On Sunday, Go Play On A Freeway

On Sunday, October 29, the Arroyo Seco Parkway, aka the 110 Freeway, will be closed to cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles and open to people, bikes, scooters, and skateboards for the 20th anniversary edition of ArroyoFest. 

The event will span seven miles of the historic parkway, from Pasadena to Lincoln Heights, and feature three activity hubs with entertainment, education, and engagement opportunities for all ages and interests.

The parkway’s southbound lanes will be reserved for pedestrians, while the northbound lanes will be reserved for small wheeled devices such as bikes, scooters, and skateboards. 

The event will run from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., with a chip-timed 10K run starting at 7 a.m. at the north end of the route in South Pasadena.

ArroyoFest is organized by ActiveSGV, a nonprofit organization that promotes active transportation, healthy communities, and environmental justice in the San Gabriel Valley. 

Wesley Reutimann, special programs director at ActiveSGV, said the event aims to celebrate the history, culture, and ecology of the Arroyo Seco corridor.

“We want to showcase the parkway as a public space that connects people and places, not just a freeway that divides them,” Reutimann said. “We also want to raise awareness about the need for more sustainable transportation options and more equitable access to green spaces in our region.”

ArroyoFest is supported by various partners, including the cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena, and Los Angeles; Caltrans; Metro; and several community organizations and businesses. In addition to the parkway closure, Mission Street in South Pasadena will be closed to cars from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and one mile of local streets in South Pasadena will also be closed to vehicular traffic.

For more information about ArroyoFest, visit www.arroyofest.org.