Portland's Bike Summer festival kicks off this weekend
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Photo: Courtesy of Bike Portland
Portland's summer-long bike festival kicks off this weekend with fun, themed rides open to everyone.
Why it matters: This is Portland at its peak. Bike Summer embraces everything we love about this city — from the wacky and weird to community-led events meant to acknowledge important civic issues and connect riders with neighbors.
- Plus: If you see a lot more groups of bikers on the streets, you'll know what's up.
The big picture: Every day, Saturday through Aug. 31, there is at least one ride on the calendar — though usually there are several options.
- There are currently over 600 rides on the schedule, and new rides are added daily.
- All are volunteer-led and done just for fun.
Flashback: The biking extravaganza came to town as a traveling one-off festival in 2002.
- Inspired by its success, a collection of passionate Portlanders created Pedalpalooza as a three-month, people-powered celebration where anyone can create or lead a ride.
- Earlier this year, the organizers dropped the Pedalpalooza nickname and reverted to the original Bike Summer moniker.
How it works: Many events are family-friendly, meaning short, at a comfortable pace and not riding down busy streets during rush hour.
- While most are relatively G-rated, there are several naked rides and others that end late in bars.
- Check out the calendar to find rides that sound fun to you. Then show up and join in.
Zoom in: Here are a few rides that caught our eye.
☕️ Saturday: Early risers will kick off Bike Summer fully caffeinated at the Sunrise Coffee ride at Mount Tabor.
🔧 Also Saturday: Need a new chain? The Bike Parts Yard Sale in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood ensures everyone starts the summer off on the right (properly inflated) tire.
😸 June 19: Bring your cat or dress like one. 6:30pm at Colonel Summers Park.
💀 June 20: It's always Halloween in Rose City. On this ride, skeleton enthusiasts set off on a scavenger hunt to try and spot skull decor across NE Portland. 6:30pm at Tacovore.
🦅 June 23: Grab your binoculars and join fellow birders along the Springwater Corridor in search of feathered friends. 10am at Errol Heights Park.
🌊 July 3: Meet and hear from local city council candidates, then ride to Duckworth Dock to splash in the Willamette River with them. Four feeder rides will start at 3:30pm in parks in each of the new voting districts.
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.
- This year's show centers on a lifelong cyclist's quest to find their lost bike, fighting inner (and outer) demons along the way.
- There are seven shows — July 11-14 and 18-20 — starting at Wilshire Park, 6:30pm.