Information provided by Seattle Department of Transportation

This year the City of Seattle will launch a new program, Seattle Summer Parkways, with an inaugural series of events that will turn more than 10 miles of city streets, for eight hours, on two days, into open-street zones for neighborhoods to use in creative, active ways.

These free, all-ages celebrations will create expansive, temporary open space on Seattle’s streets, where thousands of friends, families, and visitors can participate in dozens of community-based activities, from skateboard demos, to puppeteers, to art activities to food truck dining. Neighbors are encouraged to plan additional activities.

This year’s events will take place in the Central District and Ballard:

Central District: Saturday, September 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· Three miles of streets closed to traffic and 46 blocks to explore

· Featured activities in four parks: Judkins Park, Pratt Park, Garfield Playfields and Powell Barnett Park

Ballard: Saturday, September 19: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· Seven miles of streets closed to traffic and 131 blocks to explore

· Featured activities in seven locations including Loyal Heights Playfields, Salmon Bay Park, Ballard Corners Park, 14th Avenue Northwest Park Boulevard, Ballard Commons Park and the Sixth Avenue Pocket Park.

“Seattle Summer Parkways is a celebration of community, engaging and energizing neighborhoods.” said SDOT Director Scott Kubly. “We hope that Seattle Summer Parkways will become an annual street festival that neighbors look forward to.”

The streets will be closed to through traffic (motorized vehicles) but open to local traffic. Each event will be anchored by dozens of activities hosted in parks along the route. See the attached map for route and street closure information.

In addition to the signature activities, event organizers are encouraging participation by inviting residents along the route to host events of their own. Visit www.seattle.gov/summerparkways or Summer.Parkways@seattle.gov to get engaged and help make the events as fun as possible.

Seattle Summer Parkways builds on Seattle’s 50 year history of Seattle’s Bicycle Sundays and Seattle Summer Streets programs. Similar parkway events are held Portland, San Francisco and Bogota, Colombia,

Seattle Summer Parkways is being produced in partnership between the City of Seattle, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and Cascade Bicycle Club, among many other organizations.