The year is 1985.
Cyclists pedal competitively along a beautiful countryside. Each pushing themselves a little further than the next. When all of a sudden, a grown man with perfectly shellacked dark hair, a spiffy red bowtie and a neatly fitted gray suit puts the pedal to the metal on his custom 1953 Schwinn DX Cruiser to push ahead and take the lead!
The movie is Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and the infamous bike from this film, the “Red Rocket”, is currently on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum in the exhibit Cycle Thu! The Art of the Bike.
Soak up this last little bit of summer and make the most of family time before back-to-school chaos takes over. Plan a family movie adventure day!
STEP1: WATCH PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE
While this cult classic film may be the bane of Alamo employee’s existence, it is a pretty silly watch for families to enjoy together. Pop the popcorn and get ready for some giggles and befuddled kiddos asking: “what are we even watching?!”. If you want to be super themed, grab some Howe Root Beer Barrels from Kroger—Pee-wee loves them!
Rated PG
- Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is available at Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (check availability here) and at Campbell County Public Library (check availability here).
- It is also available for streaming on Amazon Video and Apple TV.
- If you love the film, you can buy it on Amazon.
STEP 2: SEE THE “RED ROCKET” IN REAL LIFE
Yes, you read that right. One of the actual prop bikes from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is in the ‘Nati! But not for too much longer. Cycle Thru! The Art of the Bike runs through Sunday, August 24th at the Cincinnati Art Museum.
Adults: free for members//$12 in-person//$10 online
Seniors, college students and children 6-17: free for members, $8 in-person, $6 online
Children 5 years and younger: free
While this family movie-themed adventure will put the spotlight on the bike from the Pee-wee movie, the exhibit is so much more than that!
AND by purchasing a ticket to this exhibit, families will also gain access to the exhibit Farm to Table: Food and Identity in the Age of Impressionism!
Working within a budget? No problem. Cincinnati Art Museum offers free admission to tickets exhibitions every Thursday evening from 5-8 p.m.!
STEP 3: MAKE PEE-WEE PROUD AND GO ON A BIKE RIDE
Bring your own bikes, or rent some from Loveland Bike Rental and hit up the Loveland Bike Trail.
STEP 4: CREATE A RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE
While serving breakfast may be a bit of an ambitious task… creating a fun contraption with simple machines is educational and down-right FUN! Use dominoes, matchbox cars and more to complete a task. There are tons of tutorials online and truly the sky is the limit with what you can do- roll a ball, pop a balloon, tilt a watering can (maybe a cereal box). Search “how to make a simple Rube Goldberg machine with kids”, do a little research with the kids and get going.
Go the extra-mile in making memories with the family this summer… and do it in style—on a bike! Enjoy a movie, go to the Art Museum, take a bike ride and flex your brain muscles by making a Rube Goldberg machine together. Just be careful not to knock over any biker gang’s hogs in the process!
