April 3 ArtRide: Join us for a gallery Bunny Hop by bike!

While the City of Ventura’s budget cuts gut the heart out of the “New Art City,” First Friday will continue anyway because it is organized and funded by a consortium of art galleries, studios and show spaces.

And so the First Friday ArtRide will go on!

For the April 3 ride, we encourage people to get their bunny on! Bunny ears? Bunny nose? Bunny tail? Any and all costumed gorgeousness especially springtime cute animalness will  be appreciated!

(1:17pm Moonrise)
5:15pm Meet at the San Jon Road City Yard (free parking)
5:30pm Ride to the Artists Union Gallery (pay parking)
6pm Ride along the promenade & River Trail to Main and around downtown then “hop” to various galleries including Bell Arts Factory and probably Seabreeze to see Erik Reel’s pink creation pictured below and ending somewhere (Anacapa Brewery? Charlines? ArtBarn?) for food, drink, and conviviality.
7:15pm Sunset
8:10pm Dark

Need some bunny ears? We can hook you up with a fuzzy pink LED battery included set for $5. We also have some pink feathery tiaras ($5) and more blinky light magic available for purchase (2 for $5)!

Remember, the law requires you to have a white light in front (it can be a flashlight taped on to your bike or something you wear) and a red flashing light in back plus side reflectors. Rumour has it some of us will gather at the ArtBarn the night before the ride, April 2, during the open mic “Train of Thought” to get bikes set up for the ride from 7-9pm.

First Friday ArtRide is part of a greater effort to create a bike culture in Ventura. Starting in April, a ride will be hosted by a different participant every Friday.

April 3 First Friday ArtRide: meet 5:30 Artists Union Gallery; ride by 6pm

April 10, 17, Second & Third Friday Fun Ride: meet 6pm at the corner of Catalina and Main Street (by Ventura High School); ride by 615pm

April 24 Last Friday CM: meet 5pm in the park by the downtown Ventura Post Office for a critical mass style; ride by 5:30pm

We encourage family participation on these rides! We remind you that wearing a helmet is the law for children and a great idea for adults; we can even duct tape or possibly use zip ties to attach bunny ears to helmets! We highly recommend small children be in a burley trailer or ridden by an adult on an appropriate bike seat; older children should be on a trail-a-bike. Children using training wheels will not be allowed to ride with us on city streets, only on the beach bike path. We do NOT recommend children under 8 ride alone due to the risks involved. We want the ride to be fun for everyone!