Unicyclists to Join This Year’s Loop the Lake Festival in Bemidji

The annual Loop the Lake cycling event in Bemidji will start on June 17, and organizers are expecting almost 1,000 cyclists throughout the day.

Celebrating its 9th event, the festival will feature the same 17-mile ride around the Lake Bemidji with stops for live music, food and rest. But there will also be some new additions this year.

With Bemidji hosting the world unicycle championship next summer, 10 unicyclists will also participate in this year’s Loop the Lake. These unicyclists will not be the only new addition to the trail as electric bikes, or e-bikes, have started to gain popularity.

“We need to remind people that they can’t race around the route with all the people on it,” said Loop the Lake Planning Committee Chair Muriel Gilman. “And people are going slow. I think the unicycles will just add to that mix and make it interesting.”

There will be a rolling start at the South Shore Beach beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 9:30 a.m. Participants are reminded to follow all traffic laws.

Prices for check-ins on the day of the event are $25 for ages 13 and older. Entry for kids 12 and younger is $10.