West Coast Premier: "Close Encounters of the 34th Ave Kind"
About this Event
What happens when a neighborhood is allowed to treat its streets as public space—not merely plumbing for cars?
WATCH THE PREVIEW
During the COVID-19 pandemic, New York City opened 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights and Corona, Queens, creating a safe place for residents to walk, bike, exercise, socialize, and reconnect. In a community hit especially hard by the pandemic—and with some of the lowest park space per person in the city—the Open Street quickly became more than a temporary emergency measure. It became essential neighborhood infrastructure.
Residents organized to protect and expand it, ultimately transforming 34th Avenue into Paseo Park: a 1.5-mile promenade for strolling, cycling, gathering, playing, and everyday community life.
Streetfilms’ first full-length documentary tells the story of how ordinary residents overcame bureaucratic resistance, reclaimed public space, and created one of the most successful community-led street transformations in the country.
For Long Beach and Southern California, the film offers a practical new model: giving communities the tools to open and activate their own streets through low-cost, locally led interventions—turning underused asphalt into places for connection, culture, recreation, and commerce.
Following the screening, join Jim Burke, known as the “Mayor of 34th Avenue,” Alex Jung from City Fabrick, and Krista Nightengale of the Better Block Foundation for a conversation about how communities can move beyond one-day street closures and begin building lasting people-first places.
Supported by AARP as part of .
Special thanks to StreetFilms and Walk Long Beach.
Agenda
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Free Movie Screening
Host: Streetfilms' "Close Encounters of the 34th Ave Kind"
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Panel and Q&A
Host: Jim Burke, Mayor of 34th Ave
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch at Lola's
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
