegated to the townhouses with a backyard and suburban lifestyle that seemed to be your only choice a few years ago. The dog park: my little monster likes this dog park more than any other dog park in the city. He told me himself, I am not putting words into his mouth, that he likes this one with his kind of "people" around - we spotted a King Charles Cavalier! Now that should be a fixture at every dog park, a well groomed and well behaved little monster just like my own. Most other dog parks have the bigger, less cute/non-designer/non-royalty/definitely-not-purebreds. But we fit in here much better and even the humans are nice too, not snippy like the dog park at Ervan Chew ... where their huge dog lunges at your tiny dog and they shout out "don't worry, he's friendly!" which is a lie that people tell other people, like "Wow, that's interesting" or "I love you." Niko-Niko's Market Square: see companion review, but it is awesome. The fountain: so nice, peaceful, and pleasant. Oh man, I need a restroom now! It is so relaxing to just sit on the bench and listen to the rushing water go by. The art: ahhh-wait for it-amazing. Love it. It is so distinctive and fun to be around as you walk towards it from blocks away on all sides. The wooden paddle thing stands out like only something impressive can - and if you eat outside at Niko's no less than five people will come pose in front of the statute during your meal. The smaller fountains with all the colors are distinctive reminders of a Market Square Past, and seeing the construction take place to transform an okay place to hang out and look shady into an awesome space to hang out and look shady in. Near amazing pizza (ERA,) drinking (Hearsay,) cajun/creole (Treebeards,) Colombian food (Macondo Bistro,) and plenty of other neato things. This is a lot of awesome crammed into a tiny space. One of my favorite spots in Houston - this is my Room of Requirement when I need some time to sit, think, and do some glorious people-watching that rivals the Greenwich Village people watching conundrum: the most attractive person in the world going one way and the craziest person ever with tin foil and footie pajamas going the other way. You need to pick one to watch! This happens every five minutes. This is why I love Market Square Park. read more

I love the new and improved Market Square Park! Many years ago, back in the 1990's, my husband had a job at the Houston Chronicle. The park is very close to the Chronicle and I used to just notice some mosaic tile benches with homeless people sleeping there. Since those days, the park has been re-imagined and rebuilt. Things I love about this park: 1) The fountains are varied and beautiful. I loved how each fountain was unique and gave that side of the park a different feel. 2) Separated small and large dark parks with entrances off of the street rather than from inside the park. Awesome. 3) Beautiful green areas with a stage for music. 4) Restaurants surrounding the park as well as one inside the park. 5) And last but not least.... I love the little spongy pad on the dog park side of the park. It's got a big wooden rabbit sculpture and you can bounce on it like you are on the moon. Love this park. If you haven't been, spend an evening, have dinner, and enjoy a wonderful part of downtown. read more

Very pretty place reminds me a bit of NYC a lot smaller than I had expected. Just a little cozy park with niko niko restaurant that serves coffee. They have plenty of table here to sit and just hang out and get away from the office. They also have a mini dog park and surrounding it is multiple artwork benches. Across the street is the Houston insured wall mural. Parking is available for metered parking about $2 an hour not quite sure how much the garage cost. read more

