Bike travel provides many positives to the rider and the environment. The good people at SummerStage now add the high roller treatment to the list. In partnership with Transportation Alternatives, SummerStage will be rolling out the red carpet of convenience with FREE bike valet parking at all East River Park events. This August, SummerStage is celebrating its 25th anniversary by extending beyond their programming in Central Park with over 100 music, dance and theater programs in all five boroughs.
So how does the bike valet service fit into their master plan? The current valet program promises to give greater access to cyclists at the East River Park venue, provide an incentive to utilize alternative means of transportation, and promote the use of green spaces in the Lower East Side. They’re making a significant statement in support of the growing bike culture of New York with an emphasis on sustainability and community. “This is the first time SummerStage is offering free bike valet service,” said Karen Overton, City Parks Foundation Catalyst Coordinator. “It is a pilot program, but we do intend to continue it going forward next year.” The service launches Wednesday, August 4th and runs through 13 days of free music, dance, and theater. Such events include local indie-rock darlings White Rabbits, a rowdy re-imagining of the epic poem Beowulf, the socially conscious Wideman/Davis Dance group, and a tribute to the Faina All-stars featuring DJ Lucho and a variety of the city’s top Latin players. (A full schedule and breakdown on the varied multi-cultural performances can be found at SummerStage.org.)
How does this service work? Much like coat check, you drop off your ride, take a ticket, and enjoy a show without worrying if someone’s clipping your chain. That’s a night of stress-free and expense-free entertainment, bookend-ed by a scenic cruise of your choosing. Yes this may be ON Manhattan, but we couldn’t resist sharing the news of this great service. Instead of waiting on the suffocating train platform as you perspire and breathe in a whole host of troubling odors, you can be feeling the wind flow through your hair as you take in this truly captivating city on your trip to and from the show. Have a great ride.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram