Biketoberfest 2024: What to know before you go.

October 20, 2024

Fall is in the air and you know what that means: It’s almost time to roll into Biketoberfest, presented by City of Charlotte!

We’re looking forward to welcoming hundreds of folks on Sunday, October 27 to explore Charlotte in a scavenger-hunt style adventure that’s perfect for people of all ages, abilities, and transportation preferences!

Bike, walk, scoot, run, ride public transit – you pick! Participants are given a map and passport they can use to visit local businesses and collect stamps to trade in later for raffle tickets! Check out the current list of prizes here.

Before you head out on the route for this year’s Biketoberfest, here are a few tips to make sure you have a safe and fun ride or walk.

BYOB(IKE) — or rent one

This is a bring-your-own-transportation event. Bring your favorite bike, scooter, trike, walking shoes, unicycle, or Charlotte Area Transit System ticket, and get ready to explore! Biketoberfest is a family-friendly event and child bike trailers are also welcome. Dogs (on a leash at all times) are invited to join their people on the Short Route.

Biketoberfest bike rentals

Need to borrow a bike for the day? Consider Charlotte Joy Rides! On their website, you can purchase a pass and use the station map to find a bike for the day. Just bring your own helmet and hop on! Charlotte Cycles, one of our event sponsors, also has a rental service.

Biketoberfest e-scooters

If you want to rent an e-scooter, here are two great options that are also supporting this great event!: Bird and Lime. Just download their apps ahead of time to locate scooters, strap your helmet on and get moving!

Parking is limited at Triple C — bike in or take transit if you can!

Parking is limited at Triple C Brewing Co. (2900 Griffith St.), which serves as the recommended beginning and end of both routes. Plan accordingly.

We all know that parking can be tight throughout South End. That’s why we encourage participants who are able to take public transportation or even bike all the way in! (After all, that’s what Biketoberfest is about.)

Pro tip: CATS buses are equipped to carry bikes (though not very many at once) and there are racks to secure bikes on the LYNX Blue Line. Triple C is just a mile south of the East-West Blue Line station and a mile north of the Scaleybark station. Here’s a map of Blue Line stops with park-and-ride locations listed.

Stay safe!

It’s important to remember that Biketoberfest is not on a closed track. While we make use of greenways, much of the route takes riders on roads that are shared with vehicle traffic. Here are a few things you’ll want to bring to help make sure you stay comfortable and safe during the event:

Helmet (required for 16 and under, and highly encouraged for all)
Shoes comfortable for biking or walking
Backpack (to carry all the goodies you will collect throughout the day!)
Sunscreen
Rear bike light
Reusable water bottle

If at any point during the ride you don’t feel comfortable about a street or greenway you’re on, please adjust your approach. You can ride on sidewalks and cross streets at crosswalks as necessary. Also, if you encounter crowded sections such as bus/train stops, greenways, or busy intersections, simply hop off your bike and walk it until you feel more comfortable.

Study the route ahead of time

We recommend taking a few minutes before you start your ride or walk to look at the map and familiarize yourself with the route! We will have paper maps available for all participants at check-in.

You can also open the route map on your phone via Google Maps. We also put together a set of turn-by-turn directions for the full route or the short route option that you can print out or view on your phone. Note: It’s best to download and install the RunGo app ahead of time.

Other map options include:

Choose the Biketoberfest route that’s right for you

Participants in Sustain Charlotte’s Biketoberfest can pick from two routes.

Biketoberfest short route

The short route (yellow on the map and ~4 miles) is a great option for walkers, beginner cyclists and families with young kids. This route primarily stays in South End along the Rail Trail with less interactions with vehicles.

Biketoberfest long route

If you’re a more experienced cyclist or looking for a longer ride, you can do the long route (blue on the map – 18 miles) through South End, before heading north through Uptown and into Plaza Midwood, NoDa, and Wesley Heights.

Make the Biketoberfest route your own

Sustain Charlotte’s Biketoberfest is a go-at-your-own-pace event, so you can make it what you want. Grab your map and check in at The Barrel Room at Triple C Brewing, then head out to the route with friends, family, or solo. Stop at the places you want for as long as you want; just make sure to be back at Triple C’s Barrel Room by 4:30 p.m. to trade your stamps for raffle tickets for your chance to win a part of $4,000+ in prizes!

Support our mission!

This unique and family-friendly event is one of Sustain Charlotte’s major fundraising events and highlights the many ways you can enjoy Charlotte without driving!

Want to help raise money to support our mission? Tell your family and friends about Biketoberfest and don’t forget to set up a fundraising team when you register on BiketoberfestCLT.org!

Share your fun!

There’s no reason to keep the fun of Biketoberfest all to yourself! Share sights and scenes from your route with the hashtag #biketoberfestclt on social media. And be sure to follow Sustain Charlotte on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, too! We’d love to share your posts!

And if you’d rather just keep your phone in your pocket, that’s OK, too. We’re all about taking a moment to pause, take in the scenery, and think about how much fun it can be to get around Charlotte without using a car.

Don’t forget about the after-party

Sustain Charlotte’s Biketoberfest isn’t over after you finish the route. Make sure you join us at The Barrel Room at Triple C Brewing for the official after-party. We’ll have live music, we will announce the raffle winners, our gracious sponsors will have giveaways and food/drink samples, and of course, you can try the official beer of Biketoberfest: Wheeley Hazy, our collaboration beer with Triple C!

Remember, you can get more info about our 2024 Biketoberfest at biketoberfestclt.org.

Hope to see you out there!

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