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Market Square Then: It was the place where hobos and pigeons hang out during the day time. There wasn't much innovative space for people to sit together in a circle as all of the seats were long rows that stretch as long as the raised grassy areas, so it was a good place for people to sleep there. Oh there was also some ugly sculpture in the middle which I don't remember what it looks like anymore. There was also these round water fountain / pool where the pigeons take their bath at each 4 sides of the square. Market Square Now: The hobos and the birds are gone. The square is now separated into pretty much 5 distinct sections. 1. Doggy park area for small dogs and large dogs. Both are on dirt gravels so it's easy to pick up the mess with provided clean up bags. The large dog area also has a small water pool where the kids can play with the pump and let the water come out. There's also a fountain of 3 diferent dispenser height for the dogs. 2. The green area where you can lay out a blanket and soak up some sun, have a picnic, or play some frisbees / tossing football / outdoor gamings. 3. A brand new water area for the Market Square fung shui. In my opinion, it looks really nice but is it necessary to have such a extravagent water fountain with some sort of smoke machine? Well, that could be real hot water smoke so I don't know. You can see a picture of this in the photo album. 4. Concert stage. I didn't stay for the concerts but there will be a weekly performance like Discovery Green. It did have the cool mist and ceiling fans on top to cool everyone off when there's no concert going on. 5. Niko Niko's and the dining area. So Niko Niko's open an outlet right at the square with outdoor dining tables and seats. I didn't try this also but those tables and seats look pretty comfortable. Oh, they also kept the original round water fountains in the square, which is a good thing because those were pretty cool. Overall this renovation of Market Square is a good thing to City of Houston. Hopefully this area will be the new hangout place for the night life in Houston. read more

Considering this is just a small park that takes a single block, they really have done an outstanding job of having events here whether it's movies outside or free concerts of wonderful bands. Just another thing that makes the city great. read more

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As a Houston newbie this is my first year attending the annual design craft fair. I met so many different artisans that own small, local business and I also stocked up on some unique holiday gifts! The park is dog and kid friendly, you'll definitely see a great mix of people of all ages and backgrounds just enjoying the different vendors and love music. I've also been to this park on a day where there isn't event and it's still a serene spot to just come and relax. Cool that you're able to do that and be downtown at the same time. Be sure to check out the "Houston is Inspired" mural there too! Definitely a beautiful and colorful piece and was one of the things I remembered most about Houston the first time I came to visit :) *Lastly the giant mistletoe is there! Check out the hashtag #xomistletoe on Instagram to see pictures of it. It's only here temporarily! read more

Market Square Park - Sculptural art and a giant mistletoe :* - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

I like this little park. It's a nice place to sit and have lunch. There are literally dozens of restaurants within walking distance and Niko Niko's right in the middle of the park. Even though it's a small park, there are adequate benches and places read more

Market Square Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

Last night I went to see Singing in the Rain at the Market Square Park. Families, couples, friends, and even a couple of us singletons enjoyed a perfect evening of good-humored entertainment and great food and drinks by Niko Nikos. I only wish I had known about the Big Movie Classics series before, last night was the last of the Summer, but there will be more in the Fall, so I will make sure I check the calendar (http://www.marketsquarepark.com/calendar/) . Next time, I will bring a blanket and a picnic basquet... and hopefully someone will join me. Highlights: Free entertainment Niko Nikos food sold Alcohol and pets allowed Parking across the street $5.00 Super casual read more

Market Square Park - BIG MOVIE CLASSICS Saturday 8:30 pm - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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While visiting downtown Houston we stopped at Market Square Park before exploring the city. When we arrived at the park we stopped at their small concession booth and spent some time relaxing. A few nice things about this park where the views, the memorial, the dog park, and the patrons. Everyone we ran into were very polite and we thought that this park was a nice space in a busy city. read more

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We visited the dog park here, which kinda sucked. It was small and the water hole area wasn't deep enough for my Pomeranian to swim. Although the park was beautiful, the dog park wasn't up to par. At the time, there were no other dogs, so try not to go on a Sunday afternoon. read more

Market Square Park - Meister at the park! - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is an awesome park / venue. There are so many cool events held here and it is right in the middle of the city. From movies, to Doomsday Wrestling, and all sort of other happenings Market Square Park is a great addition to Downtown Houston. Look for restaurants in the nearby area to have drink specials when there are events here. read more

