by Dennis Augustine
What a fantastic day exploring Viva CalleSJ with my good friend Bill! Together we logged an impressive 32 miles while enjoying Northern California’s largest open-streets event.
The name “Viva Calle” means both “the streets live” and “long live the streets”—a fitting description for this unique community celebration. Since 2015, San José has temporarily transformed miles of city streets into a giant car-free public park inspired by Bogotá, Colombia’s famous Ciclovía movement.
Families, cyclists, walkers, skaters, musicians, performers, and local vendors filled the route with energy and enthusiasm. Everywhere we looked, neighbors were connecting, exercising, and celebrating the diversity that makes San José such a special place. Of course, no Viva Calle experience would be complete without visiting the activity hubs and sampling some delicious food truck fare.
This was our third year participating, and once again it was a wonderful reminder that streets can be more than places to drive—they can become vibrant gathering spaces that bring an entire community together.
