Tour de Lights Holiday Bike Ride Celebrates 9th Year with Record Turnout
More than 1,000 holiday-spirited bicyclists came out Friday night to join in the city’s ninth annual Tour de Lights neighborhood ride.
Decked out in festive holiday attire, riders of all ages formed a fun, free, casual bike parade that rolled from Market Square, through downtown, and around some of the center city’s historic neighborhoods.
The annual event, now one of Knoxville’s favorite holiday traditions, was organized by I Bike KNX, with sponsorship from Mast General Store and Three Rivers Market. The ride has grown in number of participants each year, up from 700 in 2014.
In addition to the bike parade, Tour de Lights offered activities before and after the ride. A contest for best costumes and decorated bikes kicked off the night.
(L) Costumed riders show off their creativity. (R) Riders plunge into the night down Gay St. as the ride kicks off.
"I am always so impressed with the energy and creativity people put into their decorations and costumes,” said Kelley Segars, manager of the Metropolitan Planning Commission’s I Bike KNX regional bicycle program.
Judging took place while riders warmed up with free bike safety checks, a first-ever photo booth, socializing, and friendly competition for best-in-show honors.
The five-mile ride toured downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, including Fourth and Gill and Old North Knoxville. “Tour de Lights is such a unique event – it’s as much for the people who come to watch and cheer on the riders as it is for the riders," remarked Segars.
For more information about Tour de Lights and to see photographs from this year’s event, visit www.ibikeknx.com/tourdelights.
The I Bike KNX website also has lots of great information that’s useful to riders year-round: local bicycle shops, clubs and organizations, signed bike routes, bicycle counts, bicycle rack locations, and much more.