There will be a whole lot of things going on this Saturday in downtown Greensboro and it should be a whole lot of fun for those who come out.
The City of Greensboro and Action Greensboro will officially celebrate the completion of the Downtown Greenway with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, May 16, at Cairn’s Course, 501 Guilford Ave.
The event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with remarks taking place at noon.
City officials, business owners, artists, project partners and residents are expected to gather to celebrate the completion of the 4-mile loop around downtown Greensboro – a project that supporters say has been more than 25 years in the making.
According to city officials, the Downtown Greenway represents a $54 million public-private investment designed to connect neighborhoods, parks, public art, local businesses and regional trail systems.
“The Downtown Greenway is more than a trail, it’s an experience,” Downtown Greenway Project Manager Dabney Sanders said in a statement released by the city. “Every section was designed to connect people not only to places, but to Greensboro’s story, through art, landscape, and shared public space.”
Sanders also said the project reflects a focus on sustainability by restoring natural systems, improving water quality and creating what she described as a more resilient urban environment.
The completed greenway loop is intended for walking and biking and it connects eight neighborhoods to downtown Greensboro. It also ties into larger trail systems, including the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the East Coast Greenway.
City officials say the project has helped spur more than $612 million in completed and planned development along the corridor. According to the release, residential projects, businesses, educational institutions and nonprofits have continued to grow around the greenway as demand increases for walkable urban areas.
One of the more distinctive aspects of the Downtown Greenway is its public art collection. The loop contains more than 40 art installations, including sculptures, artist-designed benches, bike racks, bridges and gathering spaces intended to reflect Greensboro’s history and culture.
The grand opening celebration will also include live music by AMRodeo, performances by CircusEVO, face painting, games, a photo booth and other family-friendly activities.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors including Demeter Wine, Little Brother Brewing, Rockin’ Moroccan, Taco Bros and The Ice Queen.
According to event organizers, the noon program will include remarks from Sanders; Cemala Foundation Executive Director Susan Schwartz; Downtown Greenway Oversight Committee Co-Chair Trip Brown; Greensboro Mayor Marikay Abuzuaiter; Greensboro City Manager Trey Davis; and Greensboro Parks and Recreation Greenway & Gardens Program Coordinator Chelsea Phipps.
After the remarks, attendees will be invited to participate in what organizers describe as a “super-sized community ribbon” cutting in order to officially open the completed loop.
Several organizations connected to trails, tourism and economic development are also expected to take part – including Downtown Greensboro Inc., Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
The greenway also hosts year-round programming through Greensboro Parks and Recreation, including fitness classes, running and walking clubs, bike rides, art classes, bird walks and community events.
According to the city, the Downtown Greenway counted more than 150,000 trail-use counts in 2025 along with nearly 4,000 participants in organized activities.
Organizers say parking will be available at several nearby locations, though attendees are encouraged to walk or bike to the event if possible.
More information about the ribbon-cutting event is available at Downtown Greenway Grand Opening.
will you be there markl? i know you have talked about your biking hobby on the rhino before
where did he go anyway it’s been a few days since he last commented
no with family mt pleasant, charleston. hope they shoveled vagrant et al out of pergola beforehand ?
Ah the Conalays
the gaelic origin of my surname means CONFLICT
was that reflected in your family “discussions” when you were there?
we can hope markl we can hope… we all remember what happened the last time vagrants showed up on an opening day
I give it 30 days before the first homeless encampment crops up. After all, I’ve already seen panhandlers standing under city posted signs banning panhandling,
putting it in removed several ‘camps’ blocks from my home & eliminated several places they can no longer use. i would like to give ‘dabney’ somebody a big wet warm sloppy kiss. development & active use of ‘property’ is the best way to run them off to where we want them. put ‘substance’ dispensers where we want them. salt licks
Originally budgeted at $26 million dating back to 2008. 18 years and twice as much as originally advertised. Is the $8 million bond used paid off?
Not counting upkeep.
54 million for 4 mi of sidewalk is approximately 13.5 million per mile… Wow! And 25 years to build it. Project manager able to retire on one project of 4 miles of sidewalk. Amazing what Greensboro will tolerate to waste our tax dollars.
Name something our govt does well.
they just doubled the width of existing sidewalks & demo’d a perfectly good big’ol house by me but . . . . people are actually using it more than previous.
Gravel is not suitable for walking or biking. Try dirt.
After enduring the recent Long Hot Summer and watering asst plants every 2nd or 3rd day; I decided to pray for rain.
But I remembered that we should help ourselves first. I found the solution! Two days ago, I washed both of our cars, cleaned the inside and the glass. Even polished one car. Eureka! We has rain.
It’s just that easy.
we have had ‘threat’ of rain for the last 4 days. where is it ? this is just a ground cloud.