Bike Santa Cruz County Hosts Community Ride and Bike Light Giveaway on Friday, March 11, 2016

Bike Santa Cruz County is hosting Light Up the Night, a community bike ride and bike light giveaway, on Friday, March 11th from 5-9 p.m. at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, 705 Front Street in Santa Cruz.

The goal of the ride is to encourage safe cycling at night, build community, and distribute bike lights to those who need them. Pre-ride activities will take place at the Museum from 5-7 p.m., including bike and helmet decorating, bike light giveaway, and live music by Cayuga Station. The ride departs at 7 p.m. and will follow a mostly car-free route along the San Lorenzo Riverwalk.

The event is free and open to people of all ages and skill levels. Prizes will be awarded for the brightest bike, brightest rider, and most creative costume. Free bike lights will be provided to the first 30 participants, as well as an additional 20 lights for youth riders, thanks to a generous donation from Bell Sports.

Bike Santa Cruz County is a nonprofit organization that promotes bicycling through advocacy, education and community building. This will be the third annual Light Up the Night Ride, with over 200 attendees in 2015. “Our goal with Light Up the Night is to get bike lights to those who need them, and to remind everyone that being bright and well-lit while biking at night is essential—and that you can have fun doing it,” says Amelia Conlen, Executive Director of Bike Santa Cruz County.