I Bike MCR Festival- get involved

[nes]

Hello,

I am currently involved in organising the second annual I Bike MCR
Festival. It is a month long cycling festival in Manchester that is
organised by cyclists for cyclists and includes a jam packed timetable
that attracted hundreds of people last year.

We aim to assist in bringing together the diverse cycling community in
Manchester, bringing together a variety of cycling groups including
advocacy groups, cycling clubs etc. We also hope to provide fun
activities
to help get people on or back on their bikes.

We were wondering if you would like to put on a ride, workshop, bicycle
related street theatre/ performance or an event during the festival.
This
is what is planned up to now (some details are yet to be confirmed):

Friday 28th March
6pm Critical Mass Bike Ride
8pm Festival Opening Party Including slow bike race, bands, DJ's, bike
waterpistol/paintball fight.

Saturday 29th March (*TBC*)
Bike Art Exhibition Opening- Noon at The Urbis
Including bicycle art, sculpture, painting, photography to celebrate the
bicycle. With interactive pedal powered exhibits for people to try out.

1pm-3pm trials bike demonstration in urbis gardens (*not yet confirmed*)

3pm meet at urbis gardens for the bicycle treasure hunt
Bicycle Treasure Hunt- a list of tasks with an assigned number of points
for each one. How many points can you get in 3 hours? Bring digital
camera/camera phone, bag, pen, paper, oh and a bike. Prizes for one back
with most points, child (under 16) back with most points, first woman
back
with most points, person with least points- maybe (TBC)!

6.30pm prize giving for treasure hunt participants in or outside the
urbis
depending on whether this will cause problems/obstructions for urbis
6.45
7 Hertz Band performance
7.15pm Levenshulme Bicycle Orchestra performance

Sunday 30th March
Bicycle Welding Workshop all day to build bikes for the Bicycle Art
Parade

Wednesday 2nd April
Bicycle Film Night at The Dancehouse Theatre

Friday 4th April
Midnight Ride to Formby...Sunrise swim
It's about 40 miles and as its a night ride we'll take to the road which
we should have more or less to ourselves. A few stop offs for some light
refreshment is likely. Click here for the route we'll probably take.

Saturday 5th April
Bicycle Polo class 1pm Platt Fields Park. The MCR Dropouts bicycle polo
team will teach you how to play the sport and help you get a team
together
for the tournament.

Sunday 6th April
Bicycle Welding Workshop all day to build bikes for the Bicycle Art
Parade
Ladies Day: Ladies Bicycle Ride and The Spokes teach their dance
routine,
ladies only bike maintenance class.

Friday 11th April
Alleycat Race- A fast ride around our city. Get to the checkpoints get
back.
Alley Kitten Race- As above but on kids bikes!

Saturday 12th April
Bicycle Art Parade
afterwards an obstacle course race to be ridden on the crazy bikes.

Sunday 13th April
Beer Ride Meet at Noon for a ride into the peaks with a few stops at
some
nice country pubs.

Friday 18th April
Taster at the track??
(will have to check date and times and availabilty etc with velodrome)

Saturday 19th April
Yo Fixie!
An event for fixed gear riders. With comps inc: Track Stand, Track Skid,
Sprint and more.
nighttime: prize giving and club night

Sunday 20th April
Bicycle Polo Tournament- Teams from around the UK compete to win the I
Bike MCR Polo Tournament

Friday 25th April
Critical Mass Followed by end of I Bike MCR Festival Party "Pick Your
Own"
with Roller Race, Bike Jousting (on tall bikes made in the workshops)

Roller Race- The final heats will be amazing short races after
competitors
have set their qualifying times. "It's a drama - the gritting of teeth
and
twisting of faces, as riders
give everything in those 20-something seconds of each race. Only opera
could portray the intensity and drama." (Therese Bjorn,
www.londonmessengers.org),

Any money charged or donated for the events goes to a local community
cycle advocacy group.

We are also still accepting submissions of art for the Bike Art
Exhibition. Please get in touch if you have something you would like to
include. It could be photography, sculpture, paintings, etc.

You can find out more information about the event at:
http://www.ibikemcr.org.uk/festival.htm
<http://www.ibikemcr.org.uk/festival.htm>

Many Thanks

Nes Brierley

Email: info@ibikemcr.org.uk <mailto:info%40ibikemcr.org.uk>
Website: www.ibikemcr.org.uk
Telephone: +447866734351
Postal Address: 4 Ellesmere Road, Chorlton, Manchester