The Sidewalk Ballet Field Guide
The Sidewalk Ballet Field Guide is a growing collection of people, organizations, projects, books, ideas and ongoing conversations about cities and the people who shape them. It grows out of the podcast, but extends well beyond it—connecting the people doing the work, the places where it’s happening, and the ideas, experiments and resources worth carrying forward. Think of it as part reference library, part trail of breadcrumbs: a way to follow the conversation wherever it leads.
Explore by type, browse alphabetically or by date, or search for something specific. Follow the tags to discover connections—or explore the map to see where the people, projects and ideas in the Field Guide take us.
Ice Cream Tour of California
Don Lane’s month-long celebration of ice cream, small pleasures, and the places that create them. During July 2026, he traveled across California visiting nearly 100 independent ice cream shops—not to rank them, but to celebrate everyday sources of joy in communities across the state.
National Mall Coalition
The National Mall Coalition advocates for comprehensive, forward-looking stewardship of America’s most prominent civic gathering place. Bringing together preservationists, planners, educators, and citizens, it works to ensure the National Mall remains vital, accessible, and capable of serving future generations.
Seattle Worlds Fair 1962
The 1962 World's Fair was the brainchild of City Councilmember Al Rochester and planning began far in advance. In 1957, Seattle voters passed a $7.5 million Civic Center bond for possible fairground development, which was matched by the state legislature. The Century 21 Commission secured certification as an official World's Fair from the International Bureau of Expositions.
