History of the Montreal Bike Fest
Kickstarting the festival season, the Féria du vélo de Montréal (Montreal Bike Fest) derives its name from the Feria del Toro (Running of the Bulls) held in Spain and Southern France, a popular festival that fills the streets with an atmosphere of music and sun. Launched in 1999, the Montreal Bike Fest annually heralds the arrival of summer, while thousands of cyclists happily invade the city streets.
The Montreal Bike Fest comprises four main events:
This famous bike ride...
On a bleak day in October 1985, more than 3,500 people participated in the first edition of the Tour de l’Île de Montréal. The Vélo Québec team’s dream of organizing a major city tour — following the example of New York and its Five Boro Bike Tour —, became a reality, thanks to the Quebec government and its Transportation Minister at the time, Guy Tardif, who wanted to create a cycling event to inaugurate the new bike path network in East Montreal.
On a bleak day in October 1985, more than 3,500 people participated in the first edition of the Tour de l’Île de Montréal. The Vélo Québec team’s dream of organizing a major city tour — following the example of New York and its Five Boro Bike Tour —, became a reality, thanks to the Quebec government and its Transportation Minister at the time, Guy Tardif, who wanted to create a cycling event to inaugurate the new bike path network in East Montreal.
The Tour de l’Île de Montréal was first held in 1985. This famous bike ride has played a major role in the growth of cycling throughout Quebec, in addition to positioning Montreal favourably on the international scene as a North American biking capital — according to several articles over the past few years in prestigious publications like the National Geographic Travel Guide and Time Magazine.
The year 1999 marked the launch of the nocturnal version of the Tour de l’Île de Montréal: the luminous Un Tour la Nuit. At the time, the event could not logistically accommodate more than 3,000 participants. This number rose to 6,000 in 2004 and 13,000 in 2009. And the trend followed by many participants to create a personalized look — decorated helmet, clothing, lighting and bike — makes this event more in keeping than ever with Montreal’s traditional night life and fun.
First known under the name Jour V (2000-2002), Operation Bike-to-Work began extending its activities year-round in 2003. Since then, it has had a significant impact on individuals and companies in terms of choosing the bicycle as a daily mode of transportation that is healthy, ecological and economical.
Inaugurated in 2002, the Metropolitan Challenge has attracted a growing number of avid bikers — they numbered 3,500 in 2009 — keen to pedal extra kilometres — from 75 to 150 km — and enjoy the region’s diverse panoramic landscapes.
