Guelph, Ont., May 31, 2024 – This June, the City of Guelph will celebrate its 7th annual Bike Month. Each year, we look forward to planning community events to celebrate Bike Month, and to give people an opportunity to learn to bike, practice new skills, or connect with other members of the cycling community. From road biking, mountain biking to BMX, leisure cycling to commuting, we want to encourage cycling in our city!
Get involved
This Bike Month, we hope there’s a little something for everyone! Be sure to join us for the Kick-Off event to jump-start our celebrations, and for other events throughout the month – whether you’re new to cycling or an experienced rider, you’ll find something that moves you.
June 1: Bike Month Kick-Off at York Road Park from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
This will be our biggest and best Bike Month Kick-Off yet! Highlights include an address from Mayor Guthrie at 11:15 a.m. and a four-kilometre bike ride along the river at 1:30 p.m. We’ll also have glitter tattoo artists, live music, food and treat trucks, the Water Wagon, community booths and bike shops, a bike rodeo for new riders and more.
June 6: Pride Ride at York Road Park from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Join us in celebrating the intersection of Pride Month and Bike Month on an inclusive, all-ages group ride! Don’t forget to dress up yourself and your bike to add some extra sparkle to the festivities. This event is led by Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation, supported by the City of Guelph.
June 7-9: Multicultural Festival at Riverside Park
Come and join us in celebrating the 38th annual Guelph and District Multicultural Festival (GDMF). The Multicultural Festival celebrates our community’s roots and embraces new cultures, featuring lively music, dance performances, cuisine, and crafts from around the world. You will find the City of Guelph in the Community Networking Area, talking about road safety, sustainable transportation, and our parks and trails. This event is led by GDMF.
June 12: Community Cycle at Royal City Park from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Have you wanted to explore your neighbourhood by bike, but haven’t felt confident enough to do so by yourself? Join City of Guelph staff as we lead a bike ride from Royal City Park! We’ll follow a route along the river, experiencing some of our cycling infrastructure as we go. We’ll stop and chat about the beauty of our trails, and we’ll show you how to get around the city by bike.
June 14: ReCycle Bike Reuse at Victoria Road Recreation Centre from 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
In May, the City piloted a curbside bike collection program, and staff successfully collected approximately 30 bicycles from 25 different households in the city, which has doubled the number of bikes that will be redistributed to those in our community who need it most. We are partnering with Guelph Tool Library’s FreeHub so we can repair the bikes back to safe operation and to ensure they are road-ready for users.
June 15: Love Your Bike at St. Andrew’s Church, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Join us for Love Your Bike, where there will be coffee and snacks, free bike checks, and a wrench off with local leaders. Participate in a GORBA ride to Guelph Lake, or the Easy Rider around Exhibition Park, followed by a Guelph Public Library story time. It will end at the Wooly for a BBQ. This event is led by Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation, supported by the City of Guelph.
June 19: The Engine Inside Film Screening at the Bookshelf, from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
What better way to celebrate Bike Month than with an inspiring story of six individuals from diverse backgrounds who have devoted themselves to a simple, age-old machine – the bicycle. Through their struggles and challenges, witness how bicycles have the potential to transform lives and contribute to a better world. Local cycling organizations will be in attendance sharing information about their work before the film. They will also be available for networking afterwards in the Greenroom.
June 20: Community Cycle at Pine Ridge Park from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Have you wanted to explore your neighbourhood by bike, but haven’t felt confident enough to do so by yourself? Join City of Guelph staff on a bike ride from Pine Ridge Park, and down along the river, experiencing some of our cycling infrastructure as we go. We’ll stop and chat about the beauty of our trails, and we’ll show you how to get around the city by bike.
June 23: Tour de Guelph at University of Guelph from 6:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Tour de Guelph is a family-oriented community fundraising cycling event supporting Guelph General Hospital and many other charitable organizations through the Rotary Clubs of Guelph South and Guelph Trillium. This event is led by The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital, supported by the City of Guelph.
June 26: Girls, Gays & Theys Ride at York Road Park from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Join us in celebrating Bike Month by participating in GCAT’s monthly Girls, Gays & Theys ride. Whether you’re a girl, gay, grey, they, BIPOC, an ally, or unlabeled, you’re welcome in this safe space! This event is led by Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation.
June 29: Celebrate BMX, Scooters, and Skateboarding at the Silvercreek Skatepark from 11a.m.-1 p.m.
Join us for a pop-up event at the Silvercreek Skate Park. We’ll be chatting with folks about all types of active transportation, and how skateboarding, scooters, and BMX can be used as a form of micromobility. We will also have activities and giveaways for young people.
Share your Bike Month snaps for the photo contest
For the month of June, hop on your bike, go for a ride, and send a photo to [email protected]. Every ride is a chance to win a prize. Full contest details and prize information are available at Guelph.ca/bikemonth.
Why cycle in Guelph?
As part of the City’s Strategic Plan, we want to make it easier to get around. One of the City’s targets is to increase the number of trips made daily by active transportation. We plan to achieve this by encouraging cycling through our community engagement and education initiatives. Also, by building a transportation network that works for everyone in our community. We also empower the community to help create a sustainable city by encouraging more people to cycle, walk, or use other forms of sustainable transportation. This helps make a measurable impact on the City’s GHG emissions and contributes to our Race to Zero target.
For more information
Jennifer Juste (she/her)
Manager, Transportation Planning
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2791