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What if I asked you to reimagine streets? Streets where people could use them for just about any activity but driving— walking, jogging, bicycling, dancing, and family fun activities! Where residents and community partners are invited to reclaim their roadways and enjoy public spaces in creative and active ways.
That event is Open Streets and it’s going on this Sunday, March 31st, on Prairie St. and Government Avenue in Fayetteville! Under the leadership of BikeNWA and with the help of a grant from Urban Land Institute NWA, community collaborators and sponsors have come together to take back the streets in Fayetteville.
This event will be free and activating from 12 pm to 4 pm! Attendees can expect live music, a 50 ft obstacle course, NWA Swing Dancing Society, Giant Jenga, Strider Bike Courses, Food Trucks (Mo Tacos, Culture Cafe, and Big Sexy Food), yoga, The Wheel Mobile, and more!
Open Streets events foster civic pride, stimulate economic development, and represent our community’s investments in Northwest Arkansas’s vitality, livability, and diversity. These are free events that offer communities the opportunity to experience their city streets in a whole new way!
Open Streets work to increase neighborhood accessibility and livability as well as increase economic opportunities for local businesses. In addition, these events work to educate the public about infrastructure improvements that support active transportation while overall increasing the health and physical activity of all area residents.
Parking at the event is limited, so organizers are encouraging attendees to walk or bike to the event if they can.
Volunteers are needed for the event, and sign-ups are open here.
For a bit more information, check out the Facebook event or bikenwa.org/openstreets.
Future dates and locations (tentative):
- May 5 – Bentonville
- July 21 – Springdale
- September 15 – Rogers
BikeNWA works to engage community stakeholders and area businesses in the planning and implementation of Open Streets. For each event, BikeNWA organizes a local planning committee to ensure that the event is owned by the community taking into account each location’s unique characteristics.
The Fayetteville planning committee includes members from the Urban Land Institute, City of Fayetteville, Specialized Real Estate Group, Entegrity Partners, Experience Fayetteville, and Artist’s Laboratory
