Sydney Rides Festival
There's loads to do at Sydney Rides Festival... Time-poor? Here are our picks.
Whether you ride your bike a little, a lot, or even not at all, there will be something for you at this year’s Sydney Rides Festival, running from 11 – 25 Oct. With people from all walks of the city being brought together to celebrate the bicycle, The Music picks out ten events that’ll really get your wheels spinning.
Hugely successful last year, Cycle-O-Rama will return with an exhibition of vintage and modern bicycles, paintings, drawings and historic photography, as well as a swap meet and market, and a launch party featuring DJs Mia Paris and Veren Grigorov. See website for times and prices.
Protohub, 10 – 19 Oct
Sydney Rides The City is a bona fide bike bonanza! The harbour provides a picturesque setting for exciting BMX stunt displays, lessons, face painting, live music, gourmet food, jumping castles and a range of other fun family activities.
Pirrama Park, 19 Oct, 8am – 1pm
Sydney Rides The Night brings everyone together with a nighttime ride and beautiful festival-closing celebration. Gourmet food trucks will greet you after you finish a leisurely roll through a 2.5km illuminated course, with participants then invited to enjoy the silent disco and DJs that’ll be playing into the evening.
The Domain, 25 Oct, 6pm – 12am
Artist-run cycling initiative ARTcycle will put on Cognoscenti, an art show showcasing examples of photography, sketching, painting, video and design that explore the sensory, emotional and intellectual stimulations that come from bike-riding. See website for times.
Home@735 Gallery, 9 – 16 Oct
The aptly named E-Bike Fest will be a fun-filled day of electric bike activities. There’ll be opportunities to try an e-bike, win prizes and take part in the bicycle rally finale, or you can just pack a hamper and participate in the e-bike and cargo bike picnic at midday.
Sydney Park Cycling Centre, 12 Oct, 10am – 3pm
The Chain Lynx Workshop provides a safe space for women and trans* people to come together to work on their bike and learn new skills, therefore gaining confidence and knowledge about maintaining their bikes – in an environment that’s supportive and inclusive.
Sydney Park Cycling Centre, 14 Oct, 6pm - 9pm
An incredible exhibition of bike-inspired art, Freedom (if you want it), will be held at Newtown Library throughout the festival. A series of bike- and Sydney-inspired paintings, Surry Hills artist Guy James Whitworth uses his creativity to promote tolerance between different communities.
Newtown Library, 1 Oct – 26 Nov
Whizz through different parts of the city in this fun little cycling challenge, enjoying the nooks, crannies and larger spaces of Sydney’s evolving cityscape as you go. Grab a partner and find checkpoints against the clock for a morning of invigorating fun. Note to social media lovers: you ‘check in’ with bike selfies!
City, 12 Oct, 10am – 1pm
The Netherlands has more bicycles than citizens, with the total length of cycle lanes more than the entire distance between Amsterdam and Sydney. Learn about how Sydney can take a leaf from the Dutch’s book in this fascinating free event.
Customs House, 13 Oct, 12 – 2pm
sydney rides festival
runs from 11 — 25 oct
Sydney’s largest recreational cycling event. Choose from three different routes: Sydney Rides The City (15km through the city), Polygon Classic Ride (55km through inner west suburbs) or Challenge Ride (100km, in which after completing the Classic Ride contestants keep repeating a 4km loop of the Sydney Olympic Park circuit).
19 Oct, 6.30am – 2pm
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