CicLAvia–Heart of LA Presented by Metro ~ Returns to Downtown L.A. and Surrounding Neighborhoods

On Sunday, October 10, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., CicLAvia returns to DTLA and surrounding neighborhoods for a birthday event celebrating over a decade of open streets. Presented by Metro, and in partnership with the City of LA, the public will enjoy a six-mile route connecting MacArthur Park, Downtown, Chinatown, and East LA to Mariachi Plaza of open streets at CicLAvia–Heart of LA. Bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, and spectate; people of all ages and abilities are welcome. CicLAvia is a free, open event – show up anywhere along the route at any time, and have fun!

CicLAvia is back with Sunday open streets events. CicLAvia is where joy meets purpose, restoring comfort to the community and reminds us of the value of public spaces for all. CicLAvia reinforces what matters most to us – connection with each other and with our communities. Whether one bikes, walks, strolls, skates, or jogs, CicLAvia creates more incredible moments and experiences enjoying the city streets together. Inspired by Bogotá's weekly ciclovía, CicLAvia temporarily closes streets to car traffic and opens them to Angelenos to use as a public park.

Looking for a fun way to explore the route? CicLAvia has partnered with Niantic for Pokemon Go and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite apps to discover special in-game locations and explore the local community. Also, be sure to celebrate by visiting CicLAvia's Birthday Dessert Pop-ups at Phoenix Bakery (Chinatown), Uli's Gelato (DTLA), Café Dulce (Little Tokyo), or La Soledad Bakery (MacArthur Park); purchase a special CicLAvia birthday treat at each location to receive a different limited edition CicLAvia button - collect all four!

All Hubs will have restrooms, bike parking brought to you by Amazon, bike repair, free water, food trucks, and first aid. Catch a free pedicab ride at any hub. Pedicab stops are near the info booth at each hub. Metro Bikes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at existing bike share stations along and near the route.

CicLAvia closely follows LA County Public Health guidelines. Masks are now required on public transit and in all indoor public places in Los Angeles County, as well as at events with over 10,000 attendees. If you forget yours, CicLAvia will have complimentary masks available at the Info Booths – and CicLAvia-branded masks for sale.

For those not fully vaccinated yet, there will be free, drop-in vaccination clinics with both Pfizer (12 and up) and Johnson & Johnson (18 and up) available.

Please read about the Rules of the Route here: https://www.ciclavia.org/ciclavia-safety. Reminder: wear a helmet when you're riding a bike, skateboard, or skates – and if you're under 18, it's the law. The CHP booth at the Mariachi Plaza Hub will be giving out free helmets to anyone under 18, while supplies last.

CicLAvia-Heart of LA Highlights:

· MacArthur Park Hub – Visit the L.A. Zoo, REI, and Spin Booths, along with Shared Harvest Fund who will be hosting a free drop-in Covid-19 vaccine clinic.

· Civic Center Hub – Check out the custom CicLAvia '10/10: Celebrate the Streets' art installation. It's a mobile, modular interactive collage installation, celebrating LA's biggest "block party," and featuring neighborhoods from past routes, created by Designing in Color (DCo). Sign up for a free LA Public Library Card and enjoy strolling puppeteers from Bob Baker Marionette Theatre.

· Chinatown Hub – Visit the LACMA booth to learn about the Obama Portraits Tour and Black American Portraits exhibitions and pick up an art kit. Visit the LA Phil booth. The Chinatown Business Improvement District offers ping pong and other games and encourages attendees to visit the many Chinatown local eateries.

· Mariachi Plaza Hub – Visit the Boyle Heights Community Market for lunch and fresh produce as well as Musical performances at the Bandshell. Be sure to stop at the Las Fotos Project photo booth. There will be another free drop-in Covid-19 vaccination clinic and CHP will provide free helmets to those who are 18 years old and under, while supplies last.

Free for all, CicLAvia connects communities to each other across an expansive city, creating a safe place to bike, walk, skate, roll, and dance through Los Angeles County. CicLAvia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that catalyzes vibrant public spaces, active transportation, and good health through car-free streets. CicLAvia engages with people to transform our relationship with our communities and with each other.

WHERE, HOW and WHEN:

• CicLAvia-Heart of LA, Sunday, October 10; celebrating a decade of open streets in Los Angeles

• CicLAvia is a free, open event – show up anywhere along our route at any time, and have fun!

• Street Route: MacArthur Park Hub via W 7th St to Broadway–DTLA Civic Center Hub; to N Broadway to Chinatown Hub; and W 1st St to Central Ave to E 4th St to Boyle Ave to E 1st St, Mariachi Plaza Hub

FOR MORE INFO:

· Visit https://www.ciclavia.org/heart_of_la21 or https://www.ciclavia.org/ for more detailed information

· https://www.facebook.com/ciclavia

· https://twitter.com/ciclavia

· https://www.instagram.com/ciclavia/

· https://www.youtube.com/c/CicLAviaLA

Fact Sheet:

• CicLAvia's eleven years of catalyzing vibrant public spaces, active transportation and good health through car-free streets

• The first CicLAvia event took place on October 10, 2010, with a stretch of open streets from East Hollywood through downtown L.A. into Boyle Heights. More than 100,000 Angelenos turned out with people-powered transportation (bicycles, walking, skateboarding, scooters, running, pedicabs, etc.), exceeding expectations.

• Inspired by the Bogotá, Colombia's ciclovía events that started 45 years ago, CicLAvia began as a grassroots initiative by individuals who recognized that Open Streets events could address active transportation, urban land use, and public health needs in L.A.

• Eleven years and 36 CicLAvia Sundays later, more than 1.8 million people (averaging 53,000 participants at each event) have explored nearly 230 miles of open streets in L.A. County. Each CicLAvia route is 6-8 times larger than the median size of L.A.'s existing public parks.

• Attendees come from both the host neighborhoods – and all over L.A. and beyond – to share and enjoy the day. CicLAvia builds a unifying social fabric connecting neighborhoods and neighbors to each other through a spirit of play and exploration.

• CicLAvia is free, fun and inclusive. Neighbors, families and new friends can more intimately explore neighborhoods, historic sites, and hidden gems along with food, shopping and educational resources available along each route.

• For those participating with children, CicLAvia is an opportunity to get exercise, explore the city, have fun, to bike and walk in a safe environment without traffic, and to simply get their children outside, as well as enjoying the activities our many sponsors offer.

• CicLAvia has allowed L.A. to imagine what air quality, mobility and public health would be like via car-free Open Streets events. CicLAvia routes change every other month creating greater equity for L.A.'s most park-poor communities – extending its reach and impact beyond any one community.

• By locating routes near public transportation, a broad range of local communities can easily participate. CicLAvia entices people to go places they never visited or always wanted to. Metro ridership increases 30% during CicLAvia, with some riders taking trains and buses for the first time. CicLAvia happens with communities not to communities. All routes, whether unique or recurring, are designed, planned, and implemented in partnership with local communities.

• CicLAvia's participants mirror L.A.'s demographics. They come from 75% of City of L.A. zip codes, and 50% of LA County zip codes. In a region that has at times struggled for harmony, CicLAvia creates a joyous, shared urban forum. Everyone is welcome... even dogs. Attendees start wherever they want along the route and enjoy as long as they like.

• These well-coordinated days are due to the hundreds of volunteers who work alongside public safety workers to close streets to cars and open them to celebratory fun. By design, CicLAvia routes traverse the centerpiece boulevards that distinguish LA's many unique neighborhoods.