A series of short films that celebrate cycling is coming to The Picture House Regional Film Center in Pelham, NY on May 19, 2019, as part of the 10^th Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival.

The event, which will also feature a raffle of cycling-related items, will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased here or at The Picture House box office.

Started by bicycle tour operator Ciclismo Classico in Arlington, Mass. a decade ago, the festival is making its New York debut in Pelham. The raffle will support three nonprofit organizations that promote bicycle safety and travel on two wheels. The organizations are:

• Adventure Cycling Association, which is mapping a U.S. bicycle route system and offers resources for bike travelers;
• East Coast Greenway Alliance, which is creating a bike route from Maine to Florida, including a segment that passes through Pelham Manor;
• Environmental Coalition of the Pelhams (EcoPel), a grassroots enviro group that supports cycling as a healthy, pollution-free form of transportation.

Among the raffle prizes are a child’s Metro bicycle with helmet, bell, and water bottle, donated by Danny’s Cycles in Pelham; a folding bicycle helmet; jewelry made from bicycle parts; and other assorted cycling gear. There will also be a basket of gift cards and goodies from local Pelham restaurants and businesses. (A complete list of raffle items and sponsors is included below.)

Sheets of 25 raffle tickets will sell for $10 and $20 each (cash or personal check only), with the more expensive tickets giving buyers a chance at the higher-priced items. Every raffle purchase includes a chance at winning a door prize.

The event also will promote Adventure Cycling’s “Bike Your Park Day,” which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. “The idea is to get out on your bike and visit a county, state, or national park,” said Karen Gardner, a life member of Adventure Cycling and Pelham resident working with The Picture House to stage the film festival. “Bike Your Park Day helps to promote local amenities, and Westchester has some wonderful parks for us to explore.” Maps and information about Westchester’s many parks will be available at the film festival.

Financial support for the bike travel film festival was provided by Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

For more information, please contact:

Karin Turer, Festival Director, 617-599-8509, Karin@tugboat23.com

Clayton Bushong, Director of Programming, Marketing and Theater Operations, The Picture House, 175 Wolfs Lane, Pelham, NY, 914-738-3161; clay@thepicturehouse.org

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RAFFLE DONORS

Donors contributing prizes for the fundraising raffle include: Abus, Adventure Cycling Association, Aileen Dose Licensed Massage Therapist, Amedeo Fitness, Apothecary Muse, Bangkok City, Bikeflights.com, Bike Tube, Caffe Regatta, Cantina Lobos, Charles Fazzino, Danny’s Cycles, DaHanger, Deborah Lowery, DeFeet, East Coast Greenway Alliance, E-ko-logic, Environmental Coalition of the Pelhams, Ergon, Evelyn Hill Cycling, Kryptonite, La Fontanella, Marcello’s, Morpher, Ortlieb, Planet ert, Revolution Cycle Jewelry, Sassy Cyclist, Sinewave Cycles, Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club, The Open Road Game, The Voracious Reader, Vespertine, Westchester Bike Camp, and Westchester Parks.

 ABOUT THE FILMS

Whether you’re an avid cyclist or an armchair traveler, the films in this special festival offer tales of adventure that everyone can enjoy.

 The festival features the USA premiere of a stunning film from Australia called Lowest to Highest. Through the boundless landscape of Australia, five friends attempt to be the first to cycle from the continent’s lowest point, Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre, a vast salt lake in the desert at 15 meters below sea level, to the highest point, the snow capped summit of Mount Kosciuszko. The 1,300+-mile journey would be hard enough for anyone. But Duncan is blind, Walter can’t breathe, Daniel can’t walk, Conrad can’t bend, and half of Paul’s body doesn’t work. What could possibly go wrong?

Another USA premiere is INARI, which shares the first bicycle travel adventures of a father and his four-year-old son under the Northern Lights in Finland. Despite its brevity – six minutes – it packs an emotional punch and was chosen as the Grand Jury Prize winner for the event.

Also notable is Escape, the story of a Montreal-based DJ called JaBig who buys a bike on a whim and decides to attempt to beat the record for the longest continuous bike ride in a single country.

ABOUT CICLISMO CLASSICO

The festival is a production of Ciclismo Classico, a community-minded company located in Arlington, MA, that has been a leader in active bicycle vacations since 1988. Ciclismo Classico offers well-crafted trips in Italy, France, Spain, Austria, and New England that are active immersions into local art, language, music, and delicious cuisine.

Through the proceeds from the film festivals, Ciclismo Classico has donated thousands of dollars to a variety of bicycle and other local charities.

ABOUT THE PICTURE HOUSE REGIONAL FILM CENTER

Since 1921, The Picture House Regional Film Center (TPH) has served as a cultural center and community hub and is the oldest, continuously running movie theater in Westchester County. Thanks to an extensive renovation and the addition of state of the art technology, TPH is also a thriving regional film center providing dynamic film and education programs to a diverse and multi-generational audience in Westchester County and beyond. In the 300-seat Main Hall and the luxurious 14-seat Screening Room, audiences see the best in new, independent, and classic cinema. TPH education programs provide students of all ages with the opportunity to learn about the art, science, and business of film. A community-based, mission-driven, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, The Picture House is located at 175 Wolfs Lane, Pelham, New York, 10803. Contact us at www.thepicturehouse.org, info@thepicturehouse.org, or (914) 738-3161.