PETOSKEY — Now in its third year, the Lynn Duse Memorial Kids’ Bike Fest welcomed in more community partners than ever on Saturday, June 7.
Starting at the Little Traverse History Museum, the event lets kids decorate their bikes and pedal along the Little Traverse Wheelway in Bayfront Park. This year, the ride was broken up into two age divisions. Children in second grade or younger rode first, and then the older kids in third grade or above rode after.
The event is hosted by the Little Traverse Historical Society and the Top of Michigan Trails Council in memory of Lynn Duse, Circus Shop owner and historical society board member. Duse died in January 2023, not long after presenting her idea for the festival. The idea was sparked by Duse’s childhood memories of bike parades that used to take place in downtown Petoskey when school let out for the summer.
“It’s heartwarming. It really is nice to see,” said Penny Crim, board member of the Little Traverse Historical Society and committee chair of the bike fest. “This was Lynn’s baby and we’re glad to be able to bring it to pass. It’s just good to see kids having fun.”
Kids decorated their bikes with streamers and other fun themes, with some sporting bubble machines, music and even a live chicken. They paraded their bikes past a panel of judges, who awarded prizes for “Best Decorated.”
Cindy Okerlund, program coordinator for Pedaling with a Purpose with the Top of Michigan Trails Council, said the event offers a chance for fun, but also helps teach kids the safe way to ride bikes on the trail and promotes healthy exercise.
“We hope that they can be doing this ride for at least 20 minutes, emphasizing that it’s really important to exercise your heart for 20 minutes,” she said.
In addition to the trails council and museum, the Petoskey District Library offered books, Grain Train had a variety of healthy snacks and the Crooked Tree Arts Center provided decorations for the bikes. Latitude 45 also donated three prizes, including a brand new bicycle.
— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Annual Lynn Duse Memorial Kids’ Bike Fest in Petoskey highlights fun, safety and exercise
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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