Open Streets ICT returns to Wichita State University’s campus and neighborhood on April 13 with the goal of connecting with young people. 

This year, there is an emphasis on engagement with Pre-K through 12th grade, said Naquela Pack, director of K-12 connections and special projects for Wichita State Connect.  

Open Streets ICT is a community-building event on a closed street, intended to promote healthy active living and social engagement. Around 8,000 people participated in Open Streets ICT – WSU & Shocker Neighborhood in 2024, double the amount from the previous year.  

From noon to 4 p.m. April 13, Open Streets ICT will take place on 17th Street from Oliver to Volutsia. The almost 2-mile stretch is open for biking, walking and running.  

The event is free and open to the public.  

WSU colleges, groups and organizations are encouraged to participate.  They can register for free by putting 'on route” on their registration.  

In 2024, 90 vendors and 10 food trucks set up on campus and in the neighborhood. Pack expects similar numbers in April.  

“We want to take advantage of summer coming up,” Pack said. “Groups can share their services, camps, opportunities they have for young people. A faculty member told me that last year she found resources for her students that she was not aware of.” 

Main attractions: 

• The WSU Ulrich Museum of Art will hold an arts market in the roundabout near the museum. 
• A hub for young people, near Volutsia Street, will offer vendor and information about camps, summer programs and after-school programs.
• Wichita Public Schools, WSU PreK-12 physical education, WSU Hispanic Serving Institution, Bongo Fruit Smoothies, Habitat for Humanity and K-State Research and Extension -Sedgwick County are among some of the vendors this year.
• Student Engagement & Belonging and the Community Service Board are among the groups that will return to volunteer.

Open Streets ICT is sponsored by Wichita Park and Recreation, the City of Wichita, Wichita State Connect and Wichita Parks Foundation, among others. Open Streets ICT began in 2017 with Douglas Avenue downtown closed for four miles for biking, walking and activities.   

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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