JUNE 16, 2011 ISSUE
Cyclo.Via: A Downtown Boone Street Festival June 26
People find creative ways to utilize the blocked streets in a street festival in Roanoke, Virginia. Photo by Hank Ebert“
We want it to be big. We are hoping to get 3000 people out here.
” —Bing Oliver, vice president of Boone Area Cyclists.On Sunday, June 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., portions of Rivers, Depot and Howard Street will close to motorized traffic for Cyclo.Via, a street festival with the potential to change events in downtown Boone.
“There is a lot of room for growth for events in downtown Boone,” Eric Woolridge, a board member of Boone Area Cyclists, which organizes the event, said. “There’s no doubt, [with] this particular inaugural event that we are trying to explore how far we can take the concept and idea.”
The Cyclo.Via street fest concept originated in Bogota, Columbia, in the ‘70s, when town officials blocked the streets for six hours each Sunday and holiday for runners, skaters and bicyclists and set aside areas for aerobics, such as stretching and yoga.
Bing Oliver, vice president of Boone Area Cyclists, said the event does feature cycling, but it is more about “human-powered fun” and leading a healthy, active lifestyle.
“If you are a runner…if you are a cyclist…if you got an old pair of rollerblades you want to dust off…walk the dog, push the stroller, throw a Frisbee,” Oliver said. “The biggest thing is just to open the streets for people to come out and create their own fun.”
Oliver received permission from the Town Council for the event several months ago, and Woolridge said the Boone Town Council waived fees regarding the street closures.
“They were very enthusiastic about it. I just got a really lot of positive feedback about the event,” Oliver said. “We ultimately want it to be something that impacts the town in terms of tourism and growth and development…and really turn Boone into a very pedestrian-friendly town.”
For the five-hour Cyclo.Via, there are several activities, workshops and demonstrations planned. Somewhere along the streets, an area, called a RecroVia, will be set aside for aerobic activities such as zumba and yoga. A BMX biker will do a trick demonstration, and there will be a bellydancing demonstration. There will be a kids play zone and African drumming and dance workshops.
At Jimmy Smith Park, a kid’s tricycle race is planned. An hour before the event, two community bike rides, a 30-miler and 50-miler, will leave from and return to Magic Cycles, which is at the corner of Depot and Howard streets.
Vendors, such as Bald Guy Brew, Stick Boy Bread and Scoops Gelato will sell food and drinks along the streets, and organizations and businesses will set up booths.
“We want it to be big. We are hoping to get 3000 people out there. I think it’s going to be a lot bigger than people might see it now,” Oliver said. “We feel this could ultimately change the face of Boone.”
Since this is the inaugural event, Woolridge said this event would test the scope of events and activities possible in downtown Boone.
“We think [the concept and idea of the Cyclo.Via] could possibly be taken quite far—not just once every year, but multiple times a year,” Woolridge said. “We are trying to plan an event in a short time period and answer just that question.”
For more information on volunteering, leading an event or vendor booths, fill out a vendor/partner form at www.cycloviaboone.org, send an email to booneareacyclists@gmail.com or call 828-719-1109.
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