Bicycle jousting and other silliness

Seen Tuesday evening outside Sully’s Snowgoose Saloon on Phinney Ridge:

Bicycle jousting. In this annual event, two people on bikes face off in the parking lane in front of the Goose, trading taunts and insults.

About 100 people lining the sidewalk and standing on the walls of the beer garden noisily egg them on. Balancing a plate of whipped cream in one hand, the riders slowly wobble toward each other, trying to smack the other rider in the face as they pass. KUOW did a piece on the 2006 event. As they say, much hilarity ensued. More photos below…

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Moisture Festival, a spring rite, celebrating 5 years

The Moisture Festival’s Comedy-Variete show is returning to Hale’s Palladium (also known as Hale’s keg warehouse) March 27-April 13. Get your tickets now, this thing sells out fast. If you haven’t been, it’s a vaudeville-esque romp of highly entertaining and sometimes bizarre performances. Each artist gets 3-15 minutes on the stage and is accompanied by a house band. Audience interaction is expected. For those of you wanting a more “mature” show, check out the burlesque shows April 3-6 at ACT – A Contemporary Theatre. The show reportedly moved there because Hale’s ownership didn’t like the risque nature of those performances.

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Ballard company finalist for best small business

Gracewinds Perinatal Services, which offers a community-focused set of parenting services ranging from pre-childbirth through six months, is one of seven finalists for U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year.

“We just found out this morning, so it’s pretty exciting,” CEO Chris Wallace told My Ballard. Two weeks ago they were awarded the chamber’s Blue Ribbon Small Business Award from which the seven finalists were selected. The winner of the Small Business of the Year award will be announced April 17 at a banquet in Washington, D.C.

The recognition is the latest in a string of awards for the small business. “Last year we won the Small Business Administration award for Women in Small Business,” Wallace said. “We’ve won five awards in the last two years,” including the Seattle Mayor’s Small Business Award and the Homestreet Bank Great Business, Great Neighbor Award in 2006.

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