Recently I attended Biketoberfest sponsored by the Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition and held at Dock Street Brewery

Biketoberfest is an annual fundraiser for the Bike Coalition and features beers, brats, bikes and bands.

The mission of the Bike Coalition is:

“Making bicycling better through advocacy and education by promoting biking as a healthy, low-cost, and environmentally-friendly form of transportation and recreation.”

Anyone who is interested in biking, carfree cities, and the environment should support this organization and this event. And bonus! Awesome beer brewed right on site and local indie bands. You can’t ask for much more than that.

We had a beautiful day for the event. (Although it was rescheduled from the previous weekend due to rain.) I did not, however, win the main raffle prize of a new bike, which I was certain I was going to win.

Here are three of the bands that played at Biketoberfest. I was really excited that someone posted a video from the actual event of the band that I liked the best. :-)

Grandchildren

TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb

Pony Pants

Do you like biking, beer, or live bands? ;-)

I would have taken my own videos or photos if I had bothered to put down my cup of beer long enough to do so.

photo credit: Philly Bike Coalition

Post from: (Anti) Social Development

Biketoberfest: Benefit for the Bike Coalition of Philadelphia

Every year in my neighborhood we have a Halloween parade for small children that starts at 4pm. This is so the can safely trick or treat along a set route before it gets dark.

We’ve been doing this for 7 years and we keep saying it will be Alex’s last year because she is getting older but we just don’t want to miss it.

The parade is also a lot of fun. The kids are adorable and a lot of the parents dress up.

Little Red Riding Hood & the Big Bad Wolf (Marc and Alex)

E-bot

Group of girls

The beginning of the parade as it heads from the park to the neighborhood.

The parade ends on a block that has a party where everyone gathers and there are tables of goodies set up for the children and the adults.

After the parade is over we head out trick or treating. A block behind our house is a place that sets up a huge haunted house every year. So many people go to it that there is always a long line and the police block off two blocks of the street. This year was especially fun because two woman dressed up like zombies and danced with the kids to Thriller.

Zombies and Kids Dancing to Thriller in West Philly.

It was very warm on Halloween and it rained off and on but we had SO much fun. It was the most fun I had on Halloween in a long time.

How about you? How was your Halloween? Did you dress up?

Post from: (Anti) Social Development

Halloween in West Philadelphia 2009

I don’t go out too much but have been exploring the city a little more than I usually do. Somehow I have accidentally come upon two local bands that I really liked and had no idea would be playing when I stopped at a couple of different parks.

It’s made me want to pay more attention to free local music but I have a feeling that it’s one of those serendipity types of things – when you find something that you weren’t looking for. If I start searching for free and cool local music, I won’t find it.

A couple of weeks ago I was in South Philly and ended up at Jefferson Square Park in Philly. There was a music festival for local bands and when I was there Pepi Ginsberg was playing. I liked her voice and her band a lot. Unfortunately, this video isn’t as good as they were live. It was also a beautiful day and after I watched the band I had some super yummy South Philly pizza.

Last weekend a tiny park near my house, called Cedar Park, was having their annual festival. I brought Alex because the flyers said there were going to be lots of activities for kids. And there was. There was a moon bounce, a new playground and arts and crafts. Alex had a ball. There was also a local hip hop band playing called Philadelphia Slick. I thought they were very good and was really surprised that they were playing. One song I especially liked was called Oil.

And once again, after the music, we went and had really yummy pizza. ;-)

Do you ever accidentally come upon cool music where you live?

photo credit: kevindooley

Post from: (Anti) Social Development

Random Musical Encounters in Philadelphia