Tomorrow, Santa Monica cyclists won’t just be riding…they’ll be celebrating.
Santa Monica Spoke and a coalition of local businesses and advocacy groups are organizing a full day of events for Bike Anywhere Day on Thursday, May 21, including morning pit stops for riders, discounts at local businesses, and an evening “Handlebar Happy Hour.”
The annual event is designed to encourage people to try biking for transportation, whether for commuting, errands, or just getting around town. Organizers say the day is also meant to highlight the city’s growing bicycle network and the role biking can play in reducing traffic, improving public health, and making streets safer.
As I’m not a regular bike commuter, I commute to a sofa in my living space, so last week I took a morning-rush-hour bike ride from my house in Mar Vista to City Hall. Outside of some issues with entitled cyclists, the ride was smooth and easy…even compared to my Bike to Anywhere ride from 2024 that had the same start point and destination.
Morning pit stops will be set up throughout the city, offering free coffee, snacks, giveaways, and information for riders heading to work or school. The stops are expected to include volunteers from local advocacy organizations and transportation agencies.
Throughout the day, participating local businesses will offer specials and discounts to customers arriving by bike as part of the “Bike Local” campaign. The program aims to show how bike-friendly streets can also support neighborhood businesses by bringing more people to commercial districts without needing parking spaces.
The day will conclude with the “Handlebar Happy Hour,” an evening social gathering for riders, advocates, and anyone curious about biking in Santa Monica. Organizers say the event is intended to be both a celebration and an opportunity to connect with others working on transportation and street safety issues in the region.
Bike Anywhere Day has grown steadily in recent years across Southern California as cities invest in new bike lanes, safer intersections, and programs encouraging alternatives to driving. In Santa Monica, city leaders have increasingly tied bicycling infrastructure to broader goals around climate policy, mobility, and public space.
More information, including pit stop locations and participating businesses, is available through Santa Monica Spoke.
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