The 28th annual Ciclismo Classico Jingle Ride rolled on Sunday, Dec. 15, starting with registration at 10 a.m.
The ride left promptly at 11 from Kickstand Cafe, 594 Mass. Ave. in Arlington Center, down the Minuteman Bikeway toward Cambridge.
The 18.5-mile ride rolls through Harvard Square, the Charles River bike path along the Esplanade, Boston Common and Newbury Street. Participants stop and sing carols for passersby, or just parade along showing some creative holiday spirit. At Harvard Square, the Harvard Square Business Association serves cookies and hot cocoa to the group.
Riders are invited to dress in colorful, fun, and festive holiday attire, with lights and jingle bells if they like, and to decorate their bikes.
The ride ends at 2, at Kickstand Cafe where it began. And there’s an optional après-ride party at the Menotomy Grill & Tavern, just a mile from the ride’s end, where riders can enjoy some complimentary appetizers and more.
More info on the ride is here >> including a route map and photos from past rides. Riders can pre-register or donate from this web page.
A $25 suggested donation is welcomed, benefiting MassBike, an organization dedicated to improving bicycling for all riders across Massachusetts. Over the years, this colorful Ciclismo Classico tradition has raised thousands of dollars for other non-profit organizations like Horizons for Homeless Children.
“Started in 1996, the Jingle Ride is a leisurely 18.5-mile ride and festive bike parade from Arlington to Boston and back,” says coordinator Joy Spadafora. “Now in its 28th year, the Jingle Ride is one of the longest-running Boston holiday sporting events and certainly one of the most colorful. For those who love a parade, love to sing, or who get a kick out of wearing antlers or a holiday costume, the Jingle Ride is a must for your holiday calendar.”
Join the Jingle Ride:
Date: Sunday Dec. 15 (ride will be canceled if there is extreme weather)
Time: registration opens at 10; ride leaves promptly at 11
Distance: 18.5-mile leisurely loop from Arlington to Boston and back
Starting point: Kickstand Café, 594 Mass. Ave., Arlington Center
Cost: Suggested donation of $25 (children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult)
This news announcement was published Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, based on information from coordinator Joy Spadafora.
