Celebrate PARK(ing) Day!
Join us in transforming parking spaces into vibrant community hubs on September 19, 2026!
Want to design a parklet? Call for submissions!
2 original, visually-striking parklets will be funded at $1,500 each, with an additional 4 parkets eligible for materials reimbusements up to $400
Made possible with the generous support of the Ohio Arts Council
Learn more and submit by August 31
About PARK(ing) Day
PARK(ing) Day is the local celebration of an annual global movement to reclaim parking spaces and transform them into engaging public spaces. From interactive art installations to green spaces and community workshops, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Come explore, engage, and be inspired by the possibilities of urban design.
RSVP & Spread the word!
Become a sponsor!
Your support makes this event happen and helps support our mission here at TDC. Your business/organization can play a pivotal role in fostering community engagement, promoting sustainability, and encouraging creative expression.
Check out the 2026 Sponsor & Participant Packet
Why PARK(ing) Day?
Downtown Toledo is experiencing an exciting revitalization: new investment, new businesses, community events, and more reasons than ever for people to spend time in the heart of the city. As downtown grows more vibrant, there is an opportunity to open up new ways of thinking about how people move through and experience our city.
A downtown parking study completed through ConnecToledo helped highlight this opportunity by looking at how on-street and off-street parking spaces were being used across downtown districts, including the UpTown District, Warehouse District, Government District, and Central Business District. The study found that during weekday afternoon periods, nearly half of downtown parking spaces were available.
- On-street parking: 1,035 total spaces, approximately 51% occupied
- Off-street parking: 19,362 total spaces, approximately 44% occupied
Since the study was completed, downtown has continued to evolve. The City has reduced minimum parking requirements to create more flexibility for new investment and redevelopment, parklets have been installed following PARK(ing) Day efforts, along with a growing number of street closures and public space activations that bring neighbors, businesses, and visitors together.
This is an exciting opportunity to ask how Toledo’s underused parking spaces can become community spaces that prioritize people. For one day, parking is transformed into places for people to gather, play, and connect, inviting greater imagination in the built environment.
Source: ConnecToledo Parking Study (2017)
Get involved with PARK(ing) Day! Please see the links below to find out how you can get involved.
Check out past highlights!
2025 PARK(ing) Day Sponsors
