2nd Annual Bike for Beck Rides into Town on May 19 Bicycle Tour Fundraiser and Community Festival at Beck Center

Riders checked in before the start of last year's Bike for Beck.

Be on the lookout for one-of-a-kind hand-decorated bikes all around Lakewood as part of Bike Your Art Out, an art installation publicizing Connect to Beck’s second annual Bike for Beck bicycle tour on Sunday, May 19, 2013. With over a hundred riders and several hundred more attendees at Beck Fest following last year’s bicycle tour, the inaugural event was a tremendous success. This year, C2B hopes to build on last year’s accomplishments and offer even more activities, art displays, food, music, and other cycling-related fun.

Registration is now open for Bike for Beck. The cost is $40 per cyclist and includes a B4B t-shirt and rider packet. Riders may register online at bikeforbeck.org. All proceeds benefit the quality arts education programs at Beck Center for the Arts.

The festivities kick off with rider registration between 8 and 10 a.m. in Beck Center’s main lobby, where cyclists may participate in a warm-up stretch class provided by the Lakewood YMCA. From there, riders may choose from 12-, 25- or 60-mile routes through the scenic Cleveland Metroparks, returning back to Beck Center to complete their tour. Snacks and water are provided at designated stops along the bike route. For non-cyclists, the YMCA is offering a free Zumba dance fitness class at Beck Center.

Riders, their families and the community are invited to the post-ride event Beck Fest, a day of fun, family-friendly activities celebrating arts education from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Beck Center campus. Visitors can check out all the creative programs Beck Center has to offer including improvisational comedy, dance performances, and much more. Bike enthusiasts may also enjoy cycling art and learn more about area bike clubs and shops from local experts. Guests may also take a chance on bicycle raffle baskets. 

On the entertainment front, last year’s favorite musical groups, Fireside and the Revolution Brass Band return to the Beck Center Red Stage, joined this year by The Madison Crawl, Jerry Popiel, and Chris Hatton. Bicycle team, 216-BIKE performs demonstrations of bike stunts and tricks throughout the day. Refreshments at Beck Fest are available from local favorite food trucks, DonutLAB and Fired Up Taco Truck, and beer is provided by Eddie and Iggy's Bar & Grille.

Bike for Beck is sponsored by Vision Source/Madison Eye Care, Krylon, and Turner Construction with additional support from AFLAC, Comfort Dental Group, Dimit Architects, LLC, Drs. Harter Family Dentistry, Jeffrey W. Laubmeier, DMD, First Federal of Lakewood, Norris Family Chiropractic, Pelaia Media Group, Rocky River Urgent Care, the University of Akron, and University Tees.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional theater productions, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and free gallery exhibits featuring local, regional, and international artists. Connect to Beck, or C2B, is a group of Beck Center enthusiasts who support the arts in our community. C2B organizes social, insider, and cultural events with proceeds benefiting Beck Center arts education programs.

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Volume 9, Issue 8, Posted 9:37 PM, 04.16.2013