“Year of the Bike” Starts Rolling with Free Movie at The Grand Cinema

downtown tacoma
Transportation advocate Downtown: On the Go! has declared 2015 as "Year of the Bike."

Submitted by Downtown: On the Go!

Explore the social change, events and people that led to Portland’s bike-friendly city through an interactive free screening of AfterMass: Bicycling in a Post-Critical Mass Portland, a documentary by Joe Biel, Jeff Hayes, Alice Isley and Rev. Phil Sano. The event, on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at The Grand Cinema, kicks off Downtown On the Go’s “Year of the Bike.”

The movie will be followed by a community discussion on how changes can happen in Tacoma. The discussion will be led by Joe Biel, director/co-producer of the film, Elly Blue, author of Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save The Economy, and Downtown On the Go’s Bike Coordinator Matt Newport.

“We know Tacoma is a few steps behind Portland, but there is a lot of positive change happening here. This film provides a conversation starting point for how we can improve bike culture and expand bike ridership,” says Newport, who is also an active bicyclist.

Free tickets are available at The Grand Cinema box office (606 South Fawcett Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402) on the day of the event on a first-come, first-served basis.

Aftermass is the first feature documentary to explore the events, people, politics, and social changes that led to Portland becoming the first major city in the United States to popularize bicycling. The film features many of the leaders and major participants behind the growth of bicycling ridership since 1971. It provides new and vital insights into Portland’s transportation history, as well as paths other cities can follow to healthy planning and a green future.

This event is part of Downtown On the Go’s “Year of the Bike” celebration, a platform for community events to elevate the status of the bicycle as a mode of transportation. Through rides, resources, advocacy, and social media (#yearofthebike), anyone can make it the Year of the Bike. Resources and events are available at downtownonthego.org. The public is invited to find and share ride ideas at Bike253.com (operated by Exit 133).

Thanks to The Tacoma Wheelmen’s Bicycle Club for generously sponsoring this event.