So much has happened in 2020 that Angelenos may forget that this was the year we explored a new route together in South LA. Across 6 miles of Central Avenue, from the north-end Jazz District and South Central down into Florence-Firestone and Watts (all the way to the edge of Watts Towers), CicLAvians jogged, cycled, skated, rollerbladed, walked, and rolled their way through open streets that celebrated so much of the art and culture of our city.

An abundance of street murals, restaurants, and historical landmarks lined the route - including new tributes to Kobe Bryant in Watts.

In commemoration of CicLAvia’s 10th anniversary, Los Angeles artist Brian Rea designed an image that captures the joy, excitement, and energy that our events bring to LA streets and communities.

We are so thrilled to collaborate with Brian on this original, creative, and detailed work. Alex Merlino, our Director of Finance, and Sandra Kulli, a member of our Board of Directors, talked with him about how his own experiences at CicLAvia, and working in Los Angeles, guided this project.

It's our birthday! That's right: the upcoming CicLAvia–Heart of LA lands right on our birthday: October 10. We have been opening streets, connecting communities, and exploring neighborhoods together all across Los Angeles since 2010!

On 10/10/10, we hit the streets for our first event, which was also CicLAvia—Heart of LA. About 100,000 people discovered the myriad joys of open, car-free streets along a 7.5-mile stretch through downtown and into Boyle Heights. We are looking back at some of the many moments, images, and even headlines from that inaugural event.

At Social Venture Partners LA’s Fast Pitch 2020, CicLAvia Chief Strategist Tafarai Bayne presented a fresh vision for open streets as our city adapts to new challenges. Read his remarks below, or watch a video here - and learn how you can help CicLAvia usher in a more equitable, more sustainable future with even greater opportunities for Angelenos: 

Remember when 50,000 Angelenos would gather together on miles of LA streets - running, biking, skating, walking, and playing the whole day away? Can you hear the sound of bike chains, footsteps, and laughter? Can you see the young man raised in South Central riding the bike he's built himself, smiling and chatting with the lawyer from the west side on her $3,000 race bike?

Moving via people power, just glad to be out experiencing a neighborhood in a brand new way, feeling both more connected to this city and to each other. That is the power and joy of a Ciclavia open street event: transforming streets into connective spaces - allowing for the many individual interactions and choices that, together, result in systemic shifts in consciousness and action.

CicLAvia and our partners are leading conversations and movements across Los Angeles for safer streets, connected communities, and more expansive urban parks. As our Executive Director Romel Pascual observes, “It’s always been CicLAvia’s mission to have people reimagine what their streets could and should look like.”

We are so thankful for the incredible response to our Giving Tuesday Now campaign. You invested in miles of smiles and memories to come. Together, we donated over 1200 meals to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank! It was an inspiring day for the CicLAvia community.

For nearly 10 years now, we shared stories and experiences on LA’s streets and showed what it means to be connected as a community. We supported local businesses, celebrated arts and culture, and were enriched by local gems along every route. Together we celebrated all aspects of LA’s diversity, and what makes LA special.

Since 2010, CicLAvia has transformed and engaged communities all across Los Angeles County. Today, CicLAvia is recognized as the nation’s most-skilled producer of car-free street events, connecting Angelenos to each other through a shared sense of adventure.

CicLAvia’s 10th anniversary year is underway, after kicking off our 35th event in South Los Angeles this past Sunday, February 23. Across 6 miles of Central Avenue, from the north-end Jazz District and South Central down into Florence-Firestone and Watts (all the way to the edge of Watts Towers), CicLAvians jogged, cycled, skated, rollerbladed, walked, and rolled their way through our first open streets event of the year.

An abundance of street art, restaurants, and historical landmarks lined the route - including new tributes to Kobe Bryant in Watts.

Become a CicLAvia Street Star

Creating a CicLAvia open-street event doesn’t happen overnight. It takes hard work every day of the year made possible by the dedicated support of individuals at all levels.

By becoming a CicLAvia Street Star and making an automatic tax-deductible gift each month, you are actively contributing to safer streets, more connected communities, and a more sustainable Los Angeles. Not only will your donation help ensure more CicLAvia Sundays, it will make on-going support of CicLAvia’s work so much simpler.

Save Time and Make Your Gift Go Further

Select an affordable amount that is meaningful to you and your contribution will be automatically billed to your credit card each month. Of course, you can always change your monthly amount, suspend or discontinue your support, or modify your preferred method of payment at any time by contacting our Chief Impact Officer at [email protected].

And to show our appreciation for your loyal support, we’re throwing in a few perks only for CicLAvia Street Stars!

Amid lawn games, breakfast tacos, raffle giveaways, sneak peeks at the 2020 season, and bottomless mimosas, CicLAvia kicked off its 10th anniversary year at our CeLAbrate! fundraiser and are ready to launch our first event of 2020, CicLAvia—South LA on February 23.

More than that, it was an opportunity for long-term fans and the newly initiated to reminisce on a decade of open streets events in Los Angeles. Through news clippings and photos, attendees saw how much our city has changed -- and were eager to credit some of the improvements to the increased demand for community-oriented public events like CicLAvia.