Bikes Not Allowed! Why?

Over the past few years of cycling, I have noticed something regarding bikes and local festivals. It seems that many of the local festivals are not considering bikes as a viable transportation mode to the events. Think about it, how many times have you gone to a community festival such as the Virginia Highlands Summerfest, or the Grant Park Summer Shade festival on your bike, only to find out that bikes are not allowed into the festival area? Why is that? Some festival organizers will tell you that it can get crowded and bikes would imped the flow of traffic, but can the same be said about strollers? I have seen some SUV sized strollers at many of the events.

If they do not want bikes in the festival area, how come they do not provide a viable (or visible) parking area for bikes just outside the festival area? At the VH Summerfest, I locked my bike (along with many others) to the barricades that were located at the festival entrances. While this did provide a somewhat secure place to park my bike, the space was limited in regards to how many bikes can be "attached" to these barricades. Also if an emergency arises, how difficult would it be to move these barricades with bikes attached to them?

I know that the Atlanta Bike Coalition does offer a "Bike Valet" service, but I recently had one festival organizer tell me that they could not afford the service. What?? So what you are saying is that the cost of the services, which is actually a tax deductible donation to the ABC, outweighs the potential increase in attendees (and thus an increase to the vendors in potential income) who chose to ride a bike?

Automobile parking at these events are usually a nightmare, with limited street parking, thus forcing people to have to park some distance from the festival itself. While we all could us the extra exercise, there are those that chose not to and decide not to attend the event. If bicyclist know that they have a place to park their bikes, or are allowed to bring the bikes into the festival, this could help to reduce the number of automobiles in the area, and free up parking for those that decide to use their cars.

Is the real intent is to discourage visitation by people who do not travel by car? I would hope not, but as a person who has made a decision to reduce the use of an automobile, it is very discerning to see this happening. At a time when we all need to start looking at viable alternatives to our cars, I can only hope that festival organizers will start to consider bicyclist in their festival planning.