Downtown Westfield Restarts 'Open Quimby' Events This Weekend

WESTFIELD, NJ — Open Quimby, Downtown Westfield’s popular pedestrian plaza, will return for another season this weekend, featuring entertainment and expanded outdoor dining and retail space.

The season will kick off this Friday at 5 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception hosted by Mayor Shelley Brindle and members of the Town Council, including DWC liaison Dawn Mackey, the Downtown Westfield Corporation (DWC) Executive Board, including Chair Patricia Hanigan and Executive Director Bob Zuckerman, and downtown property and business owners.

The ribbon cutting will take place at The Salon Peak ribbon cutting is at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 1. Salon Peak is located at 305 South Ave West.

In addition to expanded outdoor dining space, Open Quimby will feature a variety of entertainment and programming:

• Live music will be performed on Friday and Saturday nights, weather permitting.
• The Midday Madness Clue Hunt (May 1) is a family-friendly activity that requires the players to decipher clues that lead them to various locations throughout Downtown Westfield. Register at WestfieldToday.com. a.m.
• Weekend Fitness Classes (beginning May 1): Bring a mat, mask, and water to Quimby Street and enjoy an outdoor class from Satsang Yoga (10 a.m. on Sundays; register at www.satsangyogastudio.com), Brassy Buddha Yoga (10 a.m. on Saturdays and 8:30 a.m. on Sundays; contact Brandi to register at brandilook@gmail.com), or new local business Barre3 (9 a.m. on Saturdays; register at https://linktr.ee/barre3westfield).

Effective April 30, Quimby Street will become a one-way street, with cars moving in the direction from Central Avenue to Elm Street.

One-way traffic will flow on one side of Quimby seven days a week. The eight non-angled parking spots on the north side of the street will be open seven days a week specifically for 15-minute curbside pickup and delivery vehicles only, which will be strictly enforced by the Westfield Police Department.

Events later on

• Westfield Wellness Week (May 14 to 21) will feature healthy choices from Downtown Westfield restaurants and promotions from health and wellness businesses.
• The ever-popular Sweet Sounds Downtown Music Festival returns on Tuesday nights from 7-9 p.m. in July and August, located in three socially-distanced locations (Quimby Street., Central Avenue, and Foundation Park on South Avenue West).

Changes

This year’s version of Open Quimby will be significantly enhanced from last year, with the advent of new tents for outdoor dining and activities, bistro lighting that will illuminate the plaza, and aesthetic features such as a newly installed sign pole displaying the distance between Quimby Street and local and international destinations.

Open Quimby was created in 2020 as the result of the restrictions placed on retail and restaurant establishments arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The DWC believed that it was critically important last year to provide outdoor space in our downtown to allow residents and visitors to dine outside and safely congregate in small groups,” said Zuckerman. “While some of those restrictions have been eased, the pedestrian plaza concept proved so popular that the DWC voted to bring the plaza back again this year.”

“I am thrilled that Open Quimby is returning for another great season,” said Mayor Shelley Brindle. “Throughout the pandemic, our local businesses have shown such resiliency and dedication, and Open Quimby is a great community asset to assist in supporting them. I’m looking forward to welcoming residents and visitors to experience the fantastic dining and retail offerings of Downtown Westfield in this enhanced outdoor gathering space.”

For more information on Open Quimby’s programming as the season unfolds, visit westfieldtoday.com.

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