The 7th Cork Cycling Festival hits town for 9 full days, from the 19th to the 27th of July. a fun programme of free bicycle-themed events will roll out across the city, all aimed at getting more people onto two wheels. This year’s festival takes on the theme ‘Shrink the City’ – in celebration of the many new bicycle lanes in town, helping to make cycling around the city more accessible, quicker, safer and fun.
The festival kicks off on Saturday 19th July with the opening of the Get Your Bearings Arts Exhibit, a special Bicycle Repair Workshop and Bling Your Bike session - learn to make basic repairs and pimp your bike in preparation for the week of fun. Throughout the week the festival will help both novice and experienced cyclists ride safer – to improve skills and boost confidence be sure to register for the Cycle Safety Training on Sunday 20th July. The new bicycle lanes come in for special attention on two rides: To Town on My Bike on 20th July which follows a popular commuter route from Douglas to Cork City; and A Lane of Our Own on 25th July which takes cyclists on a leisurely spin exploring the new city centre cycle lanes.
A series of cultural and educational cycles will, including Tom Spalding’s Cork Past and Present Tour on July 21st, a Guided Tour of World War I Cork on 27th July, and a trip through the markets and gardens of Cork’s Homegrown and Handmade exports on 23rd July. The Cycle Cinema returns on July 22nd with historic and contemporary bicycle films, and for a trip full of 'rothair agus spraoi' join the Rothspraíocht as Gaeilge on 23rd July. And don’t forget to dress in style for the infamous Vintage Velo Run on July 26th!
One of this year’s festival highlights includes the Ride the Skies event in collaboration with CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory. Taking place on Friday 25th July, you are invited to join cyclists and astronomers on a bike ride along the Marina under the evening skies. Stop to view Saturn and Mars along the way, before returning to the Castle for a guided gaze at the stars with the Cork Astronomy Club and BCO Labs.
Cork Cycling Festival also offers a variety of longer touring trips. Get a taste of the sea with a tour to the National Maritime College of Ireland on 21st July; the Crosshaven Touring Cycle on 24th July, or explore Cobh by bike on 25th July. Cyclists can also visit a secret waterfall in the Lee Valley on 23rd July or a spin out to Blarney Castle on 22nd July. Those interested in getting a taste of the sporty side of cycling can also join the Cork County Cycling Club for a 30k-50k leisure spin on 19th July.
