SIFF Cinema Uptown wants you to bike to see The Kid With a Bike in Lower Queen Anne. To lure you, they’re offering $2 discounts on tickets. All you have to do is say you biked there.
I chatted with SIFF Cinema’s new Outreach Assistant Naomi Salinas-Burton (formerly of Bike Works), who said the theater is trying to find ways to encourage more people to come by bike. I, of course, suggested offering Bicycle Benefits (they are looking into it) and providing route suggestions for biking to the notoriously bike-unfriendly Lower Queen Anne.
However, they have another issue: They need a bike rack, but the city’s backlog for installing bike racks means it is unknown when the theater will get one. Though Seattle is better than most at installing bike racks, the city can still do more to help businesses attract more cycling customers.
This all got me thinking about how dramatically bike access to LQA will improve when the W Thomas St overpass opens later this year. The influx of untapped bicycling customers could be a boon for the neighborhood, which has been carefully guarded from safe and easy bike access on all sides by Queen Anne Hill, Aurora, Denny Way and uncrossable train tracks.
Details about the deal, from SIFF:
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, this deeply moving new film by the Dardenne brothers (L’enfant, Rosetta) delves into the emotional life of troubled 11-year-old Cyril (newcomer Thomas Doret), who, abandoned by his father, obsessively tries to find his bicycle- after all, his father must have cared about him enough not to sell that off, he reasons.
Special Discount for Cyclists! Ride your bike to SIFF Cinema Uptown and receive $2 off admission to The Kid with a Bike.
* For in person ticket sales only, just tell the box office you “biked to SIFF”. Valid for Regular Full Priced Admission and Matinees.March 30 – April 20, 2012
SIFF Cinema Uptown
511 Queen Anne Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
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10 responses to “Bike to “The Kid with a Bike” at SIFF Cinema and save $$”
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“it is unknown when the theater will get [a bike rack]”
So have they already met with the city and determined the type and placement of the sole(?) rack? Where are they planning on putting it? Is SIFF allowed to install sidewalk racks on their own?
Next month all three screens at the Uptown will be in heavy use during SIFF. Will we have to roam around the neighborhood to find decent bicycle parking?
In the past it was convenient to use the rack outside of the McCaw Hall theater (back when that screen was being used) or the many racks in the u-dist (back when the Neptune was used as a venue). Those venues aren’t in play this year. Where are they recommending that Uptown visitors park their bikes?
Is there something like a velo valet there? In Vancouver there’s a thing where at special events, they set up a bike valet. Simple enough thing. Just some rope and stands and little tent for the volunteer valet attendants.
http://thebicyclevalet.ca
All good questions SB. I had a chance to scope out the bike parking situation around the Uptown the other day. There are four of the upside down U shaped racks within a block of the uptown, and a rail right outside the theater that staff let people lock to. I don’t believe these nearby racks fill up very often. I am more concerned about the traffic mess that happens in the area at rush hour, like Tom mentioned. But you can take a bike lane down 1st St coming from downtown or Broad St going in. And passing by Mercer St. on my way home I am always glad I rode my bike!
Thanks for the info. I don’t expect to see a zillion people using bikes during the SIFF fest, but it’s always nice to know the bike parking options before reaching the venues.
i’m coming from out of town for SIFF, i brought my foldy bike last year to zip between theaters, but didn’t need to trek to lower queen anne. if i’m switching from harvard exit to the uptown or SIFF center, is it really going to be fastest to go thru downtown? and what’s the up-to-date status on trying to cross aurora near mercer? i remember it was scary-but-doable last year, but elsewhere on this blog i read that it’s under construction!
Some of my best SIFF memories involve leaving a movie at the Harvard Exit, hopping on my bike, and then heading towards SIFF Cinema (back when it was still in McCaw Hall), with not a lot of minutes to spare between showings. I took the fast but I suppose slightly more dangerous route of just bombing down Denny and then making a right on 5th to near Mercer. I would lock up right in front of the entrance and it all worked smoothly. It actually seemed faster than when I biked from between Pacific Place and SIFF Cinema.
I suppose I would take a similar route to the Uptown or SIFF Center, although turning at 1st (instead of 5th). And I don’t know how stable the foldy bike is you have – I was always a bit nervous heading down Denny.
And I don’t think I ever did the Belmont/Eastlake/Republican route via SIFF, but I suppose that uses the intersection you asked about.
Can’t help you with the Mercer/Aurora question as I tend to avoid that intersection. There is definitely Mercer construction, but I don’t follow all the details. I sometimes head up 9th and cross Mercer and slightly deal with some construction, but it’s not too bad.
gosh, thanks, sb!
if you see an ashkenazi guy with long dreds on a bronze brompton, that’s me, say hi!
my couchsurfing host recommended the belmont route, so i’ll give it a shot on my way to the gala tomorrow + check the timing! i remember last year taking denny down, riding my breaks (on a much jankier bike), and thinking “piece of cake” (it was rush hour so the cars were all gridlocked… suckers!)… but it was only when i tried to just “follow the space needle” that i ran into the trouble with aurora.
if you go down denny, after the hill, do you just “take the lane”? riding the sidewalk is probably inappropriate, but shoulder/door-lane is probably unsafe. how do seattle motorists respond to “full use of right lane”? I believe it’s legal in WA, right? But where I live (tri-cities), the motorists sure get mad at me.
i just reviewed my wishful-thinking film schedule; the close calls are going to be:
–18 min from Egyptian to Uptown (Daas >> Tey, 5/18)
(this is the big test, really; if I miss Tey, then I can do Trishna which starts 30 min later)
— 16 min from Uptown to Egyptian (Goodbye >> Rose, 5/20) (this is a bit iffy… i might have say bye to “goodbye” and leave early!)
— 16 minutes from Pacific Place to Harvard Exit (Starry Starry Night >> Mosquita y Mari, 5/20)
— 29 minutes from Harvard Exit to Uptown (Mosquita y Mari >> Breathing, 5/20) (*really don’t want to be late for this one, but that’s probably enough time!)
my host suggested to just barrel up Denny when going from Uptown to either the Harvard Exit or Egyptian… do you agree? we’ll see…
i do enjoy the thrill of rushing, SIFF is an adventure to begin with!!
for anyone who happens to read this, i managed to make it in time for all my above bike-connections, except the one from the Uptown to the Egyptian. (I had gone up Denny then across to the Egyptian once I had crossed the freeway). I missed a few minutes of “Rose”, but I did not miss any of the other films, and even had a few minutes to spare before “Tey”!!! (which ended up being my favorite film, btw…) I feel like I learned so much about biking in Seattle, and yes, for the most part, it’s all doable. Till next time!!!
That’s great! I hope folks here were of some help. This is a great idea for a post next year.