Tomorrow, Saturday, is Feet in the Street, DC’s first foray into the Ciclovia/Summer Streets/Sunday Streets phenomenon, where cities around the world close down streets in densely populated areas to create linear festivals. People walk, bike, and rollerblade through their city in ways not possible normally. Stops along the way provide entertainment, education, refreshment, and more.

After Petworth neighbors panned an initial proposal to run an event on Kansas Avenue, DC officials settled on Fort Dupont Park. While this misses the point a bit, it’s a first step toward trying this out in DC. If this is successful, it will help build the case for such an event through more neighborhoods next year. Hopefully it won’t rain too much.

Map of Feet in the Street access and activities. Click to enlarge (PDF)

Events include:

  • Guided nature hikes
  • Invasive plant removal outings
  • Free 2-hour bike rentals
  • Healthy food workshops
  • Community garden tours
  • Bike rides and bike classes
  • Fitness classes, workouts, and blood sugar/pressure testing
  • In-line skating, boxing, and tennis
  • Musical performance

Benning Road is the closest Metro station, and Texas Avenue is a good bike route for the 10-minute ride to the park. Minnesota Avenue, Potomac Avenue, and Anacostia stations are also within biking distance. The U and V buses serve the park. There is also parking in a lot near Randle Circle, and the park road accessing the lot will not be closed to traffic.

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Tagged: bicycling, dc, ddot, east of the river, fort dupont, open streets, parks, public spaces

David Alpert created Greater Greater Washington in 2008 and was its executive director until 2020. He formerly worked in tech and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco Bay, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He lives with his wife and two children in Dupont Circle.