The Santa Monica Museum of Art’s fifth annual free bicycle-themed festival Tour da Arts will be held Sunday, Aug. 18. Advance registration is encouraged.
“Tour da Arts, vol. 5” begins with check-in at SMMoA at 2525 Michigan Avenue from 11 am to 1 pm.
Festival goers are then encouraged to tour SMMoA’s current exhibitions: Joyce Pensato’s “I Killed Kenny,” “dosa at SMMoA: Exploring Joshua Tree,” and Marco Rios’ “Anatomy of an Absent Artist.”
Before hitting the road, fun and safe biking tips will be offered in the museum’s parking lot from Santa Monica Spoke/Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, LA Metro, City of Santa Monica Transportation, and C.I.C.L.E.
There will also be complimentary bike tune-ups from Bikerowave, a volunteer-run community operated bike repair shop in Mar Vista. Also, don’t miss Solé Bicycles’ Art Bikes, a series of unique, artist-designed fixed-gears.
For an extra energy before the afternoon bike ride, there will be food and drink options from O.N.E. Coconut Water, Clif/Luna Bar, and Whole Foods Market Santa Monica.
The focus of this year’s festival will be multi-modal transportation and the creative side of bike culture.
At 1 pm, the tour begins with a bike ride to the Santa Monica Bay Woman’s Club at 1210 Fourth Street.
From 1:30-2:15 pm, explore the club and enjoy music by Griffin Rodriguez and members of Icy Demons, an experimental music project. More refreshments and snacks will be provided by Whole Foods Market Santa Monica, Clif Bar, and O.N.E. Coconut Water.
The next stop will be Grant Elementary School Playground at 2368 Pearl Street from 3-3:45 pm.
“At the Oasis,” an exclusive performance by Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre, has been choreographed specifically for this stop. There will be additional refreshments and treats.
The final stop from 4:15-5 pm will be returning to SMMoA at the Bergamot Station Arts Center for the Tour da Arts raffle.
On the day, there will be 25 free bike rentals provided by Perry’s Café and Rentals on a first-come, first-served basis. Bike reservations can be made in the registration form while supplies last.
Organizers said festival goers should bring basic riding skills and a bicycle in good running order. All participants under the age of 18 must wear a helmet and be escorted by a parent or guardian. Children under the age of nine should be on a tag-along, bike trailer, tandem, or other safe child-carrying device.
Sponsors for this year’s Tour da Arts include the City of Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Arts Commission, and the Barnwood Foundation.
Event partners include Santa Monica SPOKE/LACBC, C.I.C.L.E., Clif/Luna Bar/Clif Kids, Santa Monica Bay Woman’s Club, Grant Elementary School, iZip Hybrid Electric Bicycles, Solé Bicycles, Pedal or Not Electric Bike Tours and Pedego Santa Monica Electric Bicycles, Linus Bikes, LA Metro, Perry’s Café and Rentals, Bikerowave, City of Santa Monica Water Treatment Program, and Bergamot Station Arts Center, LLC.
The in-kind sponsors are Whole Foods Market Santa Monica, Clif Bar, and O.N.E. Coconut Water.
For more information or registration, call 310.586.6488 or visit smmoa.org.
