Explore Downtown Bridgeport

Join us for Jane’s Walk, an event where the unique story of how we see, interact with, and feel about our city will be explored on film, on foot, and through collaborative discussion. Register on Eventbrite for any and all of the event activities.

We have held “Jane’s Walks Bridgeport” for the last seven years – building on the international Jane’s Walk event inspired by the urban activist Jane Jacobs, whose focus on human-centered and community-led neighborhood development has made a lasting imprint on how cities are planned and built. This year we are again expanding the international Jane’s Walk event concept to celebrate the advocacy and legacy of Bridgeport’s civic heroes.

The afternoon of activities kicks off at 2:00 p.m. at the Bridgeport DSSD office (938 Broad Street). From there we take a walking tour of the neighborhood, exploring Jane Jacob’s approach to community-led, human-centered design; highlighting the impact of recently installed public artworks on individual places in our neighborhood; and featuring the evolving uses of the historic buildings in our Downtown and the purposes they have served over time. Expert guides will take you through an exploration of colorful Downtown Bridgeport, its history, and unique places.

At 4:00 p.m. the walking tour will end at the Bridgeport Pride Center, where we will screen short films related to the legacy of Jane Jacobs, and hold a panel discussion with Bridgeport’s innovative changemakers whose work each day advances the community-driven city building principles championed by Jane Jacobs.

At 5:00 p.m., we will hop across the street to Berlinetta Brewing for the Jane’s Walk Happy Hour to listen to great music, connect with neighbors, and contribute to thoughtful conversations about creative, community-driven city building.

We will embed in all of the activities a challenge to the participant to ask and answer these guiding questions:
1) How do you feel about this place?
2) What makes it special or unique to you? Meaningful? Important?
3) What is quintessentially Bridgeport about this place?
4) What other kinds of third places are needed in the downtown?