Wheel & Ride Safety Festival This Weekend in the River District

The Owen Sound River District, Kiwanis Club of Owen Sound, Optimist Club of Sydenham & District, Owen Sound & District Junior Optimists, Scenic Cycle, and Owen Sound Police Services are proud to present the Wheel & Ride Safety Festival and Bike Program on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

Honoured with the 2024 Festivals and Events Ontario Innovation Award and the 2025 OBIAA Special Events Award of Excellence, this event offers a morning of free, family-friendly activities focused on bike road safety and fun.

Enjoy learning about road safety, a helmet fitting clinic, an obstacle course, and spring tune-ups. Kids can meet local safety heroes, explore emergency vehicles, and enjoy a charity BBQ that starts at 11 a.m. This year children can enjoy pedal carts donated by Bayshore Country Feeds. This allows children who didn’t bring a bike to take part in the obstacle course and receive their Wheel & Ride Road Warrior ribbon. 

The Wheel & Ride Bike Program has distributed over 200 refurbished bikes back into the community to those who may otherwise go without. Bike distribution begins at 10 a.m. Quantities and sizes are limited. A numbering system will be in place to ensure orderly distribution. Bikes will be accepted by donation at the event to be used in future years. 

All non-motorized forms of transportation are welcome and encouraged to participate.

8th Street East from 2nd Avenue East to 3rd Avenue East will be closed to vehicular traffic starting at 8 a.m. Motorists should consider alternate routes. The road will reopen at approximately 2 p.m. Businesses will remain accessible to pedestrians during regular business hours. 

Don’t miss this celebration of community, safety, and active living in the River District!

For more information, please contact Viveca Gravel, River District Coordinator at 519-376-4440 ext. 1209 or email vgravel@owensound.ca.  

Quick Facts:

• The Wheel & Ride event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Follow the event on Facebook HERE to get regular updates
• The 2026 Wheel & Ride Safety Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2026
• The Wheel & Ride group has distributed over 200 bikes to date

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