“Year of the Bike” Gains Momentum with Eighth Annual Bike Month

This May, celebrate the eighth annual Bike Month in Tacoma and Pierce County, where over 20 bicycle-related activities and events are planned in the area for people of all ages and skill levels. This programming is presented by the City of Tacoma, in cooperation with numerous partners, and is designed to raise awareness of local bicycling resources. 

Bike Month is a national celebration,and in Tacoma some events are fast becoming traditions. Highlights include:

• Seventh Annual Bike Swap: Sat. May 2,from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at University of Puget Sound Memorial Fieldhouse (N.11th St. and Union Ave.)
• Bike Trivia Night: Thurs. May 7, at 6 p.m., at The Swiss (1904 S. Jefferson Ave. in Tacoma)
• CycloFemme Ride with Tacoma’s VeloFemmes: Sun. May 10, at noon, at Old Town Park (2312 N. 30th St. in Tacoma)
• Kidical Mass Ride: Sun. May 17, at 10:30 a.m., at People’s Park (900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Tacoma) 
• GoldSprints Cup: Mon. May 18, at 6 p.m.,at The Red Hot (2914 6th Ave. in Tacoma)
• Tweed Ride in conjunction with Historic Preservation Month: Sat. May 30, at 10:30 a.m., starting at the Pagoda at Point Defiance Park (5400 N. Pearl St. in Tacoma) 
• Anderson Island Ride: Sun. May 31, at 1:45 p.m., at Steilacoom Ferry Landing (56 Union Ave. in Steilacoom) 

New this year is the Bike Everywhere Challenge. Residents are invited to incorporate bicycling into their everyday transportation routines and to log their trips at piercetrips.com, where they will be entered to win a number of exciting prizes.  

“The purpose of Bike Month is to inspire cyclists of all types to pull out their bikes now that the weather is warmer and to remember the pleasures and efficiencies of riding,” said City of Tacoma Active Transportation Coordinator Diane Wiatr. “Most of our trips are quite short, and for those trips under two miles, bicycling is quick and easy, and you don’t have to drive around looking for a parking spot at our most interesting destinations.”

To learn about all of the City of Tacoma’s Bike Month programming and how you can celebrate the Year of the Bike,visit BIKE253.com or follow Tacoma Mobility at facebook.com/tacomamobility.