Events

Spend the afternoon at a Pop-up Park on Solano Avenue!
Tables & umbrellas will be set in two parking stalls adjacent to Gordo’s and Domino’s for a day of community, music and relaxation. Grab a burrito, tacos, pizza, ice cream or anything from local businesses as we transform two boring parking spaces into an inviting  parklet.

The intrepid installation team for Albany Strollers & Rollers’ new public bike pump at the corner of Solano & Santa Fe.
The City of Albany’s Mark Matherly, AS&R’s Amy Smolens & Dan Lieberman and Dan’s son Sander

Afterwards, roll up the hill to pump up your tires at Albany Strollers& Rollers’ brand new public bike pump before heading to the final Bike About Town ride!

Join the fun!
Photo courtesy Amy Smolens

Grab your bikes and invite your friends & family – it’s time for the annual Bike About Town rides!
Join the City of Albany’s Department of Recreation and a bunch of your fellow Rollers as we explore Albany by bike on Spring, Summer and Autumn evenings. Each of the events will trace different routes that pass through parts of Albany you may not have biked before. All levels of cyclists are encouraged to join.

The Albany Peloton rolls down Peralta Avenue for another fun Bike About Town
Photo courtesy Amy Smolens

The ride begins at 6:30 at Bikes on Solano at Solano and Peralta in Albany.
Come a few minutes early to pump up your tires. Ride maps are distributed, and we take off in a big group. There are experienced cyclists to lead and bring up the rear. After wheeling about for a half hour or forty-five minutes we return to Peralta Park, just across the street from our start, for light refreshments, a raffle, and general carousing.
Dates this year are Fridays May 15,  June 19, July 17, August 21 and September 18.

Bring yourself, your friends and your family to Bikes on Solano for the Bike About Town rides!

Come join the fun!
courtesy: Peggy McQuaid

Want to test your cycling, running and swimming skills in a low-key setting, while helping AHS sports teams in the process?

Come on down to Memorial Park for on September 27th for the Albany Community Triathlon!
The Albany Community Triathlon emphasizes fitness and fun with a 400m swim, 10k cycle and 3k run.
Registration is available at www.albanytri.com.
Registrants will get a t-shirt and other swag while supplies last!
All proceeds will go to the Albany High School Athletic Department to benefit all teams.  In addition to the fund raising, this event focuses on fitness and fun.  If you have always wanted to participate in a triathlon, but felt intimidated at the prospect, this is the one for you.
I took part in the RELAY last year – I  did the cycling portion, and found friends for the swim and the run! It was fun rooting for my teammate during the swim, riding my bike, then rooting for my other teammate while she ran!
Again for 2015 – YOUTH AND STUDENT DISCOUNTS!
There is still a FAMILY & FRIENDS HEAT!
Parents, kids, spouses: When you register, you can indicate your desire to be in the same wave as one or more family members or friends. Then you can compete together & keep an eye on each other during the race (but not assist each other, per triathlon rules).
POST-RACE FESTIVITIES – Stick around after the race to recover with some healthy food, finisher awards, raffle prizes, massages, and schmoozing with fellow participants, volunteers, sponsors, and race organizers.

Feel great when you cross that Finish Line!
photo credit Amy Smolens

Thank you to the Albany Community Triathlon for purchasing 2 brand new racks for Albany Strollers & Rollers’ use all year when we provide Bicycle Valet Parking! AS&R is excited to again be sponsoring the Albany Tri – supplying bike racks for the transition area and swag for the goodie bags. Other sponsors include the Albany Community Foundation, Albany Lions Club,  Blue Heron Bikes, REI, Albany Ford- Subaru and TranSports.
So come on down and participate in the fun!
For more information about the Albany Triathlon and to register, please see the web site, www.albanytri.com.  This is a great community event and really fun to watch even if you don’t want to participate!
Come on down, have fun and support Albany High School sports!!

If you’ve read about Ciclovías and Open Streets events all over the world, here’s one right in your backyard.
On Sunday, October 18th from 11am-4pm, Shattuck Avenue between Rose and Haste will be closed to motor vehicles so you can bike, skate, wheelchair, scooter and walk to your heart’s content!
There will be plenty of activities for your and your family to enjoy, or just wander along the street with no worries about cars, grab a bite at an outdoor table and hang out!
For more information, go to www.sundaystreetsberkeley.org .
Hope to see you there!

Join Bike East Bay’s certified instructors for a day of fun games, safety drills, skills building, and a neighborhood ride. This workshop is for kids who are able to ride a bike and ready to take to the paths and roadways with their parents (suggested grade range 2nd-6th).
The event includes instruction on fitting a helmet, performing a bike safety check, communicating with other road users, riding in a straight line and avoiding obstacles,  as well as navigating safely through intersections, all while playing fun games!
We will also be bringing our bike teeter-totters, making bike-powered fruit smoothies, and ending the class with a group ride around the neighborhood together!  All minors must be accompanied by an adult to participate, both with their own working bikes and helmets. Each child will receive a free reflective vest.
The event is FREE but you must pre-register so for more information and to register please go to http://bikeeastbay.org/FCW
Hope to see you there!!

