“Seize the Summer,” the July installment of the City’s seasonal SomerStreets festival, will take place on Sunday, July 29^th from noon to 4pm between Walnut and Cedar Streets onHighland Ave.  It is the second of five SomerStreets celebrations planned for 2012, with the first event having drawn more than 3,000 attendees in June along East Broadway.  For this unique street fair, where “roads are closed to cars and open to you,” programming includes: a “Kidical Mass” bike ride to Davis Square; Cambridge Health Alliance health & fitness fair; family-friendly activities; health workshops including an American Red Cross blood drive; arts and craft vendors; live music, and more.  SomerStreets is the centerpiece of the City’s Open Streets Initiative, which closes sections of roadways one Sunday per month to promote and support active living – walking, biking, running, dancing, and more.

“SomerStreets has really taken off as a way to celebrate the pleasures of urban living,” said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “Based on the popularity of ArtBeat, I concluded thatSomerville’s residents would respond to an opportunity for outdoor activity in a safe, family-friendly environment.  Think of it as a series of big block parties.Somervillehas always loved its block parties.”

AlongHighland Ave., local businesses and organizations including the American Red Cross, Cambridge Health Alliance, Kidical Mass, the Center for Arts at the Armory, the Somerville YMCA, the Somerville Public Library, and the Somerville Fire Department, among others, will partner with the City to provide activities for children and adults of all ages.  Activities will include, but are not limited to:

• The Flying Word Fair and children’s yoga (Central Library)
• “Kidical Mass” Bike Parade (begins at 1:00 fromSchool Street)
• American Red Cross Blood Drive (To make an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org)
• Live music and arts & crafts vendors (Center for Arts at the Armory)
• Health & fitness fair (SomervilleHospital)
• Face painting,  food, and family-friendly activities

In order to ensure public safety at the event, road closures and parking bans will be in effect.

• Highland Avenue (Walnut Street to Cedar Street)

Closed to all vehicular traffic 10:00am -6:00pm; no parking 8:00am6:00 pm

• City Hall Concourse and Central Library

No parking on-street 8:00am-6:00pm

MBTA buses will be rerouted from 10:00am-6:00pm.

Residents who live directly on Highland Avenue may call (857) 523-9017 in advance or on the day of the event and city volunteers will assist you in leaving/returning to your property safely during the event.

The remaining 2012 SomerStreets schedule is as follows:

• Going Green on Rte. 16 –      Sunday, August 19^th on Alewife Brook Parkway from Dilboy Field      to Broadway
• Rolling on the Mystic – Sunday,      September 9^th on Shore Drive
• Monster Mashed-Up –      Sunday, October 28^th  onSomerville Ave. fromUnion       Square toPorter Square

SomerStreets builds on the Shape Up Somerville healthy living initiative. Similar open streets events take place all around the world, carving out space normally taken up by automobile traffic for people to be more active.

All SomerStreets events will run from noon to 4 p.m., rain or shine.