Take BART to Sunday Streets in the Mission District July 11
By Xuan Lam
BART Website Intern
Looking to liven up a bored or sleepy Sunday? Take BART to San Francisco's Sunday Streets to immerse yourself in jubilant music, fun-filled exercise and a lively car-free crowd. The latest Sunday Streets event, on July 11, focuses on the Mission District and is easily accessible from the 24th St. Mission BART Station.
Sunday Streets, which began in Bogota, Colombia, was created to promote healthy and free community-centered events, the Sunday Streets website explains. The event is celebrated in cities all over the world, such as Tokyo, Japan, and Kiev, Ukraine. In San Francisco, the bustling event has attracted more than 20,000 participants in its first couple of years.
Sunday Streets offers free and fun physical activity. The event provides a model of how cities can provide healthy, environmentally friendly outdoor activities for their residents. "I think it's a great way to foster a sense of community," said Kristie Angel Chan, of San Francisco. Generally, the city closes off certain areas of a neighborhood to clear the way for a pedestrian-friendly, car-free experience. Check out a map of this Sunday's route to see where activities will be held.
Sunday Streets events are “a great way for people to get some exercise and explore the city neighborhoods in a family-friendly environment," said Kenton Lee of Palo Alto.
The July 11 event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. An eclectic array of activities will be offered, such as: free basic bike maintenance by Sports Basement’s “Lube Fairies,” kids’ hula hoop games, "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Thriller" skate dances, women’s Taiko drumming, belly dancing lessons, and interactive poetry and art. The event is also dog- friendly with attractions from SF DOG (San Francisco Dog Owner Group), EmBarkadero Social Group, and Pawsitive Tails.
“It's always a very festive and happy atmosphere so it's entertaining to loiter with friends, enjoy the food and drink, play random street games, watch a multitude of street performances and meet new people," said Ed Koster, of San Francisco.
Bay Area residents of all ages are encouraged to join in the festivities. No sign up is required and virtually everything is free! For more information, visit http://sundaystreetssf.com/.