Photo by Rebar Art Collective on Flickr.

Monday, September 22nd is World Car-Free Day, a day to try getting around without a car (if you use a car for everyday activities) or to celebrate not using cars (if you don’t). The Washington region is celebrating the day with a Car-Free Challenge, where you can pledge to “eliminate or reduce [your] driving.”

DC will also host a festival at 7th and F Streets NW, with live music and other fun activities celebrating Car-Free Day, educational information on living car free, and more.

The previous Friday, September 19, is Park(ing) Day, where individuals feed the meter to pay for a parking space, but use it as a park instead of for car storage. The idea started in San Francisco and has spread across the country. There’s a Facebook group forming to plan some park(ing) spaces in DC. Join in and help set up some spots!

Continue the conversation about urbanism in the Washington region and support GGWash’s news and advocacy when you join the GGWash Neighborhood!

Tagged: car free day, cat:public_spaces, parking, parks, public spaces, roads

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.