20-mile, car-free DC Bike Ride scheduled for May 18

Twenty miles of roads in D.C. and Arlington will close to vehicular traffic May 18 for the 2019 DC Bike Ride. More than 8,000 people are expected to participate, the event’s organizers say.

The ride is currently poised to begin on Ohio Drive SW in West Potomac Park, with the route winding along the National Mall, through Northwest and Northern Virginia, and ending on Third Street SW near the U.S. Capitol. A finish-line festival goes until 12:30 p.m., and a six-mile course is also available. Registration for the event is $65 (with certain special pricing).

According to a release: “Throughout the ride, participants will visit taste stations highlighting some of DC’s most popular restaurants, and popular bands/DJ’s from the region will provide en route entertainment.” The event was first held in 2016, and this year it will happen the day after the D.C. area’s 2019 Bike to Work Day, set to occur during National Bike to Work Week.

DC Bike Ride

The ride begins at 8 a.m., with corrals opening at 6 a.m. Check out the road closure list here.