Central Washington University announced on Apr. 27 that it will join the City of Ellensburg and over a dozen community organizations to celebrate National Bike Month throughout May.
The event encourages residents to ride their bikes to work, school, or places of worship during the month. A public celebration is scheduled at Unity Park on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., where attendees can participate in various activities and collect raffle prizes.
Community members are invited to enter a photo contest by posting bike ride photos on Facebook or Instagram using #EllensburgBikeMonth and tagging the City of Ellensburg. The contest is open to Kittitas County residents aged 18 or older with public social media profiles. Detailed rules are available online.
A month-long bike ride raffle will also take place from May 1-29. Participants can earn up to ten raffle tickets by joining rides listed in the Adventure Lab app, which requires setting up an individual account. Raffle tickets can be picked up at Unity Park during the May 30 event or at the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce Information Center throughout May. Prizes include a Catrike Recumbent Trike, car rack, gift cards for The Recycle Shop, local mural-themed merchandise from the Ellensburg Downtown Association, and free admission passes for Kittitas Valley Memorial Pool.
The celebration at Unity Park will feature giveaways such as youth helmets with fitting services, bike bells and lights, safety resources, trail information, and free reconditioned bikes provided by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). Attendees may also recycle old bike tubes or donate spare parts. Children are invited to join a youth Bike Rodeo focused on developing safe riding skills.
Alongside CWU and city officials, supporters include Kittitas Valley Healthcare; Kittitas County Public Health Department; Ellensburg School District; APOYO; League of Women Voters of Kittitas County; The Recycle Shop; Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance; Central Washington Disability Resources; Central Transit; Washington State Parks; several Rotary Clubs; Environmental Commission; Ministerial Association and others.