Courtesy Nine Mile Run Watershed Association.

Biddle’s Escape & multiple locations
June 11
Noon — 5 p.m.

Sustainability, cycling and community pride will converge at this first-of-its-kind event hosted by the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association (NMRWA).

Courtesy Nine Mile Run Watershed Association.
Courtesy Nine Mile Run Watershed Association.

The public is invited to pedal and party with the local ecology organization—and celebrate its 15th anniversary—during an East End-wide Bike Tour and Block Party running from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 11.

The guided bike tour portion will cover 10 miles traversing the urban watershed communities of Wilkinsburg, Regent Square, Swissvale, Homewood, Edgewood, and lower Frick Park.

Along the scenic route, participants will pedal for a cause as they explore green rainwater initiatives, eco-stewardship projects and watershed features. The safe and leisurely ride will also include refreshments and snacks along the tour, Leona’s ice cream sandwiches at the end of the ride, and the chance for participants to win a free tune-up from Kindred Cycles. All Bike Tour participants will also receive a NMRWA bandana.

The Bike Tour will kick off and conclude at Biddle’s Escape coffee shop, located at 401 Biddle Avenue in Regent Square.

Following the ride, the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association will host a free Block Party on S. Trenton Avenue between Biddle Avenue and Union Street. The family-friendly festivities will feature live music from the Brazilian drumming sensation, Timbeleza, a bike washing station run by StormWorks, free samples from Green Flash Brewery and Wigle Whiskey, and on-site food trucks such as Brassero Grill and Proper Brick Oven Pizza.

Courtesy Nine Mile Run Watershed Association.
Courtesy Nine Mile Run Watershed Association.

Bike Tour tickets are free for Nine Mile Run Watershed Association members and $25 for non-members. Buy tickets now. Proceeds will support projects such as Nine Mile Run restoration and stewardship, urban forestry, and advocacy and outreach.

No bike, no problem! Healthy Ride will be on hand to offer free voucher codes.

Covering 6.5 square miles, the Nine Mile Run watershed is a small urban watershed located in Pittsburgh’s East End that is home to numerous initiatives, including the largest urban stream restoration in the country to be completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Nine Mile Run Watershed Association leads a variety of innovative urban ecology projects designed to directly involve the community in helping to transform and improve the health of the watershed.

Looking for more events? Read our NEXTravaganza! 20 can’t-miss Pittsburgh events & concerts in June and our Top 10 things for families to do in June in Pittsburgh features.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.