Princeton Arts Council and Sustainable Princeton are among the sponsors of a community block party taking place on Sunday, June 22 on Walnut Lane. The event is called ‘Ciclovia’, the Spanish term for when streets are opened on a temporary for cyclists and pedestrians (Wikipedia: Ciclovía.) The first Ciclovias were held in Columbia, and spread to Canada in the 1970s and eventually all around the world. Princeton previously held Ciclovia events on Quaker Road in the mid-2010s. The 2025 Princeton Ciclovia is happening in a more central location: on Walnut Lane and Franklin Lane next to Princeton Middle School (map). This location is also next to a redevelopment area, the old Westminster Choir College site, and the town will be using the event to get input about what to do with this land.
The Ciclovia will be an opportunity for local people to walk, bike or skate on car-free streets. Princeton Arts Council calls it a chance to “reimagine the road”. It is a free event and will run from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Detours for motor traffic will be in place during those hours. Numerous activities, information stands and vendors will be available, including:
- Games and activities, including an awesome scavenger hunt for kids
- Music and dance performances
- Yoga classes
- Local food and coffee vendors (Bring your own mug!)
- Chalk murals
- Bike safety workshops
- And much more!
The town of Princeton has also announced that consultants from ‘Topology‘ will be at the Ciclovia, as part of the town’s effort to get input about what to do with the old Westminster Choir College site. The town acquired the land in April and has begun a consultation about what to do with the 23-acre site. Potential uses include new schools, housing, parkland, historic preservation, and the continuation of existing music schools. Identifying a ‘vision’ for the future use of the site is expected to take around 18 months.
Bring your bike, sunblock, and good ideas! It promises to be a fun and interesting event!
Related materials:
walkableprinceton 