The World Carfree Network will hold its eighth annual international "Towards Carfree Cities" conference in Portland, Oregon, from June 16th to the 20th. This year’s event, entitled "Rethinking Mobility, Rediscovering Proximity," marks the first time the conference has come to North America. Registration is now underway at CarfreePortland.org, with a discount for those who sign up by the end of February.

The Towards Carfree Cities conference series brings together people from around the world who work to promote practical alternatives to car dependence. The conference attracts professionals, advocates, and community leaders who focus on the creation of sustainable transportation systems and on the transformation of cities, towns, and villages into human-scaled environments rich in public space and community life. The fundamental role of the conference is to share knowledge and assist the practical work of conference participants, whether it be organizing community events, promoting urban cycling, or building the carfree cities of the future. 

The conference is scheduled to coincide with Pedalpalooza, Portland’s annual three-week celebration of bicycling. And for those who can stick around through the weekend, the city will hold its first-ever ciclovia on Sunday, June 22.

Towards Carfree Cities VIII is co-hosted by Shift, CarFree City USA, and Portland State University, and is sponsored by BikePortland.org.

If you’re thinking about going, maybe Clarence Eckerson’s Portland odyssey will tip the scales.

Photo of Portland streetcar by Fußgänger/Flickr