Main Festival : Bicycles

Chorlton's Big Green Festival is a focal point for everybody who wants to celebrate cycling in and around Manchester.

Every year, for example, we reclaim the streets with an inclusive family-friendly bike parade during the festival the Big Green Bike Parade has featured tandems and sit-down bikes alongside more traditional models in the past. There is also a selection of practical workshops available so that people can get the most out of their cycling. And there is plenty of information on offer about traffic-free routes, bike security and much more.

In fact, cycling is even more important this time around. The theme of Chorlton's Big Green Festival 2011 is Bike to the Future so look out on the day for some extra special cycling events, additional workshops and the biggest bike parade yet!

On Saturday, 9th April,   Transition Chorlton's Fringe Film Night showed 'Beauty and the Bike'. Click here for more details

Bicycle related events at this year's main festival day on Saturday 16th April  included: All day Bicycle Swap at Playground 2 10.50am Ride to the festival from Manchester city centre 10.50am Meet at Manchester central Library 11 am Depart Manchester Oxford Road (Salisbury, Revolution, Sound Control) 11.05am Footage & Firkin on Oxford Road 11.10am Whitworth Park 11.15am Platt Chapel 11.20am Sainsbury's Fallowfield then onto Fallowfield Loop 11.35am Arrive at Chorlton's Big Green Festival 12.00 midday Bike Parade around Chorlton [starts Vicars Road, outside Primary School entrance] 1.20pm Bike Fashion Show [Music Tent] 2.00pm SSpokes and Les Velobici performance 3.00pm Puncture Repair race 3.30pm Spokes and Velocibici performance 4.20pm Bike Fashion Show 5.00pm A ride to Chorlton Ees, Trans Penine Trail, Fallowfield Loop

If you'd like to find out more about cycling, Green Chorlton can heartily recommend the following organisations:

[Manchester based]

1. Action For Sustainable Living (AFSL)
2. Bike Friday
3. Bike Right - cycle training
4. Cycles Recycled - Stockport
5. Friends of Fallowfield Loop
6. Greater Machester Cycling Campaign
7. I Bike Manchester
8. Manchester Friends of the Earth
9. Spokes - The only all female bicycle dance troupe in the UK
10. University of Manchester Bike User Group (UMBUG)

[National]

1. British Cycling Federation
2. Cycle Touring Club
3. Friends of the Earth
4. Sustrans

For even more cycling organisations, click here – and for cycle events, click here.

Photo credits: Sam Fairbrother www.samfairbrother.com