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City of Fort Collins
 

Open Streets

Open Streets

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Route Business Participation#

Open Streets creates a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly avenue for residents to visit local businesses. We are excited to work with merchants along the route to help engage customers during the event and ensure Open Streets is a beneficial initiative to the local businesses! 

There are plenty of studies that show how Open Streets helps local businesses both during the event and after. The event helps people discover new stores and restaurants, and offers shops the opportunity to showcase their business to thousands of potential customers.

If businesses are located on the event route, we work to plan the event layout so as to help augment visibility and avoid programming that disrupts visibility and access.

70% of people spent money at a restaurant or store on the cyclouvia route. 76% spent more than $10. 47% discovered a new restaurant or store.

How to Make The Most Of Open Streets#

  • Plan on being open the day of the event. Businesses that opened up to the sidewalk and street during similar events across the country, reported record sales and made Open Streets more exciting and interesting for participants.
  • Make your storefront visible. Open Streets will bring a very high volume of foot traffic. Making your business visible (banners, sandwich boards, signs, etc.) will encourage more participants to stop in and patronize your storefront.
  • Bring your business outside. Bringing your business to the sidewalk creates a more vibrant streetscape and sends a clear signal to participants that you are open. Consider including outside areas for seating, displaying products or creating an activity for participants. Please note: To ensure access for all participants, please maintain a 6’ accessible unobstructed path on the sidewalk.
  • Advertise your business before the event. Offering coupons and other “Open Streets Specials” will tempt more event participants to try your product and look for your business as they travel along the route. If you’re offering a special, let us know (as early as possible) and we can help promote via the Open Streets website and social media.
  • Help get the word out to your current customers. Display an Open Streets poster or handout event flyers to your customers.

What You Need To Know#

  • Plan for a high volume of participants throughout the day to be walking or biking by your business during the event.
  • Open Streets is a great opportunity for businesses located along the route to both attract new customers and make the event more lively and enjoyable.
  • If you plan to officially participate in Open Streets, please ensure that your sales tax license is up to date or apply for a temporary sales tax license. 
  • Similar events have shown evidence that storefronts along the route have seen an increase in business during and after the event. Open Streets gives local businesses the opportunity to reach out to new customers from across Fort Collins.

Contact#

For engagement ideas, marketing materials, or promotional support, please contact AnnMarie Kirkpatrick, Active Modes Specialist at akirkpatrick@fcgov.com. 

Interested in hosting a booth as part of the event? View our Vendor and Sponsor Guide to learn more.