A slimmed-down version of Sunday Parkways rolled through east Portland, drawing thousands of pedal-powered participants this weekend.
The 2023 season of the popular car-free event will include two additional neighborhood gatherings — in Northeast Portland around the Cully neighborhood on June 25 and in Southwest Portland on Sept. 10.
That’s more than last year, when Sunday Parkways returned after a pandemic-induced break with two events. But it’s less than what Sunday Parkways offered the city before COVID-19 forced the event to follow a virtual or self-guided format in 2020 and 2021. As recently as 2019, Sunday Parkways hit the streets five times per year.
Sunday’s trek started at Gateway Discovery Park, completed in Northeast Portland in 2019, and ended at Lincoln City Park near Southeast Mill Street and 135th Avenue. At the end of the 3.3-mile route, cyclists were greeted with live hip hop performances, vendors and access to construction vehicles for kids.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation, which organizes the event, draws the routes to highlight newer bike infrastructure and city parks.
The last event of 2023 will draw visitors to the inclusive playground at Gabriel Park in Southwest Portland, completed in 2022.
–Beth Slovic and Mark Graves, The Oregonian/OregonLive
