This new Gig Harbor-area festival will have a bike swap, demos and an obstacle course
A free public festival will bring a day of biking skills to Sehmel Homestead Park this month.
The first ever Bike Bash put on by Neighborhood Expert Real Estate will be for all ages 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, Saturday, May 21 at 10123 78th Avenue NW.
“We will have lots of opportunities for kids and adults to try out bikes and learn skills on bikes,” Matthew Kerns, Recreation Services Manager at the Peninsula Metropolitan Park District, told The Gateway.
The first time Gig Harbor-area event was created by locals.
“Like biking, the Bike Bash has something for everyone — activities for kids and families and riders of all experience levels and abilities,” one of the event organizers, Marlene Druker, said in a press release about the event.
Helmets will be required. Participants can attend a variety of workshops and bike safety education classes.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bicycles and helmets to the event. But for those without, bicycles will be available to borrow.
A Pop-up Traffic Garden will imitate a road environment with things like stop signs and railroad crossings to teach new riders the rules of the road.
A Bike Rodeo will be more of an obstacle course for older kids and adults. Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance will be on one of the baseball fields allowing people to go over ramps and other obstacles.
The event will also have adaptive bicycles designed for people who have cognitive or physical disabilities, according to Kerns.
“The nonprofit, Outdoors for All, is bringing a trailer full of adaptive bicycles such as hand bikes ... . Anyone is allowed to try these out,” Kerns said.
Visitors will want to get there early because they will be giving away free bike helmets, primarily for kids. Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One staff will be there to make sure helmets fit properly.
The food trucks at the event include: The Gig Harbor Kiwanis Club with hot dog meals, Starvin Marvin Pizza, and Caroline Grill with BBQ and southern sides.
Various bike vendors will be at the event selling bicycles for what the event calls a bike swap. Bike swaps consist of vendors selling or trading complete bikes, bike parts, or other bike-related items.
An event like this has never been done in the Gig Harbor area, but according to Kerns: “We have seen the city of Kent do something similar to this and called it a bike rodeo, but the Bike Bash in Gig Harbor will be a larger festival than what we’ve seen in other areas.”
Other notes from the press release:
A shuttle to the event will run from Gig Harbor High School at 5101 Rosedale St. NW throughout the day, starting at 9:30 a.m. There will be limited parking at Sehmel Homestead Park.
Visit penmetparks.org for more information about the event, including how to volunteer.
