Open Streets Minneapolis, the highly-anticipated event series that closes city streets to motor vehicle traffic, will be in the North Minneapolis neighborhood this Saturday, September 16, 2023. In partnership with the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition and the City of Minneapolis, Our Streets Minneapolis will close Broadway Avenue from Penn Avenue North to Lyndale Avenue North to car traffic from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m for Minneapolis residents to enjoy neighborhood businesses and safe biking, walking and rolling.
Over 250 local organizations, artists, and businesses have registered to be a part of the route, offering a wide range of entertainment. Attendees can enjoy pop-ups featuring food vendors and local small businesses curated by The Black Market and Baked Brand, The Dream Shop, ZaRah and the Black Women’s Wealth Alliance, and the Open Streets Makers Market. Families will love the many kids’ zones, bouncy houses, games, and activities. Nearly 50 food vendors will be out on the route serving up soul food, barbeque, baked goods, street food favorites, and more. Attendees can also experience more than three live stages showcasing local music, entertainment, and a fashion show.
The free event series, a hallmark of summer for many Minneapolis residents, highlights the diversity of each neighborhood in which it is hosted. It also gives attendees a glimpse of streets as public spaces and the vibrancy of pedestrian-friendly boulevards.
“Open Streets Minneapolis is a great example of what’s possible in our city,” says Ember Rasmussen, Community Development & Events Manager at Our Streets Minneapolis. “While they are incredibly fun, these events also support the city’s stated goals in the Transportation Action Plan by giving people the opportunity to envision Minneapolis streets in a different way.”
The Open Streets Minneapolis event line-up is different each year. Our Streets Minneapolis works with the City of Minneapolis to select dates and routes. Over the last two years, they have worked to prioritize new event corridors and use an equity lens to select corridors from a range of geographic areas across the city.
The event is made possible through sponsors, donors, community partners and volunteers. Open Street Minneapolis 2023 is presented by the Minneapolis Foundation. If you would like to support Open Streets Minneapolis, please visit www.openstreetsmpls.org/donate.