The Go vélo Montreal Festival made its return to the city on Sunday.
The weeklong event is dedicated to offering Montrealers cycling and urban activities for people of all ages.
“It’s a joy to see, year after year, the thousands of cyclists storming the streets of the metropolis. I’m convinced that we’ll have another successful event in 2024,” said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante in a press release on Sunday.
“These unique moments, when bicycles are king, allow Montrealers to get moving, while seeing their city in a different light.”
The event kicked off in Terrebonne with 22nd edition of the Défi métropolitain. It allowed cyclists to choose a route of 60, 85, 97 or 163 km. Cyclists rode at their own speed, allowing them to explore the greater metropolitan area.
An international conference about the cargo bike will be held on Thursday.
Montrealers can expect some street closures for a few hours. Planning your trip ahead is recommended. A traffic information page has been set up by Vélo Québec to help facilitate travel.
The popular Tour la Nuit will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It will take place on Friday at 8 p.m. at Parc Jean-Mance.
The festival will wrap up with the Tour de l’Île de Montréal on Sunday.
The regular route will begin at 9:15 a.m. at Parc Jeanne-Mance. The route offers cyclists a 50km route on a car-free circuit. A shorter 28 km version will also be offered.
Another option is the discovery route. Cyclists will take off at 7 a.m. from the same location. They have a choice of a 68 or 96 km route. The route will take place on marked roads, and is open to motorized traffic, excluding the last 24km of the route. Cyclists will join the other participants on the regular route.
Registration for the event is still open.