ACTIVITY PROVIDERS, MARKET VENDORS, FOOD VENDORS - Registration has now closed. The deadline to apply was Monday, March 24 at midnight. Food vendor and market vendor positions have been filled are no longer accepting applications. We are now accepting waitlist applications for Activity Providers only, and you can learn more below about how to apply late.
VOLUNTEERS we welcome your partnership for the 2025 Open Streets!
LEARN MORE below about how to get involved in this year's event.
Put Saturday, April 26, 2025 on your calendar for one of the Near Southside's most iconic community events, Open Streets. Open Streets was founded in 2011 to achieve environmental, social, economic, and public health goals by temporarily closing Magnolia Avenue to automobile traffic and reopening the street to the community for walking, bicycling, dancing, playing, and socializing. Today, the event has grown to become a beloved annual community festival that showcases the best of the Near Southside.
OPEN STREETS IS:
Non-motorized rolling fun on bicycles, skateboards, roller skates & scooters.
Healthy ways to get moving such as fitness, martial arts, yoga, pilates, obstacle courses, bike safety training, breakdancing, etc.
Environmental advocacy to ensure a healthy sustainable neighborhood.
FREE family-friendly fun from more than 100 activity providers. Learn how you can get involved below!
Locally-made products offered by market collectives featuring handmade items by local artisans.
A community play-day dedicated to neighborly interaction, healthy activity, and complete streets awareness.
But it's also important to remember,
Open Streets is NOT dedicated to sales but does include sales. Food vendors, market vendors, and local retailers participate in Open Streets as merchants, but do so in the spirit of community investment and local retail incubation over monetary motives.
Open Streets is NOT a music festival, art fair, or beer bash
The event is an expression of the Near Southside's community spirit in every way: local businesses set up activities along the route; neighborhood residents help spread the word; and dozens of community partners take ownership of key planning details such as promotions, activities, temporary public art projects, pet adoptions, bike safety courses, and much more. So, mark your calendar for SATURDAY, APRIL 26 FROM NOON - 6 P.M.
WAITLIST IS NOW OPEN FOR 2025 ACTIVITY PROVIDERS
Learn more about submitting a late application to be an official partner.
ACTIVITY PROVIDERS
JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR ONLY $25
Are you willing to provide a free, family-friendly activity in exchange for the opportunity to have a presence at Open Streets? If so, we would love to offer you space as our partner! This is a great opportunity to promote your business/organization in a grassroots, community-focused manner. Or, if you have a special talent such as magic, juggling, metal forging, breakdancing, or acrobatics that you'd like to show off, we welcome you to join us on the street.
The activity provider application fee is only $25 and there are no other fees to participate if accepted. For less than the price of dinner, you can demonstrate your company's civic spirit to thousands of people in attendance.
Examples of successful actives from previous years include hula hoop competitions, kid's bicycle rodeo to teach safe riding practices, bike repair station, fitness obstacle courses, big wheel races, community yoga lessons, healthy grocery store shopping simulation, make your own wildflower seed bombs, etc. The wilder your activity the more fun Open Streets will be. Try to avoid predictable experiences that are found at other outdoor festivals and reach for ideas that will take people by surprise.
One of the most popular activities at last year's Open Streets was a booth hosted by a local contractor who taught 'hammering lessons'. The contractor was promoting his home renovations business. Each person who stopped by the booth was given a quick lesson in to how to drive a nail into a board without bending the nail. Then, after the festival-goer felt comfortable with their hammer skills, they were invited to participate in a 'nail driving competition' to see who would hammer the nail in fastest. Winner walked away with a small prize and lots of pride!
Your activity does not have to be directly related to your business/organization. Instead, think of your activity as a way to draw people to your booth so that you can build a relationship with the public and then share information about your business organization. For example, instead of bringing corn-hole boards try pantyhose bowling, Hungry Hippos while riding a skateboard on your belly, or "Minute to Win It Jingle in the Trunk". Don't know what these are? Google it for a laugh!
APPLICATION HAS CLOSED
THE APPLICATION DEADLINE CLOSED ON MONDAY, MARCH 24 AT MIDNIGHT All Activity Provider applications submitted prior to this deadline are new being reviewed and given priority placement at Open Streets. If you have submitted an application, please wait patiently for our communications to with approve or request clarification regarding your proposed activity.
JOIN THE WAITLIST
HOWEVER, WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING WAITLIST APPLICATIONS. Friends, we have had a banner year for applications. With the formal deadline to apply now behind us, we are turning our full attention to reviewing those applications that were submitted prior to the deadline. We are not yet sure if those who have already applied will fill the street or if we will have room to add a few late application activity partners. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL, we are now offering the opportunity for WAITLIST APPLICATIONS.
