Dozens of locals celebrated the borough-wide bicycle tour at the Bike the Branches Friends Carnival at the Sheepshead Bay Library on May 9.
Most attendees watched the 29 bicyclists cruise past their local branch as they listened to music, read books, and shopped at an outdoor flea market to celebrate the library, according to an organizer.
“The community had a chance to join entertainment and spend the time shopping for bargains,” said Svetlana Negrimovskaya, a library supervisor.
Bike the Branches began three years ago as an attempt to raise money for all 60 of the King County’s library branches. Cyclists pay an entry feeand try to bike to as many branches as possible. One participant visited 40 branches this year, according to results from the Brooklyn Public Library.
But the library didn’t just raise money from bikers during the event. The flea market — which sold stuffed animals, dishware, and figurines all for just three dollars or less — raked in $225 for the branch.
Even though the cloudy weather put a damper on the outdoor event, Negrimovskaya said locals still enjoyed themselves with expressive arts.
“We had face painting, teenagers dancing to pop music,” she said.
And the artistic endeavors continued inside, too. The library hosted a signing showcase, Rising Star, which featured performers from 5 to 84 years old.
One parent said the event was great because it combined two things her daughter loves — biking and reading.
“She was watching the men, the bikers … we went upstairs to read books too,” said Katherine Vishneva, who attended the carnival with her daughter, Pauline. “She had a lot of fun.”
