Imagine being able to share your story with up to 15 others while biking down the beautiful streets of Gainesville, Florida. On April 3, 2016, Self Narrate and Florida Fun Bikes collaborated to make this happen for the attendees of Active Streets. Active Streets is a bi-annual event in Gainesville that Active Streets Alliance organizes, where a long stretch of University Avenue is shut down so that pedestrians can walk through the streets, engaging with different organizations who have all shown up to do activities with the Gainesville community.
Self Narrate has participated in two Active Streets events before, but since 2016 is #StoryYear, we wanted to do something really unique this time. Like everyone else that lays their eyes on Gainesville's coolest new method of transportation, we were delighted when we first saw the Florida Fun Bike. We learned that it allows up to 16 people at a time to ride the large bicycle through the streets, and we immediately saw the potential to create an intimate and fun opportunity for people to share stories while exercising! The Florida Fun Bikes team shared this vision.
Throughout the day on April 3, the Self Narrate and Florida Fun Bikes team worked together to transport hundreds of Gainesville community members from one end of Active Streets to the other. This was from in front of Santa Fe’s CIED to the corner of Bo Diddley Plaza. We brought a camera along with us to record the stories of the riders of our Mobile Storytelling Station. We heard so many amazing stories! (Expect to see them on Self Narrate’s Youtube Channel soon!) Not only were the storytellers on board the Mobile Storytelling Station having a great time, but everyone that we passed had a smile on their face to see the Florida Fun Bike in action.
Gainesville is a really unique and wonderful community. We are grateful that we get to hear the stories of the people in this city. There were so many inspiring storytellers at Active Streets and we can’t wait to be part of the next one!