Open Streets Minneapolis, the highly-anticipated event series that closes city streets to motor vehicle traffic, will kick off the 2023 season on June 10, 2023, on East Lake Street. The summer event series promotes livable communities that support cycling, walking, rolling, and other non-motor means of travel and offers unique programming and vendors for an activity-packed day of neighborhood fun.
The event series, a hallmark of summer for many Minneapolis residents, gives attendees a glimpse of what streets for people, not cars, could look like. “Walkable cities, all-summer closures, and fully pedestrianized corridors are some of the things we will continue to advocate for as an organization, and Open Streets Minneapolis is a great example of what’s possible in our city,” says Ember Rasmussen, Community Development & Events Manager at Our Streets Minneapolis, the transportation advocacy nonprofit that hosts Open Streets Minneapolis each year.
For over a decade, hundreds of thousands of Minneapolis residents have flocked to Open Streets events to enjoy games, live music, small business shopping, art, and more. These family-friendly events are free to attend and a great way to engage with the rich diversity of Minneapolis and learn more about the local community.
“I try to go multiple Open Streets events every year, it’s my favorite part of summer in Minneapolis,” says Will Weeks, a longtime resident. “I wish we could move towards some permanent street closures for more livable, pedestrian-friendly, and bike-friendly public spaces.”
The Open Streets Minneapolis event lineup differs each year. Our Streets Minneapolis works with the City of Minneapolis to select dates and routes. Over the last two years, Our Streets Minneapolis has begun to prioritize new event corridors that lack existing public space or have been harmed in past transportation planning decisions.
Open Streets 2023
Schedule & Routes
- Open Streets East Lake on Saturday, June 10
- Open Streets Glenwood on Sunday, July 16
- Open Streets Cedar on Sunday, Aug. 20
- Open Streets West Broadway on Saturday, Sept. 16
- Open Streets Lyndale on Sunday, Oct. 8
This year, Our Streets Minneapolis is encouraging residents to donate to the organization to make these events better than ever and help expand into additional summer street closures in future seasons. While the City of Minneapolis offers some in-kind services like police staffing to close streets, Open Streets Minneapolis is made possible through sponsorships, individual contributions, and volunteers.
Registration for the 2023 Open Streets Minneapolis will open in mid-March. Partners and interested participants can contact Ember Rasmussen at [email protected] with questions. Those interested in supporting the event through sponsorship can learn more by contacting Haley Foydel at [email protected]. Volunteers are needed—interested volunteers can sign up online.
About Open Streets Minneapolis:
Since 2011, Open Streets Minneapolis has transformed city streets into fun, car-free community celebrations. Open Streets Minneapolis is organized by Our Streets Minneapolis and is a program of the City of Minneapolis, supported by sponsors and community partners. Open Streets West Broadway is hosted in partnership with the West Broadway Business & Area Coalition. Each route has unique community programming. Full details at www.openstreetsmpls.org.
About Our Streets Minneapolis:
Our Streets Minneapolis works to put people first by transforming transportation and infrastructure in the Twin Cities and at the state level. We do this by making our streets places where people can easily and comfortably walk, bike, roll, and use public transit. Learn more at www.ourstreetsmpls.org.