The London Beat London, Ontario’s stream of consciousness
This Saturday is the 100In1Day Festival, a day to make London a “city of neighbours”. It is a People-Powered Festival, that will feature one hundred or more urban interventions across the city – all on one day, and led by all kinds of Londoners. An urban intervention is any action that makes London better, and helps you to connect with your neighbours. The festival is centred around lots of small actions adding up to making a really big change.
There are already lots of great events planned throughout the city, but it’s not too late to plan your own. Pitch in and do something yourself to celebrate London – plan a neighbourhood ball game, close off your street for a kids party, have a pop-up art installation, plant a community garden, throw a street concert, do some chalk art in the local park, organize a neighbourhood walk, decorate a bench or bus stop, dance, play music, play sports, just play… the only limit is your creativity and imagination!
100In1Day is about civic engagement. It’s about doing something in your community. Doing anything in your community.
The festival started in the city of Bogota, Colombia, and has now spread to some 28 communities across four continents. Other participating Canadian cities include Hamilton, Montreal, Halifax, Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto.
“100 in 1 Day is an opportunity to connect with the residents around us and strengthen our connections as neighbours. Everyone can participate from small short events to big day-long activities,” said one of the event organizers, Titus Ferguson, from Springboard. “We hope that 100 in 1 will create an empowered and connected community and will spark deeper partnerships and collaborations for the other 363 days of the year.”
It can be as simple as standing on your front porch, and saying “hello” to everybody that walks past your house. It doesn’t have to be a large gesture, the point is just to make a gesture. Be mindful of your community, and proud of the great city that you live in.
All you have to do to participate is to decide what, when and where you are doing, and then register your intervention on the 100in1Day website, and invite others to join you!
If you don’t want to lead an intervention, there are lots of other ways that you can help! If you have any materials, resources or talents you can offer, or want to volunteer on the day itself, get in touch with them to find out more.
Or you can just participate in one of the existing interventions of course! Here is a small sampling of some of the wonderful community things going on this Saturday already: |
Plant a Forest of Food (it’s a thing)
Constructing Tiny, Adorable Shelters for Bees
“The Ultimate Playdate” in Cavendish Park
Jam with the London Arts Council
Bollywood and African Dance Party!
For even more interventions, visit the website.
There will be a map and schedule to help you plan your day. Stay tuned! There is also a special one day bus pass courtesy of London transit for $5 available at either London Transit Location (450 Highbury and 150 Dundas). Thank you LTC!
Visit the 100in1Day website to find out what interventions are already registered, and add your own: cityofneighbours.ca.
Whatever you decide to do, do something.
More Information
Whatever you decide to do, let us know. Tweet us @TheLondonBeat with your photos, or just your stories of the day.
