The opening ceremony of the Cycling Week will take place on Saturday 6 May from 11 am to 2 pm at Sorsapuisto park, Tampere. The family event programme includes free express bicycle service, bicycle tuning and electric bike test rides. For children, there is a circus, a stunt track, a soap bubble workshop and an arts section. You can also test the pedal cars of the traffic park that opens for public in the summer.
The Cycling Week will be opened at 1 pm at Sorsapuisto park by the Deputy Mayor of the City of Tampere and new Member of Parliament Aleksi Jäntti.
In connection with the opening ceremony, the City of Tampere also rewards cycling agents. Around one hundred volunteer cycling agents gave feedback on the winter maintenance of cycling roads throughout the winter.
The main theme of this year's Cycling Week is bicycle parking. During the spring, the City of Tampere has prepared a general plan for bicycle parking, which aims to significantly increase and improve bicycle parking in the coming years. The aim is that city residents can always trust that they can park their bicycle safely near their destination.
During the Cycling Week, the city uses an electronic feedback form to collect residents' views of different bicycle parking rack models. In Ratina, next to Laukonsilta bridge, various bicycle parking racks are available for testing from Wednesday 10 May. The instructions for sending feedback will also be available there. A survey addressed to residents aims to provide more information on the functionality, safety and suitability of different bicycle parking rack models for the cityscape.
Before the opening ceremony on Friday 5 May, between 3 pm and 5 pm, Etappi's bicycle auction for used and serviced bicycles will be organised on Erkkilänkatu.
During the Cycling Week, there are free bicycle tours: family bicycle orienting, guidance for first-timers at Pirkka Cycling, slow-paced heart bicycle tours and church cycling.
On Tuesday 9 May on Teiskontie, near Tays, and on Wednesday 10 May at Laikunlava stage, a Fair Trade breakfast will be served free of charge to all bicycle commuters and those arriving by bicycle. In addition to the breakfast, you can get free express bicycle service for your bicycle. Free express bicycle service and electric bike testing are also available at Tesoma Church on Saturday 13 May from 10 am to 2 pm.
The City of Tampere together with Ekokumppanit Ltd., Tampereen polkupyöräilijät ry and bicycle association Kaupin Kanuunat are responsible for organising and implementing the events of Tampere Cycling Week.
