Open Streets will take over Rittenhouse Square every Sunday in April

Seven blocks will be closed to traffic on April 6, April 13, April 20, and April 27 as pedestrian shoppers and performances take over stretches of Walnut and 18th streets.

Youngsters enjoy soap bubbles from magician Matthew Sconzo at the intersection of 18th & Walnut Streets during the September pilot of the Center City Open Streets: Walnut West pilot. The business association will be again closing seven blocks near Rittenhouse Square Park to vehicular traffic every Sunday in April.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

by Beatrice Forman

Published March 11, 2025, 1:51 p.m. ET

One way to know that spring has sprung in Philly: The streets open — at least temporarily.

Seven blocks near Rittenhouse Square will be closed to traffic every Sunday in April, the Center City District announced Tuesday. The closures mark the third iteration of the Center City District’s Open Streets program, which ran for four Sundays in September and two in December to spur more shopping and merriment along Walnut Street.

During those first two go-rounds, Walnut Street from Rittenhouse Square Park through 15th Street swapped cars for Santa sightings, pop-up workout classes, al fresco dining, and even impromptu Eagles watch parties. The program was regarded as a success by retailers along the commercial corridor who reported upticks in sales and foot traffic compared with a regular Sunday.

This time the streets will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 6, April 13, April 20, and April 27. Closures will cover Walnut Street from 19th to 15th Streets and 18th Street between Locust and Chestnut Streets. Traffic will be able to pass at select intersections.

Think of this version of Open Streets as a circus-themed block party: Bubble magicians and stilt walkers will stroll Walnut Street before pop-up double Dutch lessons in the afternoon. And on April 20 and April 27, the Easter Bunny will lead a kid-friendly scavenger hunt from 10 a.m. to noon. Pet portraits, collaborative chalk murals, and live music are also in the mix.

Restaurants and shops alongside the busy business strip will also offer specials for the duration of April Open Streets. French bistro Parc and vegan Cuban spot Bar Bombón will have expanded outdoor seating on Sundays, while Rescue Spa plans to offer spring-themed facials and fragrance walk-throughs. Inexplicably, menswear brand State & Liberty will be hosting a pull-up contest.

Open Streets’ continuation comes amid continued calls for Philadelphia to pedestrianize more streets. USA Today voted Philly the most walkable city to visit in 2024, despite safe-street advocates urging the city to meaningfully address pedestrian safety issues.

Philly has flirted with vehicle-free streets in the past: During the pandemic, both Martin Luther King Drive and Sansom Street were closed to traffic, while the defunct Philly Free Streets program used to shut down South Street and North Broad Street to cars for one Saturday each year.

Foot traffic increased at 90% of retailers that participated in the September Open Streets pilot, according to the results of a survey the Center City District shared in October, while more than three-quarters of participating businesses reported increased sales.

Open Streets is “something very special,” Center City District CEO Prema Katari Gupta told reporters at a news conference about the initiative in October. It’s “like the way the city feels when our sports teams are winning — everybody’s sort of a little lighter on their feet, and smiling.”