Free valet bike parking at Taste of the Arts

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - On Saturday at the Taste of the Arts you can ride your bike and have someone valet park it for you. To help promote walking and bicycling in downtown Fort Wayne, Aboite New Trails has teamed up with the City of Fort Wayne, Arts United and Blue Jacket to offer "Bike Check," a free and secure valet bicycle parking service at Arts United's Taste of the Arts, held Aug. 28, 12 to 7 p.m. around the Arts United Center on Main Street.

Bike Check will be available from 12 to 9 p.m. on the west lawn of Fire Station #1 at 419 Main Street, with Aboite New Trails' volunteers staffing the service, Blue Jacket providing newly welded bike racks for parking, and the City of Fort Wayne supplying wristbands and needed materials to help with secure bicycle parking.

Blue Jacket and its mission of training, employing, and mentoring adults with criminal backgrounds, when combined with a goal to improve the health and wellness of the Fort Wayne community, produced the Bike Check bike racks as part of a certified AWS welding training. The bike racks will be used for future Bike Check services where bicycling is encouraged.

"We hope people will choose to ride their bikes rather than drive a car. It's a healthier alternative and allows people to enjoy downtown and all of its cultural offerings at a slower, more relaxing pace," says Lori Keys, executive director, Aboite New Trails. "As we strive to create more connections via multi-use trails, Aboite New Trails and its partners will work to promote these opportunities. What a safe, healthy way to enjoy all that our city has to offer!"

Admission to the Taste of the Arts is free so everyone can enjoy a variety of art and cultural opportunities featuring over 40 arts groups, performances, local restaurants and engaging activities. Following the Taste, Arts United will offer free trolley rides to and from three downtown concerts beginning at 6:45 p.m. and ending at 10:45 p.m.