(Photo © J. Maus)
This Sunday from 10am – 3pm in northeast Portland, the Bureau of Transportation will host the first of five Sunday Parkways events. With lots of activities at parks along the route and the freedom to walk and roll on neighborhood streets without those pesky motorized vehicles in your way, the event is not to be missed.
If you plan on being out there (and you’d be crazy to miss it!), here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Stop and chat
Don’t just pedal all the way around the loop. This event is about getting to know your community and your neighbors, so make sure to stop and chat with folks along the way. The parks are fun (I’ll get to that below), but the magic of Sunday Parkways is how so many people along the route roll out the welcome mat. I’ve stopped at lemonade stands, garage sales, and last year a few young girls entertained us with river dancing!
Enjoy the parks and activities
On Sunday, the seven-mile route will take you through three four fantastic parks; Alberta, Woodlawn, Fernhill and Wilshire. The parks are a hive of activity during these events and they’re well worth exploring. At each one you’ll find great food and entertainment, activities for the whole family, neighborhood information and more.
Extend the event – Party!
common Sunday Parkways sight.
Post-Parkways parties are a great way to extend the spirit of the event. If you live on or near the route, invite some friends over for a BBQ or meet at a park to hang out and enjoy the day. At the June event last year, a friend in North Portland hosted a get together. It was awesome to see all the bikes lined up on his driveway and he’s already planning for a repeat event this year (with the Hopworks Beer Bike rumored to be there!). Also, with the earlier start time this year, we’ve heard of at least one pre-Parkways coffee and pastries party. Love it!
If you and/or your organization has something special planned for Sunday, feel free to promote it in the comments below. Also feel free to share your best Parkways tips.
See you out there!
For a preview of what to expect, re-live last year’s Sunday Parkways Northeast via the slideshow below: