The 26th Annual Chicago Bike Week kicked off last Friday with a fun, soggy Bike to Work Rally, and there are still plenty of fun, free events on the schedule to celebrate the joy of cycling. Many Chicagoans may be unaware that Bike Week is no longer produced by the city of Chicago – the Active Transportation Alliance took over production last year, and this year Freeman Kevenides Law Firm (a Streetsblog Chicago advertiser) is also serving as the presenting sponsor.
One of the important components (get it?) of Bike Week is the Bike Commuter Challenge, in which local companies, agencies, and nonprofits compete against each other for the highest number of bike commuting employees in their division. Even if you only bike for part of your commute, such as to or from a train station, it still counts towards the Challenge.
Here are the remaining Bike Week events:
Thursday, June 22: The Chainlink's Ferris Bueller Scavenger Hunt Benefitting World Bicycle Relief, 5:30 p.m., Downtown Chicago. “The ride will have five stops around downtown and each checkpoint will have a Ferris Bueller's Day Off related task to complete. Teams of two will participate by completing the tasks at five stops around downtown (no speed contest, this will be focused on bike safety!). The event will end at a bar downtown for Chainlink Bar Night with a raffle for participants that finished with all five checkpoints completed.” World Bicycle Relief provides bikes to students, healthcare workers and entrepreneurs in rural Africa.
Friday, June 23: The Rock the Rooftop Party presented by World Bicycle Relief and SRAM; 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. on SRAM Rooftop located at 1000 W. Fulton Market. Features appetizers by Nando’s Peri-Peri and beers from Revolution Brewing. An RSVP is requested.
Saturday, June 24: Bicycle Commuting Basics; REI Lincoln Park, 1466 N. Halsted, 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. “Workshop will cover benefits of bike commuting, essential gear, safety & responsibility, dressing for success and how to get started.”
Thursday, June 29: A discussion of how to overhaul the Milwaukee Avenue corridor in Wicker Park and Bucktown to make it more pedestrian- bike-friendly, and raise how to raise support for bold changes to the street. Arc’teryx, 1620 N. Damen, 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
