Get in gear with a month of events in the Cambridge Festival of Cycling

An exciting month of cycle-themed events begins on Sunday (25 August) as Camcycle launches the fourth Cambridge Festival of Cycling.

The wheels start rolling with the first Cambridge Criterium, hosted by Monument Cycling, and the programme includes social rides, community stalls, a talk by the British sports journalist Ned Boulting, and many other activities.

The festival aims to celebrate the inclusive world of cycling and the potential to help transform the sustainability of the region – and to highlight Camcycle’s work on all aspects of cycling in and around the city.

The Cambridge Criterium brings professional cycle racing and family cycling to Cambridge. On Jesus Green there will be a looped open ride on traffic-free roads for the public, novelty and amateur races, and headline races for elite and professional cyclists.

There are more opportunities to get riding in September, beginning with a Camcycle social picnic ride to Milton Country Park. Camcycle will be working with CTC Cambridge for longer rides to St Ives and Haslingfield, an evening ride to a pub and a morning circuit of Cambridge.

People can also get cycling with Love to Ride, Cambridge Bike Party, Cambridgeshire Historic Churches, and the regular informal #CamRideHome. Those who prefer to explore independently can do so, or pick up a new mini guide to picnic rides, developed in collaboration with Cambridge BID.

Anna Williams, head of campaigns and engagement, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with so many local partners on the 2024 Festival of Cycling: the aim is to get as many people involved as possible!

“We’re also taking our big orange cargo bike to five community events this autumn – find us at the Cambridge Criterium, Stourbridge Medieval Fair, the Cambridge Wellness Festival at the Biomedical Campus, Greener Queen Edith’s Day and the North Cambridge Summer Family Fun Day. We love sharing advice and resources about cycling and hearing more about local residents’ cycling issues.

“We extend a particularly warm welcome to the fourth Camcycle Cargo Carnival, which is the flagship event of the festival. Join our happy parade of pedal-powered cargo on Saturday, 21 September and show the city of Cambridge what can be carried on a bike. The carnival will begin with a parade around the city, ending at Lammas Land, where there will be a fair featuring stalls, free bike marking with Cambridgeshire police and a cargo bike try-out zone. It’s always such a positive and uplifting occasion which really spreads the cycling joy.”

Those seeking some cycling culture can visit the Beneath our Feet exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology which starts with an introduction to Cyril Fox, an archaeologist who set out on his bicycle 100 years ago to investigate and map Cambridgeshire’s past.

Later in the autumn, there is the Fitzwilliam’s Paris 1924 Museum Late event, a lively evening of art, music and conversation with the chance to race your friends on static cycles. Younger fans can enjoy cycling-themed storytime and crafts at Cambridge Library.

There are plenty of opportunities for volunteers to get involved in the festival. if you have a cycling-themed event to add to the list, email contact@camcycle.org.uk.

The festival is supported by the People’s Postcode Trust, Cambridge City Council, Cambridge BID and Mythic Beasts. For the latest festival information, go to cambridgefestivalofcycling.org.

A guide to what’s on and when

- Cambridge Criterium: Sunday, 25 August, 10am-6pm, Jesus Green
- Love To Ride Cycle September: All month, anytime, cycle anywhere to earn points and win prizes
- Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Cycling Exhibition: Until 22 September, 10am-5pm
- Camcycle social picnic ride to Milton Country Park: Sunday, 1 September, 11am-2pm, meet outside Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade
- Camcycle evening social: Tuesday, 3 September, from 7pm from The Alex pub on Gwydir Street
- Stourbridge Medieval Fair: Saturday, 7 September, 12-4.30pm, Leper Chapel, Newmarket Road
- Blessing of the Bicycles: Sunday, 8 September, 11.15am, Great St Mary’s Church
- Cambridgeshire Library Storytime: Monday, 9 September, 10.30-11.30am, Cambridge Central Library
- Camcycle stall at Cambridge Wellness Festival: Tuesday, 10 September, 12-3pm, Cambridge Biomedical Campus
- Breeze coaching course: Wednesday, 11 September, 9.30am-5pm, Cambridge Central Library
- Camcycle stall at the Greener Queen Edith’s Day: Saturday, 14 September, 9.30am-1pm, Wulfstan Way
- Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust Ride & Stride: Saturday, 14 September, all day, throughout Cambridgeshire
- Camcycle stall at North Cambridge Summer Family Fun Day: Sunday, 15 September, 12-4pm, Nuns Way Recreational Ground
- Free cycle-marking with Camcycle and Cambridge police: Saturday, 21 September, 12-4pm, Lammas Land
- Cargo Carnival: Saturday, 21 September, 10.30am-4pm, Lammas Land
- Cambridge Bike Party Latin Lovers ride: Saturday, 21 September, 6pm, entrance to the Botanic Garden
- Cycle to School Week: From Monday, 23 September, 8am, nationwide
- In Conversation with Ned Boulting: Tuesday, 24 September, 7.30pm, Jesus College Intellectual Forum
- Independently organised #CamRideHome, Friday, 27 September, 6pm, outside The Mill pub, Granta Place
- E-bike confidence training: Saturday, 28 September, 10.30am-12.30pm, Longstanton Park and Ride
- Fitzwilliam Paris 1924 Museum Late cycling event: Tuesday, 22 October, 6.30-9pm, Fitzwilliam Museum