Next Open Streets Event Is This Saturday in Holly Hills/Southampton

By Paul Friswold Tue., Jun. 26 2012 at 3:33 PM

Categories: Community

St. Louis opens its third year of Open Streets celebrations this Saturday, June 30, in conjunction with Macklind Days. For five glorious hours, roads will be closed to automobile traffic and given back to the people for biking, roller skating, parading and generally just enjoying. As a full-time pedestrian, I co-sign on Open Streets with a Hancockian flourish.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Christy Boulevard from Eichelberger Street to Holly Hills Boulevard will be closed, and from Holly Hills down to Livingston Drive as well. In place of the normal cars will be streets filled with basketball hoops, swing dancing lessons, a techno bubble bus, obstacle courses and other surprises. Here's a helpful map of the route:

The purpose of all this hoopla is to get people outside doing active things, and to help you socialize with your fellow citizens rather than seethe at them when they fail to accelerate as soon as the light turns green. If you can't make this one, the next Open Streets is scheduled for September 29 in the Southwest Garden neighborhood.