Posted on: October 27, 2022
| | 2:59 pm
A 1-mile stretch of Buellton’s Avenue of Flags will be closed to vehicles on April 30.


Open Street events aim to promote community health by providing temporary vehicle-free spaces on local streets. (photo courtesy)
The debut of the Santa Ynez Valley Open Streets will help create safe, temporary, car-free spaces on streets and roads and open them up as parks for the day.
A mile of Buellton’s Avenue of Flags will be car-free on April 30 from 10am to 5pm as part of the first open street event in the Santa Ynez Valley. The organizer of the event is the Santa Ynez Valley Healthy Eating Active Living Coalition (HEAL).
Open Streets kicks off CycleMAYnia in Santa Barbara County. CycleMAYnia is a month-long celebration during National Bike Month. The celebration will reach thousands of cyclists and community members throughout his May, led by the Santa Barbara County Government Association (SBCAG) Transportation Solutions Division.
Santa Ynez Valley Open Street Event is supported by the City of Buellton, Santa Barbara County Transport Sales Tax Measures, local sponsors Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Cottage Health, Visit Santa Made possible with the support of the Innes Valley, Buellton Chamber of Commerce. Commerce, and the Solvang Chamber of Commerce.
Valerie Kissell, CEO of People Helping People and financial sponsor of HEAL Coalition, said: “The City of Buellton has been very supportive and we look forward to the community supporting this first event.”
“Business organizations and community members can continue to sponsor the event or sign up to host fun activities and contests.” Organizers expect more than 2,000 people to attend the event.
The city will close approximately one mile of road from Damasa to State Route 246 to vehicles and open it for pedestrians and bicyclists to enjoy. The event will include street music, family-friendly physical fitness activities, and other wellness-themed activities hosted by local businesses and organizations.
To sign up as a sponsor, join as a vendor, or learn more about Open Streets, visit www.syvopenstreets.com.
Open Streets events share a common goal of promoting community health by creating safe, temporary, car-free spaces on streets and roads. SBCAG’s Traffic Solutions division has hosted or sponsored community-driven events throughout the county, including Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Guadalupe and Carpinteria.