In celebration of May as Bike Month, the University of Oregon’s Outdoor Program and LiveMove student group are joining community partners to provide a night of entertainment and information on bike access in the Eugene community.
Taking place May 20, Filmed by Bike is a film festival based out of Portland that shows a selection of curated short films with a central theme of cycling and the outdoors.
“We hope to get more people on bikes no matter their ability, gender or race, and engaging with active transportation because not only is it good for your body and mind but it’s good for the planet,” said Lucy Partridge, a LiveMove member and UO Outdoor Program employee who is helping organize the event.
Organized around the theme of LEAP — Local Equitable Access to Pedaling — partners include local bicycle nonprofits Shift Community Cycles and Cascadia Mobility, as well as the city of Eugene.
All proceeds from the festival will go to Shift Community Cycles, a bike shop dedicated to empowering underserved communities to join the cycling world through education and advocacy.
“If we want to make sustainable changes and have this be a welcoming space, there need to be boots-on-the-ground people doing it,” said Annie Price, a LiveMove member and event organizer. “All the money that is going to Shift Community Cycles is allowing them to move into a bigger space to help nontraditional biking people enjoy this really amazing thing that should be easy to do, but it’s not.”
On the day of the event, an optional group ride will end at Straub Hall on the UO campus, where the film festival is taking place. Interested riders should meet at Monroe Park, on the corner West 10th Avenue and Monroe Street, at 4:30 p.m. Free valet bicycle parking will be available upon arrival to campus.
The festival will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. A 90-minute screening will feature Filmed by Bike shorts from around the world plus local film submissions.
Guest speakers from Dirt Maidens, Border Boys, the UO, Free Bikes 4 Kidz and Shift Community Cycles will discuss issues of accessibility, equity, inclusion and diversity in the biking community, followed by a short question-and-answer session.
The festival also will include free pizza and a raffle for a bike provided by Shift Community Cycles and 360 Cycles.
Tickets are now available online; cost is $5 for students and $10 for the general public.
—By Anna Persell, Student Services and Enrollment Management
—Top photo: A scene from the film 'Trail to Kazbegi'