Nov. 10th Streets Alive: Free, fun and family

Excitement is building around Lee County's inaugural Streets Alive event on Nov. 10th.  This press release provides many more details about all the activities that will be available. Stay tuned for more details in coming weeks, including BikeWalkLee's "booth". Mark your calendars and spread the word!  And consider volunteering.

Press Release: Oct. 1, 2013

When was the last time someone asked you, “Can you come out and play?”  Regardless of your age or ability, Streets Alive is asking you to join us on Nov. 10 in the downtown Fort Myers River District for five hours of play (from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.). It is fun, it is free and it involves the whole family.

Streets Alive is opening the streets for people to play free of traffic and vehicles.  Think of it as a parade turned inside out. At a parade the participants typically sit passively along the edges watching while the parade moves by. Instead, Streets Alive is made up of those who would normally sit and watch, but they themselves become the parade.  Not to be confused with street fairs or block parties, Streets Alive specifically encourages physical activity and healthy eating! 

In addition to having the streets open to people, we are also going to have activity villages with a veritable buffet of activities from hula hoops to meditative walks.  We hope through Streets Alive that everyone, regardless of age or ability, will either discover or rediscover activities that are fun and help them be and stay active.

You are in control.  Do what you want and stay as long as you’d like.

Design your own play:  The streets will be open to walk, run, bike, skate, walk your dog – whatever you’d like to do.  Maybe you’ll bring a piece of chalk and draw a hopscotch game.  Parks and parking lots will be open to play Frisbee, kick a soccer ball, play hide and seek, do jumping jacks or whatever inspires you.

Check out the activities:  There are too many to mention here, but we will have five activity villages with a huge range of activities from yoga to dance to Walk with a Doc to bed races to jumping rope to tennis to meditative walking.  All activities are short, are repeated and are at a beginner’s level.

Combine the two:  Do your own thing and then join in some activities.  Walk, jog or bike from activity village to activity village and check out your choices.

Streets Alive features instructors offering a buffet of free and accessible games, sports, dance and other movement for attendees to try. There will be several Activity Villages where a variety of activities and instructions will be offered, along with a series of events taking advantage of the traffic-free downtown streets. Participants of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate, with the focus particularly being on easy-to-learn activities to get people moving.

The family-friendly Streets Alive will have local restaurants and outlets along the route offering food and beverages, highlighting their most delicious and nutritious menu items. A range of other vendors will also be participating in the festivities.

For more event information or sponsorship options, go to www.streetsalivelee.org.

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Streets Alive of Lee County Inc. is designed to close the streets to traffic and open them up for people to play, move and combine fun with health. The first signature event of the Healthy Lee Coalition is set for Sunday, Nov. 10, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the downtown Fort Myers River District. Streets Alive is a tax-exempt 501c3 nonprofit based in Fort Myers, with long-term plans to schedule a series of fun and participatory events at sites throughout Lee County. Information is online at www.streetsalivelee.org.

Contact: Kate Gooderham

                 (239) 489-2616

                 kgooderham@comcast.net