From fundraisers to races to social events, there's something to ride for all summer long.
Open Streets Minneapolis & St. Paul: May 31-Sept. 20 • various locations • www.openstreetsmpls.com • www.stpaulÂopenstreets.org
The fun day fest where bicyclists and pedestrians take over the street is modeled after the CiclovÃa in Bogotá, Colombia. This year Open Streets hits north Minneapolis (May 31), Lyndale Av. S. (June 8), Central Av. NE. (July 27), E. Franklin Av. (Aug. 17), Nicollet Av. S. (Sept. 14) and Lowry Av. N. (Sept. 20). In addition, Open Streets St. Paul holds its first event this year on Sept. 15 on University Av. between Hamline Av. and Marion St.
Fourth of July Freedom From Pants Ride: 6 p.m. July 4 • Starts behind 616 2nd Av. SE., Mpls.
Exercise your right not to wear pants in this wild ride full of almost-but-not-quite-nude cyclists gallivanting around town in the heat of summer. Risqué? Sure, but it's a holiday, so what the heck else are you going to do? Make sure to wave at the bewildered spectators.
Red Ribbon Ride: July 17-20 • www.redribbonride.org
A four-day, nearly 300-mile experience with proceeds supporting eight Minnesota AIDS service organizations. There are overnight stops in Belle Plaine, Mankato and Waconia.
Tour de Fat: July 26 • Loring Park, Mpls. • www.newbelgium.com
Celebrate bikes, hear great music, enjoy fun games and activities, and taste some refreshing New Belgium beer, all while raising money for your favorite bicycle nonprofits. One lucky attendee will take the pledge to go car-free for a year.
Square Lake Festival; Aug. 9 • Stillwater • www.squarelakefestival.com
The annual music and film festival offers discount tickets for cyclists who agree in advance to bike from the Twin Cities — about 70 miles round trip. In past years, organizers have reached their goal of more than 50 percent of attendees biking to the fest, which offers an eclectic lineup of folk, rock, jazz and world music as well as a short-film festival.
Powderhorn 24: 7 p.m. Aug. 15 to 7 p.m. Aug. 16 • Powderhorn neighborhood, Mpls. • www.powderhorn24.com
Celebrate the Powderhorn neighborhood with this 24-hour race made up of five-mile laps around the community for yes, 24 hours. Get your friends together for a relay team, or hey, ride it solo.
Babes in Bikeland: Sept. 13 • Mpls. • www. babesinbikeland.com
Join this fun alley cat race/scavenger hunt, geared toward women and transgender cyclists, for a chance to win prizes and meet new people.
Sheila Regan
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