By Pamela Johnson
For 13 years, the SFMTA and Livable City have brought "Sunday Streets" to San Francisco neighborhoods. Sunday Streets encourages communities to transform miles of car-congested streets into car-free spaces for neighbors to gather, kids to play, and for organizations and businesses to connect. On October 17, 2021, after more than 18 months of Covid-related shutdowns, Sunday Streets Phoenix Day will again bring free recreational activities, resources, and fun to the streets for tens of thousands of San Franciscans to enjoy. While Sunday Streets was celebrated in one neighborhood at a time in the past, this year's Phoenix Day spans various districts in the City for a simultaneous celebration of community, health, and resilience. This year's theme is "One City. One day. Rising together.”
Highlights this year include historic Sunday Streets SF routes, a 20+ mile community bike ride, three neighbor-run block parties, pop-ups, and free community-hosted activities across the city. Along the way, participants will be offered free health and wellness activities as well as cultural offerings and open space for the whole family to enjoy. As part of the block party program for Phoenix Day, the City has issued more than 30 permits for neighbors from different communities to participate in the day's festivities.
Phoenix Day is about communities coming together to celebrate healthy fun as San Francisco reopens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting the City’s economic recovery and its residents physical and mental health includes bringing joy back to our communities as we gather again outside to have fun with family and friends. At the same time, we are committed to keeping our community safe from COVID-19 and encourage people to wear masks in crowded outdoor spaces and always indoors, use hand sanitizer, and stay home if they are sick.
In this critical moment for San Francisco it's more important than ever to transform our streets into places that foster human connection and civic pride. Sunday Streets Phoenix Day will be a monumental opportunity to do that together.
About Sunday Streets
In 2008 the Sunday Streets SF program was started as a one-day pilot by then Mayor Gavin Newsom and the SF ShapeUp Coalition. It was inspired by the La Ciclovía initiative in the Colombian capital of Bogotá. Since starting the program in 2008, the nonprofit Livable City in partnership with SFMTA and City and County of San Francisco has grown Sunday Streets into one of North America’s premiere open street programs serving 100,000 residents in diverse neighborhoods across San Francisco.
Visit Sunday Streets SF Phoenix Day to learn more.
Published October 14, 2021 at 11:11PM
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