Patrons heading to the 撸奶社区oceanfront for this year's 撸奶社区Equinox Rock Festival (SERF) on Saturday (June 25) will be encouraged to ride their bikes to the event and have them safely stored, thanks to a partnership with the 撸奶社区Business Improvement Association (BIA) and SERF organizers.
The bike valet service will influence people to think twice about driving their cars to the event, said Ana Santos, 撸奶社区CAN co-ordinator and supporter of the initiative. "Yes, it certainly represents an exciting shift in both thinking and behaviour," she said. "All of a sudden, we are not exclusively organizing huge parking areas for vehicles - instead, we are looking to promote other ways to move around and provide convenient and safe ways for people to do so."
Santos congratulated the organizers for their ability to see beyond the entertainment potential of the event. "They are obviously taking note of the need for our community to take steps in some new, perhaps challenging, directions. With the bike valet, they are doing a lot more than offering a service - they are assisting in spreading much-needed awareness."
BIA executive director Christine Bennett said this is the first year the bike valet service will be offered at SERF. "Everything came together to promote other modes of transportation and encourage people to bike down to the event," she said.
The bike valet service will be run by volunteers, said Bennett. When you drop off your bike, a ticket will go with the bike and you will be issued a ticket with a corresponding ticket number. Then when you are ready to leave, you show your ticket and get your bicycle back.
Manuel Zahariev, 撸奶社区CAN's transportation group representative, is also supportive of the bike valet service. "We support businesses and events who try to make it easy for people to do the right thing," he said. "We hope that more events will follow their lead."
Bennett said she's thrilled to work with SERF organizers on the service. "SERF was very excited to hear when we said what type of sponsorship we were thinking about doing, that it was going to be the bike valet," she said.
SERF organizer Paul Hudson echoed Bennett's enthusiasm for the bike valet service.
"We are super excited to add this component to SERF," he said. "撸奶社区is a very bike-oriented town so it feels like a natural fit for the festival. Riding your bike to the festival is more environmentally friendly than driving your car.
"Considering the history of the festival site, SERF is doing its part to pay back an overdue debt to Mother Nature. Plus, riding your bike home after the festival will be a healthy way to burn off all of that delicious food we plan to serve."
Hudson reminded cyclists to bring proper lighting for the ride home after the festival.
SERF organizer Karin Shard said she hopes the bike valet will also be a draw card for families. "We like having the BIA bike valet because we hope it will also encourage families to bike down in the afternoon, and enjoy the 2,000-square-foot Par T Perfect kid zone," she said.
Bennett said she is putting the bike valet volunteer list together. Email [email protected] to be added to the list. The shifts will be for three to four hours and include a free ticket to SERF.
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