Before the city’s 16th annual art festival, Saturday, September 21, enjoy the trails and bike lanes on the Tour of Lakeville. Registration is free thanks to the Lakeville Friends of the Environment, who will lead two rides of different lengths. Select between the 6 to 8-mile (kid-friendly) ride route or the 18 to 20-mile scenic bike trip on Lakeville’s trails and bike lanes. While touring Lakeville, gain a new perspective of the town’s beauty and closeness to nature, then enjoy the Art Festival.
Tour of Lakeville details
This year’s Tour of Lakeville starts and ends at Pioneer Plaza Park, a block north of where the Art Festival takes place. Pre-register at Lakeville Parks & Rec so you are ready to ride; it’s free. Remember to pump up your tires and bring a helmet and water bottle. Check-in starts at 9 a.m., and both rides leave at 9:30 a.m.
Your route choices
The 6-8-mile (kid and family-friendly) route is all on Lakeville’s paved trails.
The 18-20 mile route uses many quiet neighborhood streets that connect to trails meandering through new housing developments, parks, and wildlife areas. Enjoy the unique sculptures and art benches in several parks along the way, a highlight of the Lakeville art scene.
The Tour of Lakeville is a fun ride for all
Along the Tour ride, participants will discover many attractive segments of the community and many outdoor spaces that include:
- Great views of Lake Marion as the tour passes the new outdoor performance pavilion in Casperson Park and the West Lake Marion Mountain Bike Trailhead.
- The paved Juno Trail hugs the lake’s shoreline.
- Views of the popular Antler’s Park, under construction and re-opening in the spring of 2024, with a swimming beach, picnic areas, volleyball, and horseshoes.
- Enjoy listening to birds and seeing butterflies along the paved trail through the Steve Michaud Park-Conservation Area.
- And more!
Don’t worry; no rider will be dropped on this family-friendly ride. However, all participants are expected to ride at a moderate pace so everyone can share their favorite ride stories after returning.
The 18-20 mile ride will last approximately two and a half hours. This time frame depends on the number of registered bikers and the route. Remember to pre-register so the ride has plenty of staff support – Thanks!
After the ride, make it a day at the Lakeville Art Festival
Many consider this one of the finest art festivals in Minnesota. The Lakeville Art Festival is held annually on the third weekend in September. This year, the event will feature over 90 artists in an intimate and accessible setting. The artist booths are staged in a park-like atmosphere, allowing for a unique circular type arrangement to help showcase their work. Plus, many artists have scheduled demonstrations over the two days of the festival, September 21 & 22.
Another family-friendly highlight at the art festival is a stop at the “Young at Art” tent. This workshop area has plenty of art supplies, ideas, and experts to help the creative juices flow.
More on the new mountain bike trail in Lakeville
The Lakeville Cycling Association has constructed a mountain bike trail system on the west side of Lake Marion. Another family-friendly attraction, the new course, is approximately five miles long. The trail segments in the park allow plenty of fun features for beginning, intermediate, and advanced mountain bikers. This single-track, one-way trail system includes multiple switchbacks, berms, rollers, and fun for all to enjoy.
See the map for this new, year-round mountain bike trail system. You can access the trailhead in Casperson Park by parking in the gravel lot north of the soccer fields at 19720 Juno Trail. Watch for trail updates and trail conditions on the clubs’ Facebook page.
For those visiting the area who want to learn more about connecting from the area hotels to the trails and fun things to do when not riding, see the At-A-Glance Lakeville and their map.
