Open Streets are a nationwide movement to encourage healthy activities such as walking and biking and the use of streets for outdoor dining, shopping, activities, and more.
An all-volunteer DIY Lowell Project Team is organizing Lowell’s very own pilot Open Streets event. It’s free fun – family and student friendly! For one afternoon, Merrimack Street between Kirk and Central will be closed to vehicular traffic and open to you!
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time: Noon – 4 pm
Location: Merrimack Street, between Kirk and Central
Come for:
- Sidewalk Sales
- Arts & Crafts Vendor Fair
- Live Music and Dance
- Interactive Crafting
Want to sponsor us? Email us at info@diylowell.org for information!
Buy a “Brick” and support Open Streets
We’re selling paper “bricks!” Donate $25 or more and leave a message on a paper brick. The bricks will be displayed along a path on the street the day of the event. Donations offset the costs of city permits, equipment, insurance, and other expenses to keep Open Streets Lowell free!
Coalition for a Better Acre is our fiscal agent, so you know your donation is secure. Sponsor us today!
Call for Arts, Crafts, and Activities Vendors
We are soliciting arts & craft artisans to set up booths at two locations: an Arts and Crafts Market and an Activity Zone.
Arts and Crafts Market: We are seeking hand-made or unique goods that will interest a wide audience and draw people to downtown Lowell. We encourage vendors to include a variety of price points, including affordable small items or prints. At this point, we are not accepting any food vendors, but if you are a food-based artisan (honey, beer, etc.), please reach out to us before applying to determine the appropriate license/permit requirements.
Creative Experiences Zone: We are seeking artists, crafters, or other vendors interested in selling a live “experience” to event attendees for a small fee. For example, face painting, customizing phone cases or photo frames, art demonstrations, or other simple and fun activities for kids, college-aged people, and adults.
Call for Community Partners
As part of the event, we’re providing an opportunity for community based organizations to share information and present fun activities for the event. Because this is the first year, the opportunity is free for organizations based or primarily serving Lowell residents! All we ask is that you bring something interactive or eye-catching to make it a memorable time for visitors. We’re expecting at least 500 attendees, and doing special marketing working with student groups at UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College.
Our Vision
Our long-term vision is to revitalize downtown through increasing foot traffic. We hope this will establish downtown as a friendly and popular destination for patrons to spend time, thereby attracting more businesses, creating a virtuous cycle for a thriving downtown core. This is a pilot: we’ll learn from this event with the hope that each year, it will come back with changes that make it stronger and more successful.
