Bicycle Night
Award-winning virtual immersive event for MAPS
An award-winning virtual event created to commemorate Albert Hofmann's discovery of LSD, developed in collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). On April 19, 2020 — Bicycle Day — over 12,000 participants joined a horizontally scrolling digital journey, "riding" a virtual bicycle through 40+ artist-generated live experiences. The project went from concept to completion in just 9 days.
Participants made optional donations and used the website as a guide to join experiences at three interaction levels while accessing peer support resources. Nearly 100 creators contributed, including renowned artists like Alex and Allyson Grey, Duncan Trussell, and the Fungineers, alongside speakers such as Rick Doblin PhD, Dr. Julie Holland, and Amanda Sage. All funds benefited MAPS and COVID-19 mutual aid networks.
Highlights
- Won a Silver Medal at the MUSE Design Awards for virtual event design
- Drew 12,000 public livestream participants and 3,000 for the private immersive experience
- Built in just 9 days — concept to launch — during the first wave of COVID-19
- Featured 40+ unique virtual experiences from nearly 100 creators worldwide
- All donation-based proceeds supported MAPS's psychedelic research mission and COVID relief
Key Contributions
- Designed the immersive web portal and event infrastructure for the virtual experience
- Orchestrated a horizontally scrolling interface allowing participants to "ride" through live art rooms, workshops, and livestreams
- Coordinated creative contributions from nearly 100 artists, musicians, and speakers
- Built mobile companion experience alongside the desktop portal
Acknowledgements
Kyle Gordon (Illustrator), Scarlett Masius (Project Lead, Partnership), Erica Blair (Strategist), Brooke Daily (Coordinator), Sam O'Keeffe (Developer).
