Here’s What a Pedestrianized State Street Looks Like On a Sunday | Eater Chicago

"An outdoor, weekly street-closure festival on State Street between Lake and Madison that aims to revive downtown by offering games, live performances, artists, vendors, family-friendly activities and a wide variety of food options. Organizers originally sought to spotlight Loop restaurants but staffing shortages led them to recruit vendors citywide and waive participation fees; the event has drawn massive crowds (about 100,000 people during an eight-hour day, roughly 92% of typical 2019 Sunday traffic) from 150 unique ZIP codes and 12 states. Run over eight weeks at a total cost of $400,000 (with $100,000 from the city and the remainder from sponsors and special service area funds), the program is intended to support economic recovery, shift perceptions about downtown safety, and foster community healing, while organizers hope outdoor settings will help mitigate COVID-19 risks amid the delta-variant surge. Its success has inspired similar initiatives elsewhere in the city, and additional dates include August 22, August 29, September 5, and September 12." - Ashok Selvam