Cycling Events: Getting Around Portland

Here are a few of the city’s top biking events:

Filmed by Bike (April) – In a city that loves movies almost as much as it loves bicycling, it’s only natural that there’s a festival celebrating both. Filmed by Bike is a two-day festival screening bike-themed independent short movies from around the world. In all, about 30 films, each less than eight minutes in length, celebrate every angle of bike culture.

Pedalpalooza (June) – For two and a half weeks every summer, bike geeks organize about 200 events to celebrate all that is cycling. There’s a major menu of rides, performance art, races, taco stand tours, gay pride bike parades, bike polo and more.

Cirque du Cycling (June) – This North Portland festival incorporates live music and entertainment with a street race, a family ride and a beer  garden; proceeds from the festival benefit a local charity.

Bridge Pedal (August) – This is your one chance to pedal fancy- and car-free across Portland’s Willamette River bridges, from the Sellwood to the St. Johns and most others in between. The event’s route includes the top decks of the Marquam and Fremont bridges, normally open only to automobile traffic.

Zoobombers (weekly) – The recipe is insane but simple: Gather every Sunday evening at the corner of Southwest 13th Avenue and West Burnside Street, ride MAX light rail to the Washington Park station (Oregon Zoo stop) and bomb back down via the streets of Portland’s West Hills. Regulars prefer to ride small children’s bikes or their own customized contraptions.  — Deston Nokes