Philly Free Streets: Group Runs and Bike Rides to Know About
Photo via Facebook | Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
The time has come: Time for Philly’s first-ever open streets event — an event where the city will shut down a stretch of streets to cars so that we can all run, walk, bike and frolic through them, sans traffic. Insert all the ecstatic squeals here.
In case you need a refresher, the open streets event, dubbed Philly Free Streets, will be going down this Saturday, September 24th, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. And the car-free route is nothing to scoff at: It spans nearly 10 miles long, from Front and South Street all the way into West Fairmount Park. Yeah, it’s going to be a good morning.
While you’re welcome to take to the streets in your running shoes or on two wheels on your own, there are also a few group bike rides and runs that will be going down throughout the day. Take your pick! (And note: Philly Free Streets has said they’ll have all sorts of fitness programming across the route, from zumba to boot camps, and more; they’ve yet to announce the schedule and locations of these events, but you can stay tuned here.)
1. Open Streets PHL Fat Ass Run!
When: 8 a.m.
Where: Meet at Front and South Street
Training for the Philly Marathon? We know when you’ll be getting your long run in: The folks from Philly Distance Runners are putting on a 16-mile out-and-back run along the Philly Free Streets route, starting at Front and South Street and taking runners along the car-free route. And if running 16 miles sounds like pure torture to you (I’m with you), not to worry: Runners are welcome to join in on the fun and cut the route short whenever they’d like. The run is free to join in on; you can find more info here.
2. Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s Free Streets Group Ride
When: 11:15 a.m.
Where: Meet at 2nd and South Street
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia will be leading a 5.5-mile free group ride from 2nd and South Street and along the Philly Free Streets route to Sweetbriar Fields in West Fairmount Park for the Free Streets concert. There, riders will picnic with grub they brought themselves or with grub from the food trucks slated to be at the concert. Fun, right? They’ll also lead a group ride from the concert back to the Art Museum area at 2 p.m. You can find more info here.
3. Kidical Mass Philly Free Streets Ride
When: 9 a.m.
Where: Meet at Head House Square
If you’ve got little ones on board, Kidical Mass Philadelphia, a group that promotes family-friendly bike rides and works to bring awareness to kids being in traffic too, will be leading a family-friendly, slow-paced group bike from Head House Square along the Philly Free Streets route. Families are welcome to ride as far along the route as their legs feel like taking them that day.
And you’re going to want to get the arts-and-crafts box out: As their Facebook event post says, “Let’s decorate our bikes and go for a parade … let’s go slow and have fun.” The ride is free to join in; you can find more info here.
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