United Neighbors 2022: “Stand Together, Be the Change”

Wilmington, DE: United Neighbors is an annual celebration of community leaders and residents that together organize and advocate for improvements along and across the I-95 corridor through the City. The United Neighbors free community event will take place on Saturday, October 8th from 12 to 5pm on the W. 9th Street Bridge. The W. 9th Street Bridge between Adams and Jackson Streets will be closed to car traffic from 10am to 7pm on October 9th. 

**Please take this important survey to provide input on impact and potential improvements to the I95 corridor through the City of Wilmington, prepared by Professor Nina David and the Partnership for Arts and Culture at the University of Delaware. 

About United Neighbors:

United Neighbors has returned for a fourth year to celebrate the communities bordering I-95, emphasizing their unique experiences, rich history, and impact of I-95, as well as our hope for the future of our community. United Neighbors, with leadership of local artists, has completed two collaborative murals on the W. 9th Street and W. 10 Street bridges, across I-95 between Adams & Jackson Streets, and this year’s event will include art activities for youth; temporary bridge improvements such as plants, flowers; music; and a Community Celebration. In realizing this event, United Neighbors believes that we will grow our communities together and ‘bridge’ the gap between the neighborhoods that I-95 divided back when it was introduced. 

The theme this year is “Stand Together, Be the Change” which is a combination of the words painted on both bridges:

9th St Bridge - “Come Together, Stand Together”

• Lead Artist: Francesco Iacono

10th St Bridge - “Dream Big, Be the Change”

• Lead Artist: Jarret “Posi” Harris

Both bridges incorporated hundreds of volunteers, including students from Lewis Elementary School, located directly adjacent to the 10th Street Bridge. 

The Delaware Avenue Bridge will also be painted later this year following a community-led committee vote on proposals submitted by local artists for the final design.

More Details:

United Neighbors Community Celebration 2022

Saturday, October 8th 12:00 - 5:00pm

Fun activities for the whole family. While we will have limited seating, bring your own lawn chair to have the best seat in the house!

• Free Food from Free Food for All, Juice Joint, Dominican Cafe, Dino’s Water Ice Truck, and West Side CommUnity Nation

• Music, paint the bridge, and activities on the Bridge

  • 12pm - Help finish the 9th Street Bridge

  • 2pm - Face painting

  • All day, visit both bridges - 9th & 10th Streets - to view the beautiful murals!

• Community Resources and a few giveaways will also be available

• Also, learn about the upcoming vision for a “cap” to span across I-95 - for more information visit www.wilmapco.org/i95

This event would not be possible without our sponsors and partners: M&T Bank, Delaware Division of the Arts, Healthy Communities Delaware, New Castle County, City Councilmember James Spadola, Kiewit Corporation, Be Ready CDC, City of Wilmington, Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware, West Side Grows Together, Flux Creative Consulting, City of Wilmington Parks & Recreation, CommUnity Nation, Professor Nina David and the Partnership for Arts and Culture at the University of Delaware, DelDOT, WILMAPCO, Wilmington Police Department, Bright Spot Farms, Up Paint, and numerous residents and community leaders. 

This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

For additional information about the event, visit United Neighbors on the web or Facebook, or contact unitedneighbors@westsidegrows.org.