Ride out the Portland summer with Pedalpalooza
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Portland's summer-long bike extravaganza Pedalpalooza launches Thursday, with free, creative themed rides open to everyone.
Why it matters: It came to town as a traveling one-off festival more than two decades ago, and a collection of passionate Portlanders made it into three months of celebration and community.
Plus, you might see a lot more groups of bikers on the streets and wonder what's up.
The big picture: Every day, June 1 through Aug. 31, there is at least one Pedalpalooza ride on the calendar — more often there are several.
- "Last year, we had over 800 different bicycle rides, led by over 600 different people," Meghan Sinnott, one of the event's two lead organizers, tells Axios.
- All are volunteer-led and done just for fun.
How it works: The vast majority of events are family-friendly — which Sinnott loosely defined as "not ending in a bar, going at a relatively comfortable pace for most small legs, and not riding straight down" busy streets.
- Check out the calendar to find rides that sound fun to you.
- Then show up and join in.
Details: Here are a few rides catching our eyes.
🍩 Thursday: Breakfast on the Bridges kicks off Pedalpalooza with coffee and donuts at the base of the aerial tram on the south waterfront. Just show up on a bike. 7am–9am.
🔔 Also Thursday: You can ride a circle around Ladd's Addition first, then head over to breakfast with folks doing the Good Morning Ding Ding. Do one lap and ring your bike bell. 7:45am, Ladd's Circle.
🧶 June 10: Knit in Public Day ride. A short cycle between two fiber fan spots. 10am at the Starlight Knitting Society.
👠 On every first, third and fifth Monday, there is a fancy dress ride. Wear the fanciest thing you can cycle in. 6pm, Oregon Park, ending in different parks for a picnic.
What they're saying: New ride leader Josué Aguirre, who created the Fiesta on Bikes with his friend Jax Villalobos, says, "Everyone makes it sound like it's a good time and very easy and a good way to show community and build community. So we're just kind of jumping in to lead a ride."
- For the Fiesta on July 21, meet at Col. Summers Park at 6:15pm and expect a 10- to 15-mile ride, with Spanish music by DJ Carlos coming along. Piñata and tamales for sale at the end.
Pro tip: Try your best to see Bike Play — the new-every-year, cycle-themed, typically hilarious, slightly guerrilla show created by a dedicated gang of volunteers and performed in public spaces. Actors and audience members bike between scene locations.
- After last year's post-apocalyptic "Pacific Northwasteland" show, this year it's "Jurassic Bike" — in which dino DNA crossed with cyclists to create, of course, Bikeosaurs.
- Four shows, July 13 through 16. Show time: 7pm. Act One starts at Abernathy Elementary School in SE Portland.
- "Costumes are encouraged" for the audience too, organizer Noelle Eaton tells Axios. "Especially spandex and onesies."