While Seattle’s Mayor Jenny Durkan tries to end her city’s open streets events, Bainbridge Island is getting ready to host its first ever Open Streets Festival from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
The City of Bainbridge Island, with leadership help from the Bainbridge Mobility Alliance, will create an all-ages-and-abilities circuit from downtown Winslow to the high school and back. Some sections of the route already have bike paths, but other busier sections will temporarily become one-way streets for cars so that the other half of the street can be reserved for biking, walking, skateboarding and more.
If you have never biked onto the Bainbridge ferry, Saturday is the day to give it a try. It’s a wonderful way to spend a weekend day even without the Open Streets Festival.
In addition to the route, there will be a handful of events at the high school, Waterfront Park and Winslow Green.
More details from the Bainbridge Mobility Alliance:
10:30-3:30 SELF GUIDED TOUR
Explore Protected Bike Lanes, trails and paths from BHS to Waterfront park on this self- guided tour. See map.
11:00-12:00 SPEAKING EVENT
Keynote at Bainbridge High School Commons : “Building the Cycling City” by Modacity. Local panelists Fran Korten, Christian Ford and Naomi Spinak will share how and why they use their bikes and feet as primary modes of transportation.
12:30-3:30 FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
Join us for a fun skills course at the Kid’s bike rodeo, try out e-bikes, cargo bikes and pet kittens and puppies at the Bike Petting Zoo, and try out different set ups for family biking at the Family Bike Expo. Listen to live music, great food, and make your own Pedal Smoothies!
BIKE RODEO AT WATERFRONT PARK
Kid’s Bicycle Rodeo, is a fun, interactive, and non-competitive skills course designed for kids to improve their bike handling and traffic safety skills.
BICYCLE PETTING ZOO AT WATERFRONT PARK
The Bicycle Petting Zoo will reintroduce people to cycling, and the amazing tool that bicycles are. On display will be a variety of cargo and electric bikes for you to take a spin on. We even have kittens and puppies to pet!
FAMILY BIKE EXPO AT WINSLOW GREEN
Try out a bunch of different family biking setups and see what you like, try things you haven’t seen before, or talk with family biking parents.
BIKE RENTALS AT BAINBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Don’t worry if you don’t have a bike! If you’d like to cycle for longer than the 10-15 min spin at the Expo and Petting Zoo, get your rental here.
YOGA FOR BIKERS AT WINSLOW GREEN
Author, Yogi and Car-free parent Kelli Refer will share a short session of yoga that you can do before or after any bike ride. Use your bike as a prop for your yoga practice. Check out more information in her book, Pedal, Stretch, Breathe: The Yoga of Bicycling. Outdoor yoga class will be from 1:30- 2:00 at the Winslow Green.