This is a really cool little park. I remember when it was an empty lot. It was U G L Y. Now it is absolutely lovely. There is a dog park for large dogs and one for smaller dogs. I have taken my two little fur babies to the small dog park several times. Rarely do I see others there. I have seen larger dogs in the small dog park and frankly that irks the bees out of me. Also, there is an area of green space. It is lush. Nice plants are planted and an art piece of a large brown dog. I guess you can climb on it. The thing is large enough that I suppose you could. There are two round bird baths with mosaic tile at the park with matching benches. Very nice. Bike racks galore. Plus a Niko Nikos. Throughout the year there are various activities for the family. If you plan to come downtown for anything, you should check it out. You may be pleasantly surprised! 100 Halley puppies romp and play all over the park! read more

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Very nice during Christmas they have beautifully placed Christmas lights all around! They also have a niko nikos there they have awesome gyros the best in Houston! read more

Market Square Park - Christmas 2017 - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

This park is so cute. It's so little and in the middle of downtown, but big enough for fun events SUCH AS Blanket Bingo! There's colorful art to liven up the atmosphere and it's surrounded by restaurants and hotels. I've seen couples take engagement photos at this park, so you know it's a visually appealing piece of area and photographs beautifully-- for all of my instagram photogs out there lol. Right down the street is where the "Houston- Inspired, Hip, Tasty, Funky, Savvy" wall mural is located. Don't know what I'm talking about? I'll post a picture :P They also have bike rentals up here, which I like because street parking isn't bad in the area when I come around. I wish I knew about other events that happen here, cause I'd come out more often! read more

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LOVED this park! I went mostly to take my dog to the dog park, but the whole area was very nice. Lots of small restaurants around the park. The dog park was a little quiet on a Sunday afternoon, but all dogs and humans were very friendly. All humans were paying attention to their fur babies. My dog is new to visiting dog parks and she seemed less timid here than at Danny Jackson. Definitely a good park for a newbie! Might be a little disappointing if you want lots of dogs for your pup to play with. read more

Market Square Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Pancake and I stopped by here on the way home today. I really liked it. We went around 11am on a Saturday and there was only one other dog in the small dog run. The other dog was very vocal and would bark at Pan Pan so that scared her a bit. Other than that, I think she really enjoyed her time there. The small dog run a very small area, it doesn't have any grass only this sandy gravel. There isn't much shade to sit under as there are only two trees. It has 5 benches along the side for dog owners to sit and watch the dogs. Poop bags are provided at the entrance to the dog run, which is great for those times when I forget to take my own. I didn't see an area to rinse the dogs so Pancake was a little dirty when I took her to the car. There's a small pool/pond for the dogs to dip in and refresh themselves. I love how close this is to my house and I think we will be making more trips to this dog run. I didn't get to explore the rest of the city block, but I hope to do so next time we go. read more

Market Square Park - Pancake and the vocal dog. - Dog Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

We've always driven past this park but on Super Bowl Sunday, we decided to explore the park while it was relatively empty. Parking is available on the street along all four corners of the park, which takes up a whole city block. There are curved stone benches throughout along the borders of the park of which the seat backs are made up of a mosaic of colored stones. In the center of the park is a rectangular, covered, elevated patio that is attached to the Niko Niko's situated on the northern end of the park closer to Congress street. There are tables and chairs set up on that patio. Next to it, there are wooden benches set on the grass for extra seating. In the corner (Congress and Travis), there are portable restrooms. Across from that are bike racks and also a station to rent bikes. Along the Congress street border is Lauren's Garden which is dedicated to the victims of 9/11. There is a foundation comprised of three walls that represent each of the crash sites. It's a nice memorial set in downtown Houston. Along the Milam Street border of the park is where the enclosed dog runs are located. There is a section for bigger dogs and one for smaller dogs. Along the inner border of the dog runs are benches to sit on along with a sidewalk running through. It's a nice space to sit and just enjoy the city sights and sounds. You can pick up lunch or a snack from Niko Niko's or any of the eateries along Congress and Travis across the street from the park. It's a nice, calm, peaceful space. They do hold events here like small concerts and you can always have a picnic here using their wooden benches. It's a nice little park set amidst a reviving part of the city. Everyone should visit at least once. read more

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