REPORT

Fietsfeest 2000 took place on Sunday June, 18th in Amsterdam Vondelpark. This big bicycle festival was part of Vélo Mondial 2000, an international event that concentrated on the possibilities of the bicycle in the 21st century. Apart from Fietsfeest 2000, Vélo Mondial consisted of a conference for bicycle specialists from all over the world, an exhibition on cycling in Amsterdam and Beijing and several seminars and excursions.

Over 25 thousand people visited Fietsfeest 2000. They could see and try the plenitude of possibilities and advantages the bicycle has. Especially new techniques and the fun people have on bicycles were highlighted at the festival. Amsterdam Vondelpark was the beautiful location for Fietsfeest 2000. Providing for a good 500m test riding track, a track for races, a big field where many activities took place and a wonderful ambience. The weather couldn't have been better and the positive spirit of workers, volunteers and professionals, and visitors also contributed to a great festival.

The concept of Fietsfeest 2000 was born at Fietsfeest'96 and that was organised by André Guit and Maarten Leuw. The idea of celebrating the bicycle with a combination of information, fun and culture was very successful, though (financially) not so easy to get realised. With the Dutch Cyclists' Union celebrating its 25th anniversary and Vélo Mondial 2000 coming to Amsterdam in the year 2000, a second bicycle festival was planned: Fietsfeest 2000. André Guit and Marjolein de Lange have done the organisation, helped by many enthusiastic.

At Fietsfeest 2000 one could see almost everything that people do with bicycles:

- A test riding track ground where the latest models could be tried out.
- An information market for companies and organisations to show their bicycle specialities.
- Funny bikes offered pleasure to children, and grown ups alike.
- The painters group Bontefiets turned bicycles into pieces of art.
- Acrobatics and street dance on bicycles.
- Soccer on bikes.
- Glorious antique bicycles and the newest prototypes in an open-air bicycle museum.
- Races for folding bikes, for recumbents and for bike messengers.
- A mobility game.
- A bicycle ride along special and beautiful places in Amsterdam.
- Cinema on bicycles in the Dutch Film Museum.
- Many bicycle clubs.
- Information on bike holidays and travels all over the world.
- Foreign bicycle organisations.
- Transport services on transport bicycles.
- Unicycle lessons.
- Art about the bicycle by the artists of gallery Donkersloot.
- Difficulty track.
- A bicycle train.
- Guided tours on bicycle through Amsterdam city centre.
- Many special bikes like the Golden Bike, the Book Bike, the Dragon bicycle, the Diciclette, the Amsterdam Pole Bike, the Tree Bike, the Conference Bike, the Love Bike, the Roodrunner and more.
- Music and artists.
- Food and drinks.
- Reception of the Dutch Cyclists' Union celebrating its 25th anniversary.

To get many people informed about Fietsfeest 2000 there was a lot of publicity in advance: Maarten Hartog designed an attractive image for Fietsfeest 2000 that was used for posters, folders, freecards and the web site. Some 45 thousand folders, 4 thousand posters and 10 thousand freecards were spread by volunteers, at events, bicycle shops, libraries etc. There were messages for the press, and a photo shooting of some special bicycle to get media attention before the festival. A special edition of Parool newspaper was made on the festival. Marieke de Lange made a web site for Fietsfeest 2000, helped by Menno den Engelsen. Some 2400 people from all over the world visited the site. Fietsfeest 2000 was covered by nearly all newspapers and television nets in the Netherlands. Also a lot of international press visited the bicycle festival. The European Championship Football bringing them to Amsterdam where the very night of June 18th the match Spain-Slovenia was played.

Fietsfeest 2000 was accomplished in corporation of the foundation Fietsersbond Projektburo Amsterdam, the Dutch Cyclists' Union and the foundation Vélo Mondial 2000. Furthermore some 60 companies and organisations, and over a hundred volunteers contributed to the success of Fietsfeest 2000. Financially Fietsfeest 2000 was possible through contributions of the municipality of Amsterdam, sponsors, Vélo Mondial 2000 and the Dutch Cyclists' Union.

We thank everybody who contributed to the success of Fietsfeest 2000.

Amsterdam, October 2000
Marjolein de Lange
André Guit
Fietsfeest2000@pz.nl