Light Up Bike Spectacle coming to Whanganui

Published on 06 April 2018

6 April 2018

Dig out your Christmas lights and pump up your bike tyres – it’s time for the first Whanganui Light Up Bike Spectacle!

Organised by Whanganui District Council, this all-ages, all-wheels event from 5.30pm on Friday, 4 May will parade from St Hill Street along the shared pathway next to the Whanganui River. The event will start at the former Briscoes car park at 120 St Hill Street and end on Taupō Quay past the Cobham Bridge – a 2.5km route.

Scooters, buggies, unicycles, skateboards, roller skates, wheelchairs and more are all welcome for the night parade.

Arts Facilitator, Riah King-Wall, says the event route will also celebrate Te Tuaiwi, the new inner city cycleway along St Hill Street.

“The Light Up Bike Spectacle will be a family-friendly extravaganza in bicycle art, performance and DIY wheel decoration. We also want to encourage cycling as an everyday activity and provide an opportunity for the community to come together to enjoy cycling in a creative way.”

Participants can also expect some surprises along the parade route, with some entertainment – lit-up, of course – to add to the spectacle.

“If you are looking for some ideas to light up your wheels we are holding two free workshops later this month, hosted by our partners at the Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre,” says Ms King-Wall.

The free public workshops will be held in the former Farmers homeware store at 131 Victoria Avenue from 9.00am and 3.00pm on Friday, 27 April and Saturday, 28 April. They will be suitable for ages from five plus.

“The workshops are open anytime between those hours. Come along and make your own bicycle-mounted or handheld lantern.”

The Whanganui Regional Museum will also be running lantern and lighting workshops in the April school holidays.

If the weather doesn’t co-operate, the event will be held at the same time and place on Saturday, 5 May.

For more information contact Riah King-Wall at riah.king-wall@whanganui.govt.nz  or 06 349 0001.

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