Third Thursday: Bike Night at the MIA

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Why do art and bicycling fit so well together? Whether it's the yearly ARTCRANK gallery party/exhibition, the jerseys of TWIN SIX, or the Minneapolis Institute of Arts' Bike Night, the two complement each other like peanut butter and chocolate, whiskey and ginger ale, Kirk and Spock. Plus, bicycles are pretty. Bicycle bodies are, too. It just makes sense, doesn't it?

You can further investigate this question at Third Thursday: Bike Night, dubbed "the night when two-wheelers rule," tomorrow evening.

Fret not about locking up: Attendees at the fourth-annual celebration can ride through the front entrance and into the museum's central courtyard where Freewheel Bike staff members will valet, park, and protect bikes while visitors drink Summit beer; peep new steeds from Peacock Groove, Appleman, Speedhound, and others; and look each others' alt-ster bodies up and down. Don't forget to wax your 'staches into a sweet curl, fellas.
Social hours with Minneapolis's bike crowd are always fun, and the MIA will have distractions aplenty as you saunter around its verdant grounds. (Though, sadly, the Bike Film Festival is elsewhere this year, location TBA.) The Hub bike shop will offer safety checks, pedal-powered spin art, and a demo rack from Metro Transit so folks can practice transporting a bicycle by bus. New gear from TWIN SIX and One on One Bike will be on display, while swag from Surly, Nice Ride, and the Hub will be up for grabs.

Image courtesy of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Music from Minneapolis's Enemy Planes will score the party. Their website reveals tunes full of distortion, with poppy, danceable electronic beats and anguished vocals. That's surely enough to get bodies moving, once the Summit takes effect. Lest you forget, beyond the bikes there's the MIA's amazing permanent collection of art. On display are nearly 900 paintings, from the 14th century onward, plus ancient African and Asian art and contemporary work from Chuck Close, Tetsuya Yamada, and Kehinde Wiley. So absorb it all before your butt hits the saddle again.

Finally, this wouldn't be a Twin Cities bike event without pre- and post-group rides. If you prefer to arrive via mob, a Bike Night pre-party ride will depart from TWIN SIX headquarters (716 W. 34th St., Minneapolis) at 5:30 p.m. Later, bike-share champions Nice Ride MN will host a post-event jaunt to the Red Stag for its Nice Nite after-party. Leverage Models, In One Wind, Farewell Circuit, and Al Church and State will perform, with music beginning at 9 p.m. Added bonus: Nice Ride subscribers will get a free New Belgium beer at the party.

IF YOU GO:

Third Thursday: Bike Night
6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 19
Free
Minneapolis Institute of Arts