This week, as we prepare for Los Angeles’ first Ciclovia-styled event next Sunday, we’re going to take some time to celebrate some of the great open-street festivals from around the world.  Streetfilms has done yeoman’s work putting together a pretty amazing series on these festivals throughout the Americas.

Today we focus on the Grand Daddy of them all, Bogota’s Ciclovia.  In 2007 Streetfilms and Streetsblog visited Bogota to experience Ciclovia for themselves.  An excerpt from Clarence Eckerson’s post introducing the Streetfilm puts into perspective how much America has learned in just a couple of short years about open streets parties.

I shot with no plan, not knowing much of what was coming up next while we rode our bikes, just trying to capture the event in the moment. We were aided tremendously by the indefatigable Gil Peñalosa, Executive Director of Walk and Bike for Life (yes, brother of Enrique, the former Bogotá mayor.) Gil and his friendly support crew booked us an ambitious schedule and provided unparalleled access to people and places, allowing this mini film to be so much more than I had planned.

Much like Eckerson less than three years ago, I’m guessing that most Angelenos don’t know what to expect from this Sunday’s event.  Hopefully a couple of years from now, open street festivals will be such a part of our city’s life that we won’t be able to remember a time without them.