A SUMMER Solstice bike ride from Limerick City to Lough Gur; a family cycle along the banks of the River Shannon and a host of free fun bike events are among the highlights of this year’s BeSPOKE Cycling Festival, taking place throughout Limerick from June 13 to 21.
The events begin this Saturday, June 13 with a BeSPOKE expo area on Bedford Row, where members of the public can receive a free bike health check while enjoying a wide range of on-street entertainment.
The festival’s flagship event, the BeSPOKE Riverside Family Cycle, takes place at 11am on Sunday, June 21 with a cycling tour of the city’s waterfront beginning and finishing at Howley’s Quay. This will be followed by a family fun day along the quayside with participants asked to come in fancy dress and to decorate their bikes.
Sunday June 21 also offers a unique opportunity to experience the Summer Solstice in the magical surrounds of Lough Gur with participants departing Limerick city at 5am.
Ahead of this, there will be bike repair workshops in Castletroy (June 12); Corbally (June 17) The Parkway Shopping Centre, Southill Area Centre and Richmond RFC (June 20) and a number of cycling inspired events across the city and county.
There will be lots of fun for schools throughout 15-19 June with a Golden Bike competition and a school travel exhibition.
Limerick Smarter Travel project manager, Pat O’Neill said that over the last few months they had rolled out the Limerick Public Bike Scheme and became the first Irish city to offer free access to secure bike lockers and bike stands while also making bike parking spaces available at multi-story car parks.
“We’re also in the process of developing, maintaining and promoting new and existing recreational infrastructure and we’re confident that the huge line up of events for the BeSPOKE festival will help to increase the number of cyclists on our roads which is key to establishing Limerick as a successful Smarter Travel Demonstration City”, he said.
Highlights of BeSPOKE 2015
Friday, 12 June
Bike Repair Day – Public Park, Castletroy 5pm-7.30pm
Saturday, 13 June
BeSPOKE expo – Bedford Row, 10am-5pm
Sunday, 14 June
Great Southern Trail Cycle – Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale 11am
20km cycle
Wednesday, 17 June
Bike Repair Evening- Shannon Fields, Corbally 5.30pm-7.30pm
Thursday, 18 June
Cycling Pursuit Challenge – Adare GAA field 11am
Saturday 20 June
Bike Repair Day and Tool Drive- Southill Area Centre 12-3pm
Sunday, 21 June
Summer Solstice Cycle 5am-8am, registration 4.45am Penney’s O’Connell Street
BeSPOKE Riverside Family Cycle –Howley’s Quay, 11am
Saturday, 28 June
Awareness Cycle and Rider Bike Repair – RAW Cycles, Delta Retail Park. Registration from 8am
For full details go to www.limericksmartertravel.ie
