With its freeways, traffic, and valet parking, Los Angeles is not a city known for its walk-ability. At least for tomorrow night, bike-ability will be a different story ““ when UCLA’s Hammer Museum hosts the second edition of Bike Night at the Hammer.
Last year, the event was organized in conjunction with artist and bike-enthusiast Lisa Anne Auerbach’s “Nine Lives” exhibit at the Hammer, and after a decidedly successful evening, they’ve decided to bring it back.
This year’s Bike Night at the Hammer will feature bike valet, provided by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, free vegan food bar, a cash bar featuring Fat Tire beer, and the screening of films from the Hammer Student Association’s Bike Shorts competition and of “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” live musical performances by Fusion and Dobrega, as well as free museum admission.
“I think Lisa conceptualized it out of a realization that most places are not that bike-friendly in Los Angeles,” said Susan Yank, the Hammer’s assistant director of academic programs. “There might be more alternative smaller spaces that do events targeted at the bike community and raising biking awareness, but in terms of large institutions I’d be sort of hard pressed to think of something.”
This year Auerbach collaborated with the Hammer Student Association, a group of UCLA students that puts on events, does outreach, and writes a publication for the Hammer each year. While last year’s Bike Night’s focus was on reaching out to the biking scene in Los Angeles, the Hammer Student Association and its outreach committee, led by fourth-year theater student Maritza Yoes, took this opportunity to reach out to another community for Bike Night ““ the UCLA community.
“Our goal has been to increase the UCLA population at the Hammer and integrate the Hammer into the core of UCLA student culture. Bridge the gap between the school and the museum,” Yoes said. “It’s surprising how many students don’t know where the Hammer is or even that it exists.”
One way of reaching out to students was through the Bike Shorts short film competition, winners of which will be screened at Bike Night. The winning films come from college students all over Los Angeles, including Santa Monica College, Pomona and Loyola Marymount, in addition to UCLA.
“It was really cool to see what people were able to do involving bikes in some way,” Yoes said. “Most of them are advocating for bicycling but they do it in such clever ways so it’s really fun.”
In addition to the Bike Shorts, Auerbach chose to screen “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” at Bike Night.
“It’s got some great bike shots,” Auerbach said. “I saw the movie a really long time ago but I remember the whole movie is about him trying to find his bike that he loved so much. And I’m excited to see it again at the Billy Wilder Theater which is a great place to see a film.”
Auerbach also shared that a very special guest, someone closely tied to the film, will be appearing at Bike Night, but she couldn’t say whom.
The night’s other known excitement will be provided by Fusion and Dobrega, bands comprised of UCLA students. Fusion is a 12-15 person band with many different kinds of instruments and styles of music, while Dobrega features ethnomusicology alumnus Charlie Domingo and his electronic project, to which he is planning on incorporating various bike sounds for the evening.
In preparation for the crowds of bikers, the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition is planning to bring twice the bike racks as last year for the bicycle valet. The question remains, whose bikes will fill it up?
“I think we definitely saw the biking scene come out in huge form last year. It was really exciting for the biking community because it’s just kind of a great thing that you can ride your bike and go see the galleries and see a screening and get food and its all free,” Yank said. “Hopefully this year we’ll get people who have never been down to the Hammer for anything else.”
For those students who may not know where the Hammer is, the Hammer Students Association has even arranged a walk down from De Neve Plaza for Bike Night. That’s right ““ you’re allowed to walk to Bike Night too.