After years of hard work and fundraising, The Crossing at Angel Court will finally celebrate its grand opening this Thursday, Oct. 8 with a free celebration! The fully-accessible playground is designed specifically for children with special needs, and features inclusive play equipment and a wheelchair-friendly surface (read more about the playground in this article from 2014).

The Crossing at Angel Court is the first of its kind in the central Arkansas area. It's situated next to the I Can! Arts & Resource Center, which provides art activities, dance classes, music instruction and more to children with special needs. In addition to the grand opening of the playground, the event will celebrate the center's fourth birthday and its new kitchen, too! The kitchen will be used for upcoming social events, as well as nutrition and cooking classes. To properly celebrate, the center is hosting a cake-decorating contest that will also serve as a fundraiser--hungry patrons can vote for their favorite cake by placing monetary donations in that entry's corresponding jar.

Other activities at the grand opening celebration include performances by the Sheridan High Jazz Band, the I Can! Dancers and the Sheridan High School Cheerleaders. Plus, groups like the National Guard, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission, MOPS and others will host games for families. And, of course, kids will get the chance to play on the brand-new, all-inclusive playground!

The event will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 8, and is free to the public. Donations are greatly appreciated. The Crossing at Angel Court is located at 1040 Angel Court in Little Rock. For more information, visit ICanArkansas.com.