We’re seeking 1-2 people to help out at the family cycling workshop.
12:30-1:15 to help with set up and checking in of participants, while instructors get a feel for the participants and check bikes out mechanically.
3:00-3:45 for cleaning up and helping to make smoothies.
Contact Britt at bthesen@gmail.com if you can help out!

Join our neighbors to the north for the 4th Annual “Slow Roll Richmond Solstice RIDE!”

Come on out,  decorate your bike with lights and good cheer for the 4th Annual Solstice Ride. Hopefully El Niño won’t join us for this ride but will come through on the next day… which would be the best day. Dress warmly… and did we mention to bring some lights?
No BIKE! No problem – with many thanks to our Commuter Cyclist program for the 1st time ever Rich City-Rides has bikes to lend for the magical ride. We’ll announce an RSVP for lender bikes as soon as we can, in the mean time let us know here if you need one here.
End of the road celebration location is coming…

If you want to ride together up to Richmond leave a note and/or idea in “comments” here!

Come on out with your kids!

Get GEARED UP! Helmets, Bikes, Bells!
Meet up at the playground in San Pablo Park. We’ll be riding through some Berkeley neighborhoods and stopping at Strawberry Creek park for a snack/play break. Feel free to bring snacks to share.
Helmets required for kids.
Ashby is the nearest BART station.

Want to ride or “BART & ride” from Albany? Put a note here in “comments” and get something going!

It’s time for the Albany Arts & Green Festival again!

AS&R’s booth is always busy! Can you volunteer a few hours with us?
Photo courtesy Angela Armendariz

Come out to Memorial Park for green lifestyle booths, art booths, local performers, food trucks, music and more! This family friendly event will include lots of activities for kids.

Our Bicycle Valet Parking service, this year sponsored by service organization Berkeley Lions Club, is always popular – we could sure use your help parking bikes – thanks! photo courtesy Amy Smolens

As AS&R does every year, we will provide FREE bicycle valet parking, so you can enjoy the festival without worrying about your bike! This year the service organization BERKELEY LIONS CLUB has stepped up as a new sponsor of our Bicycle Valet Parking – thanks to BLC President Dave Nicely and the board for helping our organization!
Come visit our booth to find out about what’s going on for cyclists and pedestrians here in Albany!
Local bike shop BLUE HERON HAS AGAIN DONATED SOME FABULOUS PRIZES for our 3rd annual kids’ coloring contest so be sure to bring the kids down!!!

These kids were so excited about winning a bike bell that they didn’t even take their helmets off before coloring! Photo courtesy Francesco Papalia

WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO PARK BIKES AND WORK AT OUR TABLE TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS! CAN YOU PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP US FOR A FEW HOURS?

Lynn Eve Komaromi takes a well-earned Pad Thai break – thanks, Bua Luang & Tah Tah! ALL VOLUNTEERS WILL GET A DELICIOUS FREE LUNCH!

VOLUNTEERS WILL GET A DELICIOUS FREE LUNCH FROM COMMUNITY SPONSORS BUA LUANG OR TAY TAH plus  A SPECIAL COUPON FROM TAY TAH!!
Please email Laura Emery  or Amy Smolens to help out or fill out this simple form!

Street Level Cycles has graciously donated free bike tuneup services at the Arts & Green Festival since 2008
photo courtesy Matt McHugh

For the 9th straight year, non-profit bike workshop Street Level Cycles will provide free or low-cost bike tuneups, so if you have an old bike that you want to get road-ready, come on down! Don’t forget, Bike to Work Day is on May 12th, so here’s a way to help make sure your ride is up and running well.

More info about the Festival is here.

It’s the 23rd Annual Bike to Work Day in the Bay Area, a party on wheels!!

Come join our annual rolling party, Bike to Work Day!
photo courtesy Nick Pilch

As usual, there will be coffee, snacks, swag, bike goodies, the famous Bike to Work Day musette bags, food, coffee, fun and lots of good conversation & information so come on down on your way to work!

Great news –  Bikes on Solano is co-hosting this year’s Energizer Station with Albany Strollers & Rollers, so Mike, the owner, and other staff will be there with work stations checking your bicycles for safety and road-worthiness!

Plenty of food and drink for everyone, but we could use people to pick it up!
courtesy Francesco Papalia

We need help at our Energizer Station the morning of, as well as preparing for a big celebration.
Can you help stuffing the musette bags with goodies on May 6th from 3-5pm, picking up food & coffee early morning on the 12th, and handing out swag, food and counting cyclists all morning at the Energizer Station?

If so, please contact Ken McCroskey at kenwait@aol.com or leave a comment on this post.
Thanks!!

For Elected & Appointed Officials, as well as City Staff, City Councilman Nick Pilch is leading a ride for you…details coming soon, and yes, it will finish at the Energizer Station so you can enjoy our swag, food and company!

If you can help stuff these bags full of swag on the afternoon of May 6, please email Ken – thanks! Snacks provided!

The musette bags are always filled with swag!