Neighbors connect and streets come alive at CicloIrvine

From IrvineStandard.com

BY TOMOYA SHIMURA

Campus Drive transformed into a vibrant promenade of pedal power and community spirit during the second annual CicloIrvine, a family-friendly festival that drew thousands for an afternoon of live music, street activities and safe, car-free exploration.

From salsa bands to youth ballet performances, two stages pulsed with music and dance, while attendees strolled, rolled and glided down the street – on bikes, scooters, skates and strollers – without a single car in sight. Along the route, families refilled water bottles at hydration stations and even hopped aboard bicycle-powered rickshaws – pulled by cyclists – soaking in the spring air and an opportunity to enjoy Irvine’s roads at a slower pace.

“I just love how fun it is,” says 6-year-old Lucy Hogarth, who came with her parents and held a purple balloon sword. “The bounce houses were my favorite.”

Her father, Fred Hogarth, appreciated the closed streets and the chance to safely bike as a family. “You don’t see this in Irvine every day. It’s really nice they do this.”