Finding parking can be a headache in Columbia, but what if you could reimagine those parking spaces as shared spaces? What if locals could gather, eat a quick snack, join a friend for coffee, or plan a meet-cute?

Tomorrow from 10 a.m.-4 p.m, Columbia will explode with art, and tiny, urban parks will pop up around the city to celebrate PARK(ing) Day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKa0KXejtmI/
What is PARK(ing) Day?

PARK(ing) Day is an annual, global event that motivates communities to creatively transform 8x20 parking spaces into parklets that:

Are accessible to all.
Cultivate your sense of civic pride.
Encourage you to consider the role you play in creating, building, and improving your local urban environment.

A little history lesson:

The very first PARK(ing) Day took place in San Francisco, California in 2005 as a public art project. The goal was to reimagine a parking space as a mini park — not just for a day, but to create something that would permanently transform your city’s landscape.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPSrVrgt1BH/
Did you know Washington Street — between Main + Sumter streets — hosts the city's first public parklet? The space was created by artist Frankie Zombie, and made possible by local organizations like One Columbia, City Center Partnership + Southern Vistas, and a grant from the AARP Community Challenge Program.

What to expect:

We suggest walking or biking around town instead of driving to check out all of the ~40 meter transformed parklets on Main, Lady, Hampton, Washington, and Park Streets. Don’t forget to go by the Saluda + Santee avenues too.

So, peruse around town like it's 1 huge gallery tomorrow, take pics, tag @COLAtoday, and stop at each parklet to have a chat with someone in your community. You never know where 1 conversation with a stranger may lead you.