Festive Event In Hartford Sunday Emphasizes Car-free Streets

HARTFORD, CT – For many city slickers, the streets of their respective community would be a whole lot more enjoyable if there were no cars.

This Sunday, Hartford is about to learn what city streets sans cars can offer, where playing in the streets isn't something to cross your parents, but something to promote healthy, physical activity.

The City of Hartford, in partnership with Hartford HealthCare, recently announced details for the second "DominGO! Hartford" event, which will take place Sunday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., stretching from Park Street and Prospect Avenue all the way down to Park Street and Main Street.

This event was rescheduled from July due to extreme temperatures.

"DominGO!" Hartford will transform 2 miles of streets into car-free public spaces, connecting communities and creating new places for fun, healthy activity for all ages and abilities.

Community members will be able to enjoy biking, walking, running, and exercising, as well as visiting local businesses, eating at neighborhood restaurants and enjoying activity hubs located along the route.

DominGO! Hartford is the city’s inaugural open-streets program.

“The DominGO! open streets initiative is an experiment in reclaiming public space for a different use, bringing the community together to experience their city and our major avenues in a new way," said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. “This Sunday, we'll move to Park Street, letting folks enjoy 2 miles of streets closed to cars but open for walking and biking, music and arts, and great shops and restaurants.

"I want to thank Hartford HealthCare and all our local partners for their invaluable support in organizing DominGO!, and we’re looking forward to this second DominGO! event."

Each DominGO! Hartford route will include three activity hubs, where guests will find water, first aid and restrooms.

Activity hubs will also feature family-friendly games such as jump rope, basketball, soccer, and live musical entertainment, as well as dance classes and fitness challenges provided by Hartford HealthCare.

Activity hubs will also include live entertainment throughout the day.

Musical acts will include Felix Manuel y Su Grupo, Ray Gonzalez, DJ Peter Cee and Joe Linhart and Friends.

“DominGO! Hartford aligns perfectly with our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve,” said Bimal Patel, president of Hartford Hospital. “We are proud to partner with the city for this great event that will help revitalize our neighborhoods, support locally owned businesses, and make critical health screenings and testing available to all.”

To support the success of the DominGO! program, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the City of Hartford, 224 EcoSpace, the Commission on Cultural Affairs, and AARP Connecticut partnered to produce an Arts Activation program.

In April, the City released a call for artists, asking residents and organizations to submit their ideas for art and cultural expression that interpret city streets as public spaces for people.

Artists' submissions were reviewed and selected by a panel put together by the city’s Commission on Cultural Affairs, and individuals and groups were awarded $500–$5,000 each based on project size.

“We are excited to partner with the City and 224 EcoSpace to activate Hartford’s streets through this new endeavor,” said Erika Frank, senior community officer at the Hartford Foundation. “We know that showcasing artists and supporting community engagement with the arts is a critical component of supporting higher opportunity neighborhoods.”

“Hartford has a lot of amazing talent, artists, educators, and creatives. We need to continue to provide and fund more space and resources for arts and culture throughout our community, for our community,” said Lindaluz Carillo, Commissioner on the Hartford Commission on Cultural Affairs.

While DominGO! Hartford’s primary goal is to encourage attendees to be active, the program also aims to support local artists, non-profit organizations and small businesses.

DominGO! Hartford will next take place on Main Street on Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To learn more, visit www.domingohartford.com.