Summer is almost over, but there is no lack of things to keep us busy between now and the fall. Here are just a few of the many events coming up in the next week that you won’t want to miss.
Kidical Mass Family Fun Ride
You don’t really need an excuse to dress like a superhero and ride your bike around town, but it is definitely more awesome when you get a chance to do it with a group.
Join Santa Monica City officials for a superhero-themed “Kidical Mass” family bike ride starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, August 23. Since Santa Monica started its Kidical Mass rides in April 2013, they have been wildly successful.
The event, co-sponsored by Santa Monica Spoke, the City of Santa Monica, Active Santa Monica, and Safe Routes to School, will start at the northern end of Virginia Avenue Park with bike checks, face painting, snacks, a costume contest, and check-in.
From SMSpoke: “We will take a family friendly ride around the Santa Monica neighborhood, east of Virginia Ave Park along the planned Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway. Prize drawings plus Prize for BEST DRESSED!”
The ride starts at 10 a.m. with snacks and a raffle following. Please RSVP via Facebook or email to Transportation.Management@smgov.net by August 22.
Tour da Arts
Don’t worry if you are looking for more bike fun. On Sunday, August 24, the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA) will host its sixth-annual Tour da Arts festival, a human-powered cultural tour of the bayside city.
C.I.C.L.E., Santa Monica Spoke,Aika Trading, Perry’s Cafe and Rental, Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club, L.A. Metro, and about a dozen other community partners invite people to “[e]xperience Santa Monica as a car-free community and learn about the City’s bike lanes and other bike-friendly infrastructure from Tour da Arts’ ride leaders” at Sunday’s free event.
From Spoke’s website: “Enjoy the creative side of bicycle culture beginning at the Bergamot Art Complex EXPO/Festival that starts at NOON, then on a casual, nine-mile ride filled with art, music, and theater.”
Click here for more information and to register for the ride.
Big Blue Bus Service Changes
It’s that time of year. The days are getting shorter (and cooler, hopefully), the kids are getting ready to go back to school, and the Big Blue Bus is getting ready to make some changes to accommodate people’s fall travel patterns.
Starting Sunday, August 24, the BBB changes will go into effect. The biggest change is the division of Route 3 into two separate bus lines.
Via the BBB: “BBB’s Route 3, currently traveling all the way from the Metro Green Line Aviation Station to UCLA, through downtown Santa Monica, will be split into two separate routes. The southern portion, from the Green Line Station to Downtown Santa Monica will remain ‘Route 3’ and the portion from Santa Monica to UCLA is named ‘Route 3M‘ to designate the service along Montana Ave.”
In addition, BBB will be tweaking service times on other lines to accommodate fall travel patterns: “There are many additional changes and the following routes have schedule and stop adjustments: Route 1, Rapid 3, Route 4, Route 5, return of Route 6 after Summer Break, Route 7, Rapid 7, Route 8, Route 9, Rapid 10, Route 12, Route 14, Rapid 20, and Route 41.”
All of those changes can be seen here.
The Zombies at the Santa Monica Pier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5IRI4oHKNU
UK rock group The Zombies, who hit it big in the 1960s with songs like “She’s Not There” and “Time of the Season,” will perform at the Santa Monica Pier Thursday as part of the Twilight Concert Series. The Zombies will be joined by local band, The Mystic Braves and KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox.
Concert starts 7 p.m. More information is available here.
