What to Know
- CicLAvia released its full 2023 calendar on Monday, Jan. 23; the first event of the year, a visit to "The Valley," was unveiled in early January (it rolls on Feb. 26)
- Two new "CicLAminis" will take place in Watts and North Hollywood, with a spotlight on walking tours, scavenger hunts, and non-bike experiences
- Free; non-motorized enjoyment is the theme of the closed-to-cars events
An avid urban explorer could correctly claim that there are countless ways to weave through a city while also remaining in a sweet state of curious wonder.
It would be foolish to counter that argument, and few would try, especially when a place like Los Angeles boasts so many buildings, boulevards, and tucked-away spots made for further investigation.
CicLAvia has long kept this get-to-know-the-city spirit close to its marvelous mission. It's now been over a dozen years since the open-streets events first rolled into Southern California, all to give cyclists and saunterers a fresh perspective on a familiar neighborhood.
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Make that fresh and free: There's never a charge to join a CicLAvia event nor do you need a ticket. You simply show up with your bike, or just yourself, and take to the vehicle-less street.
Now fans will be able to enjoy an intriguing new slice of that CicLAvia-style spirit, thanks to the just-announced CicLAminis.
What's a CicLAmini? The brand-new offering is "a more pedestrian-oriented experience featuring activities sprinkled along the entire 1–2-mile open street event," shares the organization.
"Expect things like self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts, street games, local business engagements, and art and cultural activities for all-ages."
Indeed, a route that is around one or two miles is a shorter one for CicLAvia, which often rambles over five, six, or even seven miles, sometimes spanning two or three cities in a single event.
As for the first two CicLAminis debuting on the 2023 calendar? The inaugural event will call upon Watts on May 21, while the second will take place in North Hollywood on Sept. 17.
There are a number of traditional CicLAvia events on the newly unveiled calendar, including two South LA spectaculars, a return to the "Heart of LA," and a vibrant roll from Koreatown to Hollywood (or vice versa, of course; you're welcome to go in either direction and cover as much ground as you like).
A visit to "The Valley," the first CicLAvia event of 2023, was announced in early January; look for several miles of closed streets from Canoga Park to Winnetka to Reseda.
