Early rain showers could not keep the families, artists, and sun away at the third annual Kids' Art Bike Parade in Tompkins Square Park on May 8th. Serving as a celebration of sustainable streets improvements in our neighborhood, the event was a huge success. Neighbors enjoyed bicycle decorating, DOT bicycle helmet fittings and giveaways, face painting, balloon animals, youth yoga, a Learn-to-Ride class from Bike New York, bicycle tune-ups from Recycle-a-Bicycle and Five Borough Bike Club, the Bike Parade, and an amazing price raffle!

Heelz On Wheelz energized the crowd with their Bike Safety Dance followed by Rude Mechanical Orchestra's uplifting performance. Grand Marshal Rosie Mendez and Co-Marshals Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and State Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh led the parade out of Tompkins Square and south along Avenue A.

Lower East Side kids showed the joy of riding bicycles and the need to support sustainable and active transportation in our neighborhood. EVCC applauds recent DOT and MTA improvements in the area and awaits further improvements, especially protected bus and bicycle lanes on 1st and 2nd Avenues this fall.

EVCC gave away over 35 bikes to kids from the neighborhood. Refreshments were donated by the 4th Street Food Co-op, GuS Soda, Ninth Street Espresso, Whole Earth Bakery, and Butter Lane. LES Girls Club volunteers spun their wheels making bicycle-powered smoothies. Two Boots Pizza, SkipHop, Sustainable NYC, Manhattan Portage, and LES Peoples' Mutual Housing Association generously donated prizes for the free raffle. New York Cares provided 25 volunteers for the event and 10 volunteers painted Bike Parade banners. Their time, energy, and passion was critical in the success of the event. EVCC thanks all the volunteers, co-sponsors, and participants for making the Third Annual Kids' Art Bike Parade a success!