Philly Free Streets 2017: What You Need To Know

PHILADELPHIA – Philly Free Streets is all set for next weekend and we have details on the street strolling event.

Philly Free Streets will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 between South 3rd and Chestnut streets to North 5th and Indiana streets.

The public is invited to walk or hike in this area where all automobiles will not be permitted to travel.

This route will create a car-free connection between Philadelphia’s Historic District and several diverse neighborhoods, then north to El Centro de Oro (“The Golden Block”) in the Fairhill neighborhood of North Philadelphia.

See the exact route below:

This year's route will include various activities. See the full list below:

• Independence Activity Zone (S. 3rd & Chestnut Streets)
  • 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.: Philly Free Streets ribbon cutting
  • 9 a.m.: Kick-off of Philly Free Streets Power walk with Mayor Jim Kenney
  • 10 a.m.: Boot Camp & Cardio with Sweat Fitness
  • 11 a.m.: Contemporary dance by Nia-Next, Jr. Company of Danse4Nia Repertory Ensemble
  • Noon: Yoga with Sweat Fitness
• Mural Arts Philadelphia: Liberty Lands Cinema Verde (Liberty Lands Park on N. 3rd Street, north of Poplar Street)
• Green City Activity Zone (N. 3rd Street & Germantown Avenue)
• Mural Arts Philadelphia: Doorways to Peace/Windows to Peace (Al Aqsa Islamic Society at Germantown Avenue & Oxford Street)
• Pedestrian plaza (N. 4th Street & Germantown Avenue) Play with Parks & Rec in a pop-up public space, a pedestrian plaza.
• Vision Zero Safety Zone (N. 5th Street & Germantown Avenue)
  • Passport to Safety: Fun safety lessons for you and your kids. Collect all the stamps in your passport to safety and redeem a prize.
  • Basic bike repairs & tune-ups with Neighborhood Bike Works
  • Pedestrian plaza with information from APM.
• Mural Arts Philadelphia: Camilla's Dream (Northeast corner of N. 5th & Norris Streets)
• Handball demonstrations by APM (Rainbow de Colores Park on west side of N. 5th Street, south of York Street)
  • 10 a.m.: 16 & under - doubles demonstration
  • 11 a.m.: Women & girls doubles demonstration
  • Noon: Adult male doubles demonstration
• Mural Arts Philadelphia: El Corazon Culture Del Barrio (Southeast corner of N. 5th & Huntingdon Streets)
• Gateway to El Centro de Oro by Taller, Puertorriqueño, Found in Fairhill, Providence Center, & more. (Huntingdon Street) Family-friendly activities, including jewelry-making, book-making, community storytelling, & much more.
  • 9:30 a.m.: Latin fusion hip-hop
  • 10:30 a.m.: Latin fusion hip-hop
• Parklet (2710 N. 5th Street, just north of Lehigh Avenue) Parklets are public spaces that use a parking space or two.
• Mural painting (Somerset Street) Join and HACE (N. 5th Street & Indiana Avenue)
  • 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Philadelphia Museum of Art presents art activities for children
  • 9a.m. : Latin dance classes
  • 10 a.m.: Capoeria (on street)
  • 10 a.m.: Zumba with Peter Watts Fitness (stage)
  • 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Ula ula dance
  • 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Stilt walking
  • 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Music bomba and dance

Philly Free Streets has also teamed up with the creators of Pokemon GO! to offer a unique experience during the event. You can learn more about the partnership here.

Mural Arts Philadelphia partnered with Philly Free Streets and will be painting pop-up, temporary pedestrian plazas along the route, and much more.

Another new aspect of this year’s Philly Free Streets is that people traveling the route are asked to use the street as if it were a two-way street, with bi-directional people-powered traffic.

Slower "traffic" should keep right of their lane, while people on wheels should keep left. People on wheels should keep a safe speed.

There will be several spots here vehicles can cross the road that is blocked to traffic. Those streets are:

• Indiana Avenue
• Lehigh Avenue
• Daupin Street
• Cecil B. Moore Avenue
• Girard Avenue
• Fairmount Avenue
• Spring Garden Street
• Vine Street
• Market Street

In planning for the event, “No Stopping” signs will be posted along the route to notify the public on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Beginning at noon on Friday, Oct. 27, cars parked in No Stopping zones will be towed.

At 4 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, the city will begin closing streets on the route to secure the car-free route, with full closures in effect by 6 a.m. Certain cross streets may be closed earlier than 4 a.m. as needed to provide program participants with a safe and secure route.

The city will begin to reopen the closed route to vehicle traffic at 1 p.m. Oct. 28, with the route expected to be fully open by about 5 p.m.

Businesses along the Free Streets route should visit this webpagevisit this webpage to find out what you need to do during the event. Those living along the Free Streets route should see here.

Led by the Managing Director’s Office of Transportation & Infrastructure Systems (oTIS), Philly Free Streets highlights active transportation options, as well as neighborhood walkability and its positive impacts on public health, the environment, business, and the community.

The October 2017 Philly Free Streets program is generously sponsored by Visit PHILADELPHIA, AARP Pennsylvania, and Inspire. Additional support has been generously provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Image via Philly Free Streets