Bikes and Blues Festival

September 9 – Bike rides in the morning, followed by a live music festival all afternoon!

Bikes & Blues Festival: the music and festivities start at 2:30pm just as all the riders trickle in from their morning adventure. Whether you join the rides (details below) or just want to join for the music, come to the Skol House for a celebration of water, cycling and community next to Belwood Lake – with live music, children’s activities, food and a beer garden.

We will hear music 🎶 from some of the leading blues, rock, and bluegrass acts in our community:

• Bradley Craig
• Kristine Schmitt and Andrew Penner
• Shane Cook and Emily Jean Flack

Free Bike Rides before the music festival begins. We will lead bike rides of different lengths along the Grand River – from a 15km family ride along the smooth and forested Elora-Cataract trail to more adventurous all-surface rides (gravel or hybrid bikes) that weave across the bridges of the Grand and take in the majestic Luther Marsh. And there is something for the newest riders as children of all ages can take part in the costume bike parade.

After you purchase a ticket, we’ll send you a registration form for the bike rides. Registered riders will receive an email about one week ahead of the ride with more details and logistics. Rides start at the Belwood Baseball Field:

• 9:00am – Luther Marsh Lasso (90km)
• 11:30 am – Bridging the Grand (50km)
• 12:30 pm – Family Ride (15km, age: 9+)
• 2:30pm – Music and festivities begin with a Children’s Costume Parade (bike or walk)

For detailed ride descriptions, click here.

Thank you to our sponsors and partners: Alice Chautard, Skol House, Orucase, Studio Future, University of Waterloo, Blue Range Labs and more being added soon! Please get in touch if you would like to sponsor us or have a booth at our event.

Proceeds from the Bikes & Blues festival support:

• Water Cycles Expeditions
• Waterloo-Wellington Children’s Groundwater Festival

Our 2023 campaign will focus on building access to cycling for school children and providing educational opportunities for youth to get involved in water and river conservation. Help to build the next generation of water leaders here in the Upper Grand.

For more information visit: watercycles.bike or get in touch at: info@watercycles.bike

If you just want to join for a free bike ride (and not the festival) email us, and we’ll send you a registration form.