May is National Bike Month, and Roanoke Parks and Recreation has a full calendar of opportunities to celebrate! In fact, we’re getting in gear early with the Short Track Preview Race on April 29. Check out all the details, grab a helmet, and let’s get rolling!
Short Track Preview: On The Rocks II
April 29
Get ready for another Short Track Race in Elmwood Park! In case you missed it last year, we’re bringing this “On The Rocks” race back to preview the course for this summer’s USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike XCC Championships! This is a fun, high energy event, and we’ll have a DJ, food truck, and drinks for sale.
Why We Love It: You don’t have to be a cyclist to enjoy the fun of this event! Whether you’re a racer, a volunteer, or a spectator, this is the perfect way to roll into Bike Month and support events like this in Roanoke!
Racers and volunteers can sign up here.
From Sketchy to Sendy: MTB Clinic
May 2
Level up your mountain biking (MTB) with a skills clinic designed to build your confidence on the trails! Join Kelly Hazlegrove at Morningside Park for a morning session focused on cornering and berms, and an afternoon session on bike jumping. Skills will be taught progressively, breaking each step into manageable pieces. Space is limited!
Why We Love It: Mountain biking can be intimidating for beginners, so we love any opportunity to build skills with a dedicated instructor! This is a great chance to work on your technical skills before tackling the new black diamond (and double black diamond) trails on Mill Mountain!
Youth Mountain Bike Race
May 7
Riders ages 2-14 are invited to join us for our popular youth mountain bike race! A short, spectator-friendly course will be set up in Washington Park and riders will compete against their own age and skill level. This is a great way to introduce bike racing in a fun and supportive environment!
Why We Love It: Getting kids on bikes is a great way to celebrate Bike Month! If your kiddo is interested in diving into more competitive events, this is a great way to try it out. It’s also relaxed and welcoming to those riders who just want to have some fun.
Wednesday Night Disco Series
May 13 & May 27
Mill Mountain hasn’t held a Disco Mountain Bike Race since 2023, but now it’s back from the dead! This groovy race is back for a two part series May 13 & 27. We’ll start with a throwback, revisiting the classic course. Follow that up with “A New Boogie,” shaking up the course map and incorporating some of the new trail on the mountain. Cap off both nights at a “Boogie on the Mountain” afterparty featuring live music, food trucks, and drinks for sale at the Discovery Center.
Why We Love It: The Wednesday Night Disco is a community favorite for the supportive environment, festive atmosphere, and groovy charm! Whether you’re competing, supporting, volunteering, or just there for the vibes, Disco is fun for all!
Tiny Tot Tri!
May 17
The cutest triathlon you ever did see returns to Elmwood Park for Bike Month! Tiny competitors age 18 months to 5 years will Run! Bike! Splash! their way through the park. Stick around after the race to celebrate Kids to Parks Day and Free movies in Elmwood Park!
Why We Love It: What’s not to love about a toddler triathlon? We can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend a morning in the park, plus we’ll have coffee and donuts for the grownups and juice boxes and snacks for the tiny competitors!
