(Photos © J. Maus)
An exhibit of Oregon-made bicycles currently on display at the Portland International Airport has proven to be so ppoular with travelers that it will be extended through the busy holiday season.
The exhibit, Handmade: Bicycles Designed and Built in Oregon debuted in April and was originally planned to run through September. But Keith Lachowicz, who handles public art collections for the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC, they helped organize the show) says it will now run through the end of December.
In an email this morning, Mr. Lachowicz shared that, “The main reason for extending the show is the incredible response it has generated with travelers who pass through terminals D and E in the airport. It is one of the most popular shows RACC has ever organized at PDX.”
“It is one of the most popular shows RACC has ever organized at PDX.”
— Keith Lachowicz, the Regional Arts and Culture Council
In addition to positive feedback directed at both the Port of Portland and the framebuilders themselves, Lachowicz says that even after being up five months, “the number of passengers who lineup along the display case is impressive.”
Jennifer Nolfi, the bike-industry liaison for the Portland Development Commisssion, first approached RACC and the Portland of Portland about extending the exhibit. She wanted it to be up for visitors attended the upcoming Oregon Manifest handmade bike show (scheduled for October 10-12).
Austin Ramsland of Sweetpea Bicycles helped put the exhibit together and he’s also organizing the Oregon Manifest show. He is obviously pleased about the extension and says, “I am really stoked that it is going to be up during such a busy travel season.”
Airport officials estimated that the exhibit’s six-month run would be seen by 3.3 million travelers and now, with November and December being the busiest time of the year at the airport, several million more visitors will get a glimpse of one of Oregon’s most exciting industries.
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FYI: The handmade bike exhibit is located in the E Concourse and can only be seen by ticketed passengers. For more photos and information about the exhibit, see the photo gallery and read the two stories I published about it back in April: