New York City Welcomes First-Ever Bicycle For a Day at South Street Seaport
NEW YORK CITY WELCOMES FIRST-EVER BICYCLE FOR A DAY ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 AT SOUTH STREET SEAPORT
Day-long Celebration Hosted by Matthew Modine Will Encourage Residents and Visitors Alike to Enjoy the Benefits of Alternative Transportation
New York, NY (September 9, 2008) New York City today welcomed the first-ever Bike for a Day (BFAD) on Saturday, September 20 at South Street Seaport. The event, hosted by actor and Bicycle for a Day founder Matthew Modine and supported by green advocates and businesses, cyclists and alternative transportation organizations throughout the City, will be a day-long celebration to encourage New Yorkers and visitors alike to observe a greener, carbon-emission-free lifestyle by traveling by bike, foot, or skates to enjoy a day of live entertainment, prize giveaways, a group walk, and opportunity to learn more about the environment. From 10:00 AM�5:00 PM, visitors to South Street Seaport will enjoy musical performances by artists Ben Jelen and Lukas Haas, and a group walk led by Olympian Sharon Seagrave.
�Bicycle for a Day was founded in an effort to raise awareness of the ease and health benefits of carbon-emission-free transportation alternatives such as walking and biking, but also on a much broader level, to inspire and inform the public of the simple practices they can implement in their every day lives that would collectively have a huge impact in our fight against global warming,� said Bicycle for a Day founder Matthew Modine.
�We�re pleased to support Bicycle for a Day, because its mission also seeks to encourage New Yorkers to build a cleaner and greener New York City,� said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. �We applaud Matthew Modine for establishing what is sure to become a popular annual event and for understanding the importance of spreading the simple things we can all do to reduce our carbon footprint.�
MBT, the world�s first and leading healthy footwear company, will lead a �Two Wheels or Two Feet� brigade walk, guided by former Olympian and MBT Pro, Sharon Seagrave. MBT will offer its revolutionary footwear on a first come, first served basis to the first 100 people who arrive at the walk�s start point. MBT�s partnership with BFAD is part of its month-long �30 Reasons to Walk� initiative to motivate consumers to pursue a more active lifestyle.
As a leader in green personal transportation, Segway Inc, creators of zero-emissions, two-wheeled self-balancing electric transportation devices called Segway Personal Transporters (Segway PTs), will feature a demonstration course for visitors to experience a ride on a Segway PT and learn how to incorporate green transportation into their lifestyles. Segway PTs, used for on and off-road personal transportation, are energy efficient; the transporters travel up to 24 miles on an electrical charge that costs less than a penny a mile.
In addition, visitors to South Street Seaport will have the opportunity to enjoy the Bike for a Day Eco Market, which will bring together new and innovative environmentally-sustainable products and athletic equipment from BFAD event sponsors and partners including TUMI, MBT SHOES, Puma, Madison Square Garden, Segway, New York Health & Racquet Club, Waterkeeper Alliance, American Forests, and Transportation Alternatives. Merchandise will include items that will raises funding for BFAD�s environmental charities.
A Bike for a Day booth will be set up at Union Square Green Market on Wednesday, September 17th to raise awareness about the organization and to help people learn about the simple steps they can take to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle.
About NYC & CompanyNYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide.
Founded by actor Mathew Modine, BFAD is a non-profit foundation that supports international organizations that help preserve and restore our environment, as well as, local charities that make biking in cities safer and more accessible. The mission of BFAD is to inspire and inform individuals about simple actions to practice in their everyday lives that--done collectively--can make a difference towards reducing global warming. For more information, please visit bicycleforaday.org.
Contacts
Kimberly Spell
NYC & Company, 212-484-1270 kspell@nycgo.com