Asheville on Bikes throws 8th birthday party, Beer and Bites for Bikes

CANDLES FOR HANDLES: Mike Sule, left, founder and director of Asheville on Bikes, is pleased to partner with The Market Place's chef William Dissen, right, for Asheville on Bikes' eighth birthday bash. Dissen will prepare four small plates to be paired with New Belgium's craft beers. Photo courtesy of Asheville on Bikes

Throwing a birthday party to celebrate eight years of activism certainly fits the bill for Asheville on Bikes, whose official mission is to “cultivate the culture of urban and commuter cycling through advocacy & celebration.” Accordingly, Beer and Bites for Bikes, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 3 at The Market Place, offers an open invitation to anyone interested in the plight and progress of a biking community.

“Asheville on Bikes has really grown over that last eight years. We play a critical role in transforming our city’s transportation options, provide after school urban bicycle education, and continue to host a variety of outreach events designed to encourage and inspire participation in urban cycling,” says, Asheville on Bikes director Mike Sule.

Sule, who will present a State of the Bike address at 7 p.m., is eager to give attendees an organizational progress report. “We’ve been hard at work over the last year honing and developing the organization,” he says. “It’s time to celebrate our accomplishments, honor our volunteers and share our strategic direction with the community.”

Ever an ally of the two-wheeling population, New Belgium Brewing Co. will provide a selection of craft beverages for the evening. While attending the event is free, $10 buys guests one of four such brews along with a small food plate prepared by The Market Place owner and executive chef William Dissen. He has planned the following beer and bites pairings for the event:

La Folie (sour brown ale) — crispy pork belly, local sorghum, acorn squash, bread-and-butter pickles

Ranger (India pale ale) — corn fritters, spicy tomato relish, coriander yogurt

Snapshot (wheat beer) — heirloom farro salad, roasted cauliflower, arugula, confit shallot vinaigrette, sunny quail egg

Abbey (dubbel) — Abbey-glazed Hickory Nut Gap beef short rib, jalapeño-cheddar biscuit, green apple and buttermilk blue slaw

“It’s an exciting opportunity for The Market Place to collaborate with Asheville on Bikes and New Belgium Brewing for the Beer & Bites for Bikes,” says the local chef. “We are all interested in the organic growth and development of Asheville, and multi-modal transportation infrastructure is key in the evolution of our city.” Asheville on Bikes will receive $1 from each sale of Dissen’s pairings.

Since no party is official without tunes, local performer DJ Molly Parti will kick off the festivities with a 6 p.m. set. Organizers are encouraging attendees to RSVP here.

Beer and Bites for Bikes, 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, The Market Place, 20 Wall St.

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About Kat McReynolds
Kat studied entrepreneurship and music business at the University of Miami and earned her MBA at Appalachian State University. Follow me @katmAVL

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