many were turned away.
Slideshow below
(Photos © J. Maus)
Like Portland’s version of the Oscar Awards (we need a red carpet next year), all the cycling stars came out tonight for the sixth annual Filmed by Bike.
Team Beer kept the crowd in order, Thomas from Rose Pedals Pedicabs gave free rides, Dingo Dizmal strummed his new electric guitar, LED master Mark Allyn and hula-hoopers lit up the street in front of the theater, and swanky, stylish volunteers kept things interesting.
Hundreds were turned away, but those who got in were treated to an eclectic and entertaining mix of films. My personal favorites were the Unicycle Zombies (with a surprise ending you’ll have to see to believe!), a film about a messenger named Puppy (was a real person?) and, of course, the Bicycle Alphabet (it was a sing-along, Yeah!).
Is this the official start of bike season? It sure seemed like it. Now I’m off to find the Midnight Mystery Ride, it should be huge tonight.
Here’s a slideshow of my photos from opening night (43 images total, photo gallery here):
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
UPDATE: Saturday, 4/12 (6:30pm)
Tonight’s shows get underway in just a half-hour. The big buzz so far is the hoard of recumbents that have shown up. According to a phone call from event organizer Ayleen Crotty, they’ve been rolling up for over an hour already in anticipation of the world premiere of Bent.
The new film (check out the poster) by Jane Machamer and Nancy Breaux promises to be a “heartfelt and eye-opening glimpse” into ‘bent culture.
Bent screens at 7:00 and 9:00 tonight and at tomorrow’s all-ages 5:00 screening.
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[Note: I can’t make tonight’s screenings, so if you were there, chime in below with how it went!]