Carol Barrett looks over her bike she help create for Nutty Mutt dog bakery in Greenfield. Bikes in Bloom kicked off its ninth season of local area businesses helping ring-in spring with unique bike designs displayed outside their business. The idea is to help recognize area non-for profit organizations as well as beautify the downtown commercial businesses.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
GREENFIELD — It’s Bikes in Bloom time once again, which means a variety of unique, blooming bicycles are on display throughout downtown Greenfield.
The annual springtime display — which runs from Mother’s Day through Father’s Day weekends — is hosted by Greenfield Main Street, a nonprofit that supports and promotes the downtown historic district.
The display is meant to help celebrate spring by beautifying downtown Greenfield with an infusion of flowers, a prerequisite for all Bikes in Bloom entries.
The bikes are designed by local businesses and nonprofit organizations, which take the opportunity to create whimsical displays that not only look festive, but also share a bit of information about the groups that make them.
Amy Studabaker came up with the idea to design this year’s Friends of the Theater bike with an Wizard of Oz theme, complete with a life-size Wicked Witch of the West riding on the bike that’s displayed in front of the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts.
“I had a mannequin, so I figured ‘Why not,’” said Studabaker, a local actress and Friends of the Theater volunteer.
“Last year, we had our upside down bike that had the bike suspended upside down with the flowers for wheels, but this year we decided to turn it back over and do something different,” she said.
The Wicked Witch of the West is designed to look distraught over the demise of her sister, The Wicked Witch of the East, whose striped stockings and ruby red slippers appear to be sticking out from beneath the theater.
“We just tried to put something together that’s fun and colorful that will make people smile. Since we’re theater people, this just felt right,” Studabaker said with a laugh.
On Friday, Carol Barrett was putting the final touches on the bike sponsored by the Partners for Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS.
The bike features bunnies, cats and dogs all riding on the bicycle driven by a dog in a black and white checkered cape.
“With this taking place in May, we felt the black and white checkered flag cape was appropriate,” said Barrett, referring to the Indianapolis 500.
“It’s basically promoting (pet) fostering and helping with that,” said Barrett, an animal lover and PAWS volunteer.
The bike she designed includes an umbrella protecting the animals from the elements, along with pictures of animals and events hosted by PAWS.
Barrett said she embraces the chance to promote local nonprofits through one-of-a-kind bike art, and loves to walk around downtown to see the all the Bikes in Bloom up close each year.
“It’s an exciting time to see all those fun bikes come out. It means that springtime is here and the winter blues are over. I think Greenfield is getting a reputation for the bikes. It’s kind of a tradition now,” she said.
Greenfield’s mayor Chuck Fewell agrees.
“Bikes in Bloom is a pretty unique animal,” he said. “You’d be surprised by the number of people who routinely tell me they make a yearly visit to Greenfield just to look at the bikes. It’s kind of like the Avenue of Flags we have on Memorial Day. It’s a nice tradition that brings people into town.”
Brigette Cook Jones, executive director of the Hancock County Tourism and Visitor Center, has also heard visitors compliment the bikes throughout town.
“Bikes in Bloom lends a nice artistic panache to our downtown that people do notice and enjoy,” she said. “It does make our downtown a more entertaining space. It also gives a variety of businesses and groups the opportunity to market themselves to the masses.”
Last week, Abby Apodaca was putting the finishing touches on the bike she designed for Hancock County Arts, which is displayed outside the arts council’s Twenty North Gallery each year.
While the arts council’s bike is known for its artsy, colorful designs each year, this year’s bike carries a more serious message.
“I’m incorporating a quote from Frida Kahlo, ‘I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best. The subject I want to better,’” said Apodaca.
“It struck me with all the things the world is facing. If we find inspiration in ourselves and each other, push ourselves to evolve to the highest version of who we can become… it creates a ripple effect. I think that is how we change the world.”
The bike’s mirrored flowers deliver the message to look within, she said.
Now that all the bikes are on display, Studabaker said she can’t wait to head downtown and check them all out.
She and her family love to grab pizza downtown, then walk around and look at the bikes up close. Whenever she and her husband are able, they hop on their bikes and ride around downtown to enjoy them.
“When you’re on bike or on foot, you can go around and really explore the Bikes in Bloom in a way you can’t just driving past them in a car,” she said.
Studebaker said the springtime display is a great way to bring attention to the downtown shops and restaurants while shining the spotlight on local nonprofits that make such an impact in the community.
“It makes me smile to go through downtown and see everybody’s creativity on display. It’s just a really fun thing that feels unique to Greenfield,” she said.