TO APPLY TO THE WAITLIST To join the waitlist, you must pay the $25 fee to purchase an application and submit your activity to the festival. After all pre-deadline applications are reviewed and placed in the festival site plan, we will turn to waitlist applications - reviewing them and offering space to waitlist partners in the order the applications were received. The earlier your waitlist application is submitted, the more likely you are to be offered a spot at Open Streets. We cannot guarantee that all waitlist applicants will be offered participation at this year's festival. Your $25 application fee is a gamble and is non-refundable even if we are not able to extend an offer to participate. In good faith, we will only continue to accept waitlist applications if we believe there may be room to add partners. The waitlist will remain open through Wednesday, April 16 at 5:00pm or until we know the festival is full - whichever occurs first. All waitlist partners will hear from the festival by Friday, April 18 with a formal offer or decline.
USE THE ACTIVITY PROVIDER APPLICATION GET ON THE WAITLIST
If Open Streets 2025 is your first time applying to a community event with us, you'll first be directed to create a username and password for our website. If you're a returning partner, simply log in using your previously set-up username and password. Click button to start your application.
Open Streets reserves a limited amount of on-street space to showcasing local artisan markets. This year, Open Streets is partnering with two Fort Worth market collectives to curate our three market areas. We invite you to shop these three markets during the event.
A MARKET FOR FARMERS & FOODIES
PRESENTS THE OPEN STREETS FARMERS' MARKET
BLOCK 4 - FAIRMOUNT AVE. TO 6TH AVE.
Farmers and cottage food vendors are encouraged to join owner Shea Dardis for this market that specifically focuses on produce, shelf-stable foods like jams, jellies, salsa, pickles, jerky, honey and other artisan products. Please note, the farmers' market is specifically seeking foods that are to be eaten off-premises, not foods that can easily be consumed at the event. For example, bakers selling a whole loaf of bread are welcome to apply. Bakers selling ready-made cookies that can be enjoyed at Open Streets must instead apply to Open Streets using the food vendor application.
THE MARKET VENDOR APPLICATION HAS CLOSED. ALL VENDORS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THEIR ACCEPTANCE.
Love Local Coffee + Art Shop owner Sara Tucker is specifically seeking vendors selling artisan products like art, soaps, lotions, candles and handmade products such as jewelry, woodworking, pottery, and a very select number of artists with natural or botanic themes.
THE MARKET VENDOR APPLICATION HAS CLOSED. ALL VENDORS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THEIR ACCEPTANCE.
Vendors selling vintage products or up-cycled fashion, home goods, and re-purposed treasures, plants and sustainably-made handicrafts are encouraged to apply. Wandering Roots market owner Shea Dardis will accept only vendors in these categories.
THE MARKET VENDOR APPLICATION HAS CLOSED. ALL VENDORS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THEIR ACCEPTANCE.
Vendors are required to apply directly with participating market collectives to be considered. Open Streets is not accepting market vendor applications directly this year, but instead deferring to the curation provided by these market collectives. Filling out an application is not a guarantee of a vendor space. Space is limited, and we must ensure quality and variety for each event. Completing an application means the applicant agrees to the following: A $75 vendor fee to be paid directly to your market coordinator within 48 hours of being accepted. No refunds, no exceptions. Vendors must provide their own 10x10 tent WITH WEIGHTS and any display items needed (tables, chairs etc). This is an OUTDOOR market with NO ELECTRICITY PROVIDED. Set-up may begin as early as 9am. The event ends at 6pm.
AS A REMINDER, MARKET VENDORS APPLY DIRECTLY WITH THE MARKET COORDINATORS LISTED ABOVE.
FOOD VENDORS
APPLICATIONS HAVE CLOSED
Open Streets accepts only a limited number of food, sweets, and drinks vendors at the event to allow for strong sales for all vendors. Tented vendors, food trucks, and food trailers are all invited to apply. However, it is critically important to note that Open Streets does not provide power on site at the event. Food trucks with quiet generators are given top priority for inclusion as loud generators often ruin the festival atmosphere and bother other nearby partners.
FOOD VENDOR APPLICATIONS OPENED ON FEBRUARY 13 APPLICATIONS CLOSED ON MONDAY, MARCH 24 AT MIDNIGHT.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME
YOU CAN USE THE BUTTON BELOW CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION ONLY.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
WE'D SURE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP ON THE BIG DAY!
Open Streets is produced by Near Southside, Inc. and Near Southside Arts, your non-profit community revitalization advocates. Our small staff of only six would greatly appreciate your help as a volunteer during set-up and break-down at the event. Volunteer duties range from simple tasks like taping signs to road cones ahead of the festival to serving in leadership roles as a block captain the day of the event.
