May is National Bike Month

Each May, the City of Raleigh celebrates Bike Month, a time to recognize the important role cycling and other human-powered transportation play in our transportation system, along with the health and environmental benefits they provide. As part of Bike Month, Commute Smart Raleigh hosts several activities, including Bike Bonanza and Bike To Work Day, with more information below.

Additionally, several local community organizations also host Bike Month events and activities and we invite you to check them out as well! Our suggestion is to start with Oaks & Spokes, which will have additional information about other community events going on.

Bike Bonanza

Friday, May 1
Harvey Hill in Dorothea Dix Park 
4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Bike Bonanza is the annual kick-off for the City of Raleigh’s Bike Month celebrations. It is a time to join other cycling enthusiasts, friends, and community members for a few hours of fun and biking related activities. This year Bike Bonanza will be held at Harvey Hill inside Dix Park from 4:30 – 6:30pm. We encourage you to come early and stay late to enjoy all of the amenities Dix Park offers, including the new Gipson Play Plaza. This year includes:

    •    A bike tune-up station
    •    A bike decorating station hosted by vendors
    •    Free helmets
    •    Free e-bike test rides
    •    A guided ride led by Oaks and Spokes
    •    Event t-shirts
    •    And popsicles for the first 150 guests!

Oaks and Spokes Kidical Mass

Friday, May 1
3:30 p.m. pre-ride party, 4 p.m. roll at Dix Park
Middleton Dr, Raleigh, NC 27603

Join us for the 30 minutes before the ride begins for chalk art, bike and helmet decorating, music, free safety swag, and complimentary bike checks! Each ride will last around 1 hour depending on the pace of the group and will feature a short mid-ride dessert stop (e.g., freeze pops, popsicles, Italian ice cups; dairy-free options will be available). We’ll then return to the start/end location for more fun and a raffle. For more info and a ride map, check out our website.

Raleigh Historic Bike Ride

Saturday, May 9 (rescheduled from May 2 due to rain)
One Exchange Plaza
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Celebrating Historic Preservation and America’s 250th Birthday!
This May, we’re celebrating Preservation Month, Bike Month, and America’s 250th Birthday! Grab your bike for a 5-mile route that will feature stops at five Raleigh Historic Landmarks that span Raleigh’s 250 years of building history! Volunteers will share a brief history at each stop. The stops include:
•    Joel Lane House - 160 S. St. Mary's St. – Raleigh's oldest surviving dwelling
•    State Capitol & Union Square - 1 E. Edenton St. – The heart of North Carolina government
•    Early Store Building (Heilig-Levine) - 137 S. Wilmington St. – 150+ years of downtown commerce
•    Chavis Park Carousel - 505 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. – A historic park and carousel
•    Former BB&T Building - 227 Fayetteville St. – A downtown Raleigh icon

Visit Raleigh Historic Bike Ride to learn more!

Celebrate Bike Month at Chavis with Oaks and Spokes

Wednesday, May 6
John Chavis Memorial Park
4 - 6 p.m.

Get ready to ride, roll, and have a blast! Join Oaks & Spokes, Wake County Safe Routes to School, and John Chavis Memorial Park for an exciting Community Bike Rodeo and Traffic Garden Event.
This fun-filled afterschool celebration brings together active movement, safe streets, Bike Month, and Bike & Roll to School Day.
At the Kids Bike Rodeo, children will build confidence on two wheels while learning important bike safety skills. They’ll zoom through an obstacle course and explore a Traffic Garden, a child-sized streetscape where kids can practice road safety through hands-on play and imagination.

Learn more about the John Chavis Bike event!

Bike to Work Day

Thursday, May 14

Bike To Work Day (BTWD) celebrates cycling as a healthy, sustainable form of transportation. Commute Smart Raleigh, in collaboration with local organizations, setup ‘pit stops’ across the City to support our two-wheeled commuters on their way into or from work. Check out our Bike to Work Day Pit Stop map here.

Take the Pedal to the Parks Challenge!

All May
Ready to explore Raleigh on two wheels? Welcome to the "Pedal to the Parks Challenge", a fun Bike Month adventure that invites you to ride, discover, and check in at some of Raleigh’s favorite parks!
Be sure to check in so we can count your visit - every park you ride to brings you one step closer to completing the challenge.

How it Works
•    Visit any of the participating parks.
•    Check in at each location. Look for the City of Raleigh yard signs and QR code to check in.
The more parks you visit, you increase your chances to be recognized and win.

Earn Your Rewards
•    Visit at least three parks and have your name featured on our social media and “Pedal to the Parks” webpage.
•    Visit ALL designated parks and you’ll be entered into a grand prize drawing announced at the end of May!

Participating Parks
•    Shelley Lake Park
•    Lake Lynn Park
•    Anderson Point Park
•    Lake Johnson Park
•    Walnut Creek Wetland Park

Want to Share Your Ride?
Show us where your bike takes you! Tag @raleightranspo with #PedalToTheParks or email: transportationinfo@raleighnc.gov. Your photos may be featured on City of Raleigh social media.
Thanks for riding, exploring, and discovering how biking can be a fun and easy way to get around Raleigh. See you on the trails!

Bike Mural Artist Elyse Johnson

Artist Elyse Johnson is our 2026 Bike Month Muralist! The inspiration for her mural stems from the dynamic energy and resilient vitality of the Five Points Active Adult Center. The artwork serves as a visual celebration of active mobility, centering on community members engaged in cycling and the diverse wellness activities that define the center's daily life. By artfully blending human movement with native North Carolina flora, the design creates a harmonious tribute to both the participants and the natural beauty inherent to the area. As a creator, the artistic process is rooted in research and authentic connection. Time is dedicated to learning about the community's history and the stories that hold the most significance for its residents.

Based in North Carolina, Elyse Johnson is a professional muralist dedicated to the transformative power of public art. Her work is deeply rooted in collaboration, particularly with small towns and local businesses, to design custom murals that celebrate a community’s unique history and identity. For Elyse, the inspiration behind every project is the people themselves. She views each wall as a canvas for a collective narrative, striving to create visual stories that honor the past, uplift the present, and inspire the future. Whether she is painting a large-scale mural, developing studio pieces, or leading a lesson, her mission is to make art obtainable for all. She believes meaningful artwork should live where people work and play, not just in galleries. By blending various mediums with a passion for engagement, she brings color to everyday spaces, fostering a sense of belonging and local pride through high-quality, accessible art.

Elyse is working with artist and student Emma Baker to create a 2026 Bike Month t-shirt inspired by the mural design.
Learn more about Elyse Johnson and her artwork

Learn more about the Bike Month Mural Program and see previous murals.