Beach Streets 2016-2430-X3

Photo by Allan Crawford.

Beach Streets Downtown saw a whopping 50,000 participants take over the streets of Downtown Long Beach and the Broadway corridor (according to bikelongbeach.org), not to get anywhere quickly, but to revel in each other’s company and all the quirkiness and creativity that Long Beach has to offer. People riding bikes, rolling through in wheelchairs, participants skateboarding, scootering, walking (some on stilts) and skipping on a gray-day-turned-sunny, made for one heck of an enjoyable Saturday.

Beers were had, music was heard and ultimately, the streets were ridden, walked, danced and traipsed upon gladly and with the unabated enthusiasm of the city’s residents. Visitors let loose from their homes and cars with strict orders to enjoy themselves.

The Broadway corridor became a playground, a multiple-stop shop of entertainment and activities, resonating with the sounds of a happening city without the interruptive honks, revs and tire screeches of its normally vehicle-ridden roadways. Even the Broadway asphalt issued a sigh of relief as the wants and woes of its usual stop-and-go drivers and their rush hour anxieties were lifted off its weary shoulders.

Thanks to Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe and Metro Los Angeles, Councilwomen Lena Gonzalez and Suzie Price, Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal and Mayor Robert Garcia, Pedal Movement and the Downtown Long Beach Associates and all the local players who pulled through to organize this second and very successful ciclovía event for the people, rumor has it there is chatter in some of the council districts that these Open Street events may just happen more often. Fingers crossed!

For more information about Beach Streets, visit the website here.

Photos by Asia Morris.

 

Photos by Allan Crawford.

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].