Fairfax Streets for People Returns this Sunday

Streets for People returns for its fourth year in downtown Fairfax this Sunday August 30, 10am to 4pm. Bolinas Road in downtown Fairfax will be transformed into a lively car-free space for an afternoon!

Make your way down the street and catch live music, enjoy tea at the Wu Wei Temple tea tent, learn hula hooping skills with Jellyflow Arts, visit the Fairfax shops, get a bite to eat or drink at an outdoor café, or find a new outfit at the clothing swap. Free yoga, dance and fitness classes will be offered all day at the event’s “Wellness Zone” in Bolinas Park.

The kids can get their faces painted by Tatyana Fateyeva, try out the strider bicycles at Krakatoa bikes, play games at Revolution 9, or take a kid’s yoga class in Bolinas Park at noon followed by storytime with musician Miss Kitty.

Casa Manana will be serving 250 free frescas, Gestalt Haus will provide free hot dogs for the kids, Rainbow Fabrics is making cotton candy, and 7-11 on Bolinas Road will be giving away free slurpies. Coffee Roastery, Grilly’s, Mana Bowls, and Taste will be selling food and drink on the street

Outreach tables by nonprofits and local agencies will provide information and resources for sustainable living. New to the event this year is “Transit Alley” featuring interactive activities, demonstrations and contests for prizes related to alternative transportation. Practice loading a bike onto the bike racks of a Marin Transit hybrid bus. Or win a gift bag from Good Earth Natural Foods worth $100 in the bicycle decorating contest.

People are encouraged to walk, take public transportation (see 511.org), carpool or ride their bike to the event. Free bike valet will be provided.

Streets for People is part of a national and international movement of Open Streets events. The event was started in 2012 by Renee Goddard of Sustainable Fairfax (now Vice Mayor of Fairfax) in collaboration with Sustainable Fairfax, the Town of Fairfax and the Fairfax Chamber. Goddard was inspired by Ciclovía, a successful weekly event in Bogotá, Columbia that opens over 70 of miles of city streets to citizens for outdoor physical activity, attracting up to 2 million participants. According to Goddard, the goal of this event is to “create community resiliency and positive spirit, while celebrating what makes Fairfax unique.”

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The event is organized by volunteers from Sustainable Fairfax and the Fairfax Chamber. We are encouraging members of the community to join our team to help make this event run smoothly. There are many volunteer shifts open the day of the event, including setup & breakdown, the water station, the clothing swap, and the bicycle valet. Please sign up here for a shift!

NOTE TO RESIDENTS & VISITORS: Bolinas Road between Broadway and Elsie Lane will be closed between 8:30am and 5:00pm.

For more information on Streets for People, visit http://www.FairfaxStreetsForPeople.com. Find resources and information on Open Streets Events at http://openstreetsproject.org/.