Minors are welcome to volunteer for community service hours so long as they are accompanied by an adult and are able to perform the duties of their role. Shifts are available before, during, and after Open Streets on Saturday, April 26.
Volunteers not only enjoy the pride of helping to make Open Streets possible but they also receive a few exciting benefits like access to indoor restrooms and a volunteer-exclusive Open Streets tee featuring our mascot Pete on the Street! We might also give you a walkie-talkie for the day and then a big hug for all your help!
GIVE THIS A CLICK TO EARN YOUR HERO STATUS:
JOIN THE FUN
HOW WE USE THE STREET
MAGNOLIA AVENUE FROM 8TH AVE. TO HEMPHILL ST.
Open Streets will close Magnolia Avenue from 8th Ave. to Hemphill Street. The street will close on Saturday morning, April 26, at 6:00am to begin set-up.
Block numbers begins on the west at 8th Avenue (Block 1) and moves east to Hemphill (Block 14).
This street plan ensures that all of our priorities listed above have sufficient space.
ROLL ZONE The west-bound lane and northern bike lane is exclusively dedicated to bicycles, skateboards, scooters, skates and other non-motorized wheeled activities
STROLL ZONE The center turn lane is dedicated to pedestrians, strollers and pups.
ACTIVITY ZONE The east-bound traffic lane and southern bike lane will be reserved for all of our free community activities.
BRING YOUR BOARD TO THE OPEN STREETS SKATE JAM ON BLOCK 3 Produced by Magnolia Skate Shop, the Open Streets Skate Jam on Block 3 (Magnolia Avenue from 7th Avenue to Fairmount Avenue) is one of the most exciting parts of Open Streets. Bring your board to ride the ramps - skaters of all ages and abilities are welcomed. OR hangout as a spectator and watch the tricks, flips, and kicks of the Open Streets Skate Jam!
BIKE RODEO ON BLOCK 12 Trinity Metro Bikes, Fort Worth Critical Mass, and expert cyclists like longtime friend Elisabet Westbye typically set up fun bike activities course on Block 12 near The Boiled Owl! Join us for riding fun, bike safety training, and free bike gear giveaways! Our 2025 plan hopes to reactivate this block
RIDE THE ROLL ZONE ON YOUR BIKE, SCOOTER, SKATEBOARD, ROLLER SKATES, OR OTHER WHEELED-FUN! The entire westbound travel lane of Magnolia Avenue is dedicated to rolling fun of all types such as scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, roller-skates, bicycles, and more! Move up and down Magnolia Avenue without a car in sight. The street belongs to you on Open Streets day!
ENJOY 100+ FREE ACTIVITIES along our 'Stroll Zone' provided by local businesses, non-profit organizations, schools, libraries, and more.
OPEN STREETS SKATE JAM
Sponsored by Dickies and constructed by the team at Magnolia Skate Shop, we are stoked to bring back a temporary skate park to Magnolia Avenue on Open Streets day. You couldn’t miss these two blocks of skate ramps, rails, and platforms if you TRIED - but we suggest you don’t! Even if you’re not a skater yourself, the Open Streets Skate Jam is a sight to behold. This year we’re adding tables and chairs for you to hang and watch the fun.
Find the Skate Jam on Block 3
from 7th Ave. to Fairmount Avenue
SEEKING SPONSORS
GET YOUR COMPANY IN FRONT OF THE CROWD
CONNECT YOUR COMPANY TO THE COMMUNITY
Open Streets offers the opportunity for community-minded businesses and institutions to gain publicity through their support of an exciting neighborhood street festival that has garnered widespread attention by both the media and the public.
The event that has become a treasured component of life in the Near Southside. Near Southside Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to cultural programming and community revitalization in Fort Worth's Near Southside. Sponsorship contributions made to Near Southside Arts are deductible as charitable donations. W-9 forms will be provided at your request.
Open Streets is offering a range of sponsorship opportunities from $2,500 to $7,500 with scaling benefits to meet your company's marketing and philanthropic goals.
TRINITY METRO ON-DEMAND, BUS, TRE, TEXRAIL AND BIKES
Finding your way to Open Streets with Trinity Metro is a snap!Check out the options below to decide how your squad can arrive without parking hassles. If you ride Trinity Metro to Open Streets and purchase your ticket via the GoPass mobile app.
If you HAVE to drive a car to Open Streets, free parking is available in the parking garage at 1201 Alston Avenue Fort Worth, Texas 76104. Parking should be plentiful and easy!
Trinity Metro is proud to be the public transportation provider for Tarrant County. Our services include a bus network, TEXRail commuter rail line, ACCESS paratransit, Trinity Metro On-Demand ride share services, Trinity Metro Bikes, and vanpools. We also jointly own and operate Trinity Railway Express with Dallas Area Rapid Transit. At Trinity Metro, we strive to deliver our customers safely to their destinations in a reliable and timely manner. We know that riders have important places to be and they rely on us to get them there, whether it’s work, school, a doctor’s office or other essential stops.
