More than a mile of Berkeley’s Shattuck Avenue will be open to pedestrians, cyclists, roller-skaters, dancers, and kids on Sunday Oct. 14 — but not cars — as the city holds its first Sunday Streets event from 11 am through 4 pm.
Seventeen blocks, from Rose to Haste streets, will also be a hive of activities as merchants, musicians and community organizations take the opportunity to engage with and perform for local residents. The offerings run the gamut from free free bike repairs courtesy of Mikes Bikes, Missing Link Cooperative and the Bike Station, to street soccer games, free yoga classes, belly dancing, hands-on science activities for kids, and a performance by the UC Berkeley Gospel Choir.
The idea of Sunday Streets, or Open Streets as they are also known, originated in Bogatá, Colombia and has spread around the world, including to San Francisco where it has been a regular occurrence in different neighborhoods for a couple of years.
Last year, Berkeley officials and activists began campaigning to bring the concept to Berkeley. “It creates a sense of community. It liberates you from your car. You can walk around and enjoy the businesses,” said Mayor Tom Bates at the time. His office, along with that of Council Member Jesse Arreguín, promoted the plan. It has been brought to fruition with the work of Livable Berkeley, East Bay Bicycle Coalition and the Downtown Berkeley Association, the Ecology Center, and the North Shattuck Association.
The event runs from 11 am to 4 pm and the organizers welcome volunteers to help with planning and on the day itself.
For a full list of the activities on offer on Sunday, check out the list from Sunday Streets.
Related:
Can car-free Sunday Streets come to Berkeley? [05.11.12]
To find out about more events in Berkeley and nearby, check out Berkeleyside’s Events Calendar. We also encourage you to submit your own events.
