It’s easy to take our cities — all that concrete and asphalt — for granted, and see them as a series of impersonal places and transactions. But cities are more than that. Our routines, rituals, and ceremonies that fill our streets elevate us. They lend a groove to our daily existence and join us together as we affirm our commitment to life and living together in the city. The absence of rituals to mark space and time can lead to a numbing cycle of mindless consumption and apathy– a loss of hope and connection to each other and the world. But with routines we get things done; they are comforting in their blandness. And with rituals and ceremonies, they resonate with collective meaning, whether we carry them out to protest, to fulfill civic duties, or to mourn, pray, or celebrate. What’s at stake for us if these rituals are lost? How do we join in, rebuild, or create rituals? How do we know we’re supposed to? Who gets invited? How does your city have a role in supporting or shaping them?