Our goal is to always provide an exceptional customer experience. If you ever find that not to be the case – or if you want to pass along a compliment or ask a question – call one of our customer care representatives at 817-215-8600 to share your feedback.
Whether you’re traveling for business or leisure, we’re glad you’re on board with Trinity Metro. Thanks for riding!
A century ago, Williamson-Dickies was just a small Texas company making bib overalls. Built with quality, grit, and quiet pride, every pair that came out of the shop embodied the spirit of the American worker. While their workwear is now available in more than 100 countries across the world, they're not all that different from when they first opened our doors. They still make bib overalls. They still embody that spirit of the American worker. The only difference is they get to do what we do for more hardworking people than ever before. Founded Fort Worth, Texas, Dickies is a proud Near Southside partner. Their support of the Dickies Skate Plaza at Fire Station Park has created a legendary space for Fort Worth's community to ride, roll, and stroll.
STREET SPONSORS
Nicole Dawson is a wife and a mother to son Jace (8) and son Radley (2). She met her husband, Sean, during an Alaskan adventure in 2012 and became a proud US Coast Guard Military spouse. Their . They have two dogs, Piper and Gwen, who love to come to the office to see visitors. Nicole and her husband traveled with the Coast Guard but is now proud to be home in Fort Worth, serving the area where she grew up.
Nicole Dawson's team of licensed Insurance Professionals are here to help you get the most out of your auto, homeowners and life insurance. They also offer Financial Services and are able to assist small business owners with their commercial lines of insurance. Contact us today and see how we can help protect what matters to you.
Valliance Bank is a community bank focused on relationship banking, not transaction banking. Relationship banking is a principle by which we engender loyalty by understanding our customers’ goals and objectives. We also strategize with them to develop a plan to fulfill the vision for their businesses. We pride ourselves on being responsive and enthusiastic, always willing to work with our customers. More than a bank, Valliance is a partner that you can rely on.
Topo Chico has always been known for the legend surrounding its origins. Today, it is one of the world's largest and best sparkling mineral water brands, with several flavors and packages sizes to satisfy even the most legendary thirst. Whether you believe in the legend or not, you'll still be able to enjoy the crisp, no-calorie taste of Topo Chico.
Founded in 1984, Buyers Barricades is a customer-focused business, serving the great state of Texas from our locations in DFW, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Steve Buyers began his career as a construction superintendent servicing a project at DFW Airport where he hired a barricade company to handle traffic control. After days of poor customer service, Steve decided to take matters into his own hands. Within 24 hours, Steve started Buyers Barricades with nothing more than his ’65 Chevy pickup, a 16-foot trailer, and the vow to run his business by the golden rule.
While we’re proud of our steady growth over the years, we’re even more proud of our unwavering dedication to our customers. Steve’s commitment to run a service-focused barricade company lives on as our business has expanded to serve the entire state of Texas and beyond. Buyers Barricades is sharply focused on the importance of family, integrity, quality, customer dedication, and working hard to foster healthy, long-lasting relationships.
Near Southside, Inc. (NSI) is a private, member-funded, 501(c)4 non-profit redevelopment organization created in 1996 by a group of dedicated community leaders. For more than two decades members of NSI have continued to guide the district's revitalization through their participation.
Your dues provide critical financial support for the ongoing work of our organization. NSI initiates marketing and redevelopment programs to create a vibrant urban village where people live, work, and play within an inviting and diverse community in Fort Worth's Near Southside.
Membership dues will be renewed annually in the month in which you have registered. A renewal invoice will be sent 30 days prior to the month of your membership anniversary. This is not a tax-deductible donation, but may be a deductible business expense. W-9 forms will be provided at your request. We thank you for your interest in membership. Our members are our most valuable resource in the ongoing exchange of information and ideas to build and sustain the Near Southside.
Near Southside Arts is a community-led effort to foster and celebrate the creative assets of Fort Worth’s Near Southside. We are a vibrant and diverse community exploring, discovering and connecting unique and personalized experiences.
For over two decades, the Near Southside has placed cultural investment at the center of its revitalization. The district hosts arts-centric community events including ArtsGoggle, Open Streets, Friday on the Green, and Park(ing) Day that together attract over 100,000 attendees from around North Texas and beyond annually. In addition, the Near Southside is home to many of Fort Worth’s notable live theaters, music venues, recording studios, film and video production studios, and art schools. As a state-designated cultural district, our specially-designated ecosystem supports all manners of creative pursuit. Your people are here.
