The big reveal is just weeks away.
The route for the 53rd edition of the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa will be announced on Jan. 24 in the annual route announcement party at Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee. Registration for the seven-day cross-state trek opened in November.
What do tickets cost?
Tickets for the 6-10 p.m. party are $40 for individuals and $450 for tables of 10. They include a commemorative RAGBRAI 53 silicone pint glass, entertainment, catered food and, of course, the privilege of being one of the first to know where RAGBRAI will be going on its July cross-state ride.
VIP tickets cost $60, or $650 for a table of 10, and include access to a VIP room with a private bar, bathrooms and separate food station. They also include early admission at 5 p.m.
To purchase tickets, go to ragbrai.com.
What does parking cost?
Parking at Vibrant Music Hall will be free for the Route Announcement Party.
What band will perform at the RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party?
Gut Feeling, a Des Moines-based cover band specializing in rock and pop hits from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, will perform at the RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party.
“Expect high-energy performances of classic favorites as well as less-covered hits that get everyone singing and dancing!” the band’s website says.
Will the Route Announcement be streamed?
Yes, the route announcement will be streamed live on the RAGBRAI YouTube Page beginning at 7:45 p.m. on Jan. 24. The route announcement will start at approximately 8 p.m.
When is RAGBRAI 2026?
RAGBRAI 53 in 2026 will take place from July 19-25, with riders gathering on July 18 at the starting town. Every year it is held in the last full week of July.
Where will RAGBRAI go in 2026?
The route will remain a closely guarded secret until the announcement. It’s different every year. In some years it’s obvious whether it will be a northern, central or southern route. But it’s hard to tell where it will go in 2026 because in the last four years the route has gone through northern, central, southern and north-central Iowa.
RAGBRAI Ride Director Matt Phippen has said the route will celebrate America and Iowa as the nation marks its 250th anniversary.
“It will showcase rural Iowa,” Phippen said. “It will be something that riders will be able to look forward to. … The towns that we’ve been talking to are super excited to have the possibility of being on route.”
But he’s giving nothing away with those comments ― or when, on Thanksgiving Day when, with Iowa facing a statewide snowstorm, he quipped on Facebook, “It looks like the RAGBRAI Route for 2026 will be getting some snow.”
As soon as the route is announced, the Des Moines Register will publish a story and a map at desmoinesregister.com, and in the print edition the following morning.
This story was updated to add new information.
Philip Joens has ridden parts of 20 RAGBRAIs. He has completed the river-to-river trek eight times. He covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register and can be reached at 515-284-8184 or at pjoens@registermedia.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: RAGBRAI will announce its 2026 route soon. Find out when and where
Reporting by Philip Joens, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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