Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Brooklyn

Streetfilms: Pedestrians Storm Smith Street, Sans Autos

Every year, on the Sunday closest to Bastille Day, Brooklyn bistro Bar Tabac helps put on one of the city's finest car-free events, turning two blocks of Smith Street into a neighborhood party. As restaurants take over sidewalks with café seating and shady tents, the center of the street transforms into a sandy arena for a tourney of Pétanque (bocce's French cousin). Streetfilms' Nick Whitaker caught the festivities yesterday, with the Open Planning Project's Nick Grossman guiding the way and Bar Tabac's Christophe Chambers explaining what goes into the event. Says Whitaker:

It's not just the action and attraction of the tournament that makes itspecial. People lounge about, eat great culinary delights, kidsskateboard, friends play foosball, and listen to great music -- thekinds of things that we need to happen more to make the sometimeshectic, noisy streets of NYC more palatable. If livable streetsadvocates are looking for a good model of what draws people to anevent, look no further.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

City Scales Back Hugely Popular Fifth Ave. Holiday Open Street Despite Sales Boosts

Mayor Adams is the Grinch who stole his own car-free Christmas shopping spree!

December 4, 2024

The ‘Instacart Loophole’: Council Seeks To Expand Minimum Wage to Grocery Deliveristas

City pols want to close a loophole that is allowing grocery delivery app companies like Instacart to get around paying their workers the deliverista minimum.

December 4, 2024

DOT Commish: ‘We Are Doing A Great Job’ … Falling Short of Bus Lane Requirement

New York City is going to end 2024 having painted the smallest number of bus lanes in six years, and if you ask the person in charge of the Department of Transportation, that's fine.

December 4, 2024

Wednesday’s Headlines: Mayor Trump Edition

Mayor Adams channeled the president-elect on Tuesday in his weekly off-topic presser. Plus other news.

December 4, 2024

Promises, Promises: What the Candidates Said At The Transit Forum

Yes, the 2025 mayoral race is in full swing — which also means the candidate forum season is here, too.

December 3, 2024
See all posts