Neighbors. That's how we see the people who live and work in the community we serve. An integral part of the Trailhead mission is supporting education and community development, and at the Trailhead we try to offer a wide range of programming to accomplish this. This is just a sampling of the way the Trailhead supports the community its serves every day:

Education
The Trailhead sponsors a variety of educational offerings throughout the year that are free and open to the public. Some of these programs include: Women's Health Workshops (heart health; hormone health; financial health; nutritional health; etc); Hunter Safety Education; Women in the Outdoors Workshops; Urban Planning Lectures; Genealogical Forums; Cancer Screening Workshops; and Grant Writing Workshops.

The Trailhead allows meeting space for many local organizations to host lectures, workshops and membership meetings. Some of the groups that visit the Trailhead include: St. Tammany Historical & Genealogical Society; Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation; Sierra Club; Leadership St. Tammany; The Mandeville Fire Department hosts their week-long program during National Fire Safety Week; The Old Mandeville Business Association; Volunteers of America; Keep America Beautiful; Animal Spay Awareness; and the Association of Public Works employees.

Community Events
The Trailhead is home to many events throughout the year that focus on getting the community together. Some of these events include:

• Weekly year-round community market
  With over 50 vendors displaying, sampling, and offering their freshest seasonal fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, fresh flowers, and wares, there's something for everyone. The market's emphasis is on locally grown and locally made wares that accentuate the qualities that make our community special.

  The architecture of the buildings and a tree-lined space has made a nice backdrop to what has become a social meeting place for the community. The market is not only a place to buy or sell your goods but a place to bring the whole family for FREE entertainment, along with cooking and educational demonstrations.

• Senseless Saturdays for Students
  The Mandeville Trailhead Foundation, Mayor Price, and the City Council is committed to raise awareness of the positive impact music participation has on students. Many studies show that benefits come from repeated exposure to all kinds of music and music experiences.

  Senseless Saturday events were started in Fall 2002 when Donna Beakley, Mandeville Trailhead Coordinator, and Denise Gutnisky, Foundation Director, started putting together programming plans for the Trailhead. When they worked on the master plan with the Foundation Board, Mayor Price, and the City Council; one of the key needs that kept resurfacing was a much-needed outlet and entertainment source for students. "The decision to start these events was an easy one," says Beakley. "Art and music advocates have long argued the merits of integrating these components into education, and many studies show that benefits come from repeated exposure to all kinds of music and musical experiences".

Over the past two years the Trailhead has hosted foam fests, DJ's, battle of the bands competitions, local talent showcases in the form of a variety show, a fountain fiesta with water games, and other great music productions!

• Walk/Bike/Run Events
  The March of Dimes Walk and The Thanksgiving Turkey Trot Race are examples of fundraising athletic events held at the Trailhead. In addition to special events, the Trailhead serves as a meeting place for Northshore cycling and running groups, as well as the Walking Club of New Orleans.
• National Fire Safety Week
  The Mandeville Fire Department hosts their weeklong program during National Fire Safety Week in the depot building for many local schools.
• National Night Out Against Crime
  The Mandeville Police Department hosts The National Night Out Against Crime at the Trailhead.
• Holiday & Seasonal Celebrations
  The Trailhead sponsors "Do the Boo" at Halloween as a safe alternative for kids and parents alike. Easter at the Trailhead includes an appearance by the Easter Bunny, a petting zoo, and egg-hunting madness sponsored by the Old Mandeville Business Association.
• Seasonal Celebrations at the market include: New Year's, Mardi Gras, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Bastille Day, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, along with many others.
• Religious Celebrations
  Easter, Passover, Hanukkah are just a few celebrations that local churches host at the amphitheater.
• Mandeville Class Reunions
  Mandeville Schools are provided access to the Trailhead for class reunions and meetings.
• Community Awareness Fundraisers
  The Empty Bowl Project for the Samaritan Center is an example of The Trailhead's commitment to help raise awareness and funds for local community awareness groups.
• Field Trips & Summer Camps
  The Trailhead is home to many church and school field trips throughout the year; providing a safe place for educators and students to learn a little about Mandeville's past while at the same time enjoying the outdoor spaces.
• Political
  Register to vote rallies are hosted by various political affiliations.

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Community Development & Cultural Arts
The Trailhead hosts many arts organizations year round either on the amphitheater stage or in the depot building. Some of the programming includes:

• Playmakers Theatre Performances
• Ballet Recitals
• St. Tammany Arts Network Exhibits
• Annual Mandeville High School Jazz Band Fundraiser
• Many others.

Above: "Shared Stories, Diverse Expressions" exhibit