Downtown Wellen’s expansive outdoor recreation areas, including the Great Lawn, Grand Lake and The Yard food and entertainment park, is now open. Regular event programming is now underway in Downtown Wellen, including Wellen Wednesdays featuring cornhole and live music at 6 p.m., the Friday Night Concert Series, from 6 to 9 p.m., yoga classes Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m., and Zumba classes Mondays from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday evening events will commence in the coming weeks. “It’s wonderful seeing kayaks and paddleboards out on the water and people enjoying this beautiful weather, wandering along the sidewalks and the lakefront trail, and watching the incredible sunsets,” said Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park. “This is exactly how we imagined Downtown Wellen and what we’ve been looking forward to since construction started in August 2021. Downtown is a special place for everyone to experience.”

Located along the 80-acre Grand Lake, the fully leased Downtown Wellen ushers in an exciting new chapter at Wellen Park with this first phase offering outdoor recreation, dining, entertainment and shopping, as well as a calendar packed with events and activities. The full calendar of events and details are available at wellenpark.com/events. For directions to Downtown Wellen, guests should use 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice, FL 34293, the address of Solis Hall, Downtown Wellen’s event and performance stage venue. Downtown Wellen has a one-of-a-kind play yard inspired by nature, a lakefront fountain and splashpad, and the Great Lawn for community festivals, markets, celebrations and events. Solis Hall, an elegant rental venue, features an outdoor stage and a lakefront patio. The Yard epitomizes Downtown Wellen’s emphasis on creating interesting and interactive outdoor experiences with areas thoughtfully designed to connect visitors to green spaces, nature and each other. Intimate gathering spaces feature Canopy Green, a waterfront destination under a relocated oak tree, and the Heritage Tree Living Room, an alfresco lounge with decking and seating in the shade of a nearly 100-year-old oak. Downtown Wellen is located off U.S. 41 just west of South River Road and can be accessed directly from Preto Boulevard and U.S. 41. A future downtown entry directly from U.S. 41 is currently under construction. Consistently ranked among the U.S.’s top-selling communities annually by prominent real estate consulting firm RCLCO, Wellen Park offers a mix of single-family and multifamily residential, commercial and recreational options. The community currently has approximately 9,500 residents, and at full buildout will have more than 50,000 residents and 22,500 homes within its three distinct districts: West Villages, Downtown Wellen and Playmore. Wellen Park’s expanding residential choices include new-construction single-family homes in picturesque neighborhoods, a bundled golf and country club community, paired and attached villas, coach homes and condominiums. Rental options offer one- to three bedroom luxury apartments and single-family homes, an apartment community for active adults 55 and older, and world-class independent, assisted living and memory care. Wellen Park is close to top-ranked beaches and the area’s many attractions. To learn more about Downtown Wellen and living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.