San Rafael's Pickleweed Park MCBC Hosts Third Annual Bike Fest in Pickleweed Park

Posted on October 3, 2024

On Sunday, September 15th, MCBC hosted its 3rd Annual Bike Fest at Pickleweed Park in the Canal Neighborhood of San Rafael. The event, a collaborative effort between MCBC, Cory’s Ride, the Bike Mobile, and Bad Business Model Bikes (BBMB), brought together the community to celebrate and promote cycling in this vibrant neighborhood.

Bike Fest aims to encourage cycling as a fun, healthy, and sustainable mode of transportation, especially among youth. This year, the event was a tremendous success, with over 40 children’s bicycles donated, 50 brand-new helmets distributed, and more than 60 bicycles repaired on-site. Families and children benefited from this community effort, with repairs and bike giveaways ensuring everyone could experience the joy of cycling.

“It was so rewarding to repair bikes for people in my community,” said Nayed Garcia, a former Cory’s Ride student and now a junior at SF State majoring in Mechanical Engineering. “Seeing people smile as they rode off on their newly repaired bikes was a great feeling. I’m already looking forward to being a mechanic again next year.”

The event’s success was driven in part by the involvement of Cory’s Ride students, many of whom live in the neighborhood. Their participation not only helped promote the event but also made it run smoothly, with students assisting in everything from bike repairs to distributing helmets and bikes. “Cory’s Ride is truly inspirational,” said Mercedes Garcia, a Cory’s Ride intern and senior at Novato High School. “Seeing the joy on kids’ faces as they ride their first-ever bikes makes me smile.”

What made this year’s Bike Fest special was the strong sense of ownership and pride within the community, highlighted by the students’ involvement. Their contributions played a key role in the event’s operations and fostering a love of cycling throughout the neighborhood.

The success of this year’s Bike Fest has sparked plans to expand the event to Novato in the spring. Stay tuned for more updates as MCBC and its partners continue to work towards making cycling accessible and fun for everyone.