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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
RAGBRAI to celebrate 40th anniversary in Cedar Rapids
The RAGBRAI stop in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, July 26, will involve more than just thousands of bicyclists staying overnight. This year is the 40th anniversary of the start of the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), and Cedar Rapids will play host to the anniversary celebration.
“We look forward to working with the community of Cedar Rapids to host this event on July 26,” RAGBRAI director T.J. Juskiewicz told the media.
Juskiewicz told city officials at a Friday news conference that the details of the celebration and entertainment aren't finalized yet. However, RAGBRAI is looking for one or two national headline acts to provide the entertainment for the approximately 25,000 bicyclists and supporters, as well as potentially thousands of local residents who would want to see a concert.
Details of the exact entertainment are expected in the next few weeks.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett said the city has not finalized its plans yet but is nearly 100% certain the entertainment will take place on the Second and Third Avenue bridges as well as May's Island. “We are honored to host RAGBRAI's 40th Anniversary celebration in Cedar Rapids,” Corbett said.
The mayor said the setup he envisions may resemble the one-time Labor Day weekend “Taste of Cedar Rapids” event that brought thousands of people downtown for food and entertainment. He's also not certain of where the riders will camp, but believes Ellis Park is the strongest possibility because it is relatively close to downtown.
RAGBRAI officials say an anniversary celebration is usually a big event. The 25th anniversary was celebrated with a black tie party at the state capital in Des Moines. The 30th anniversary took place the year after Sept. 11, and it took on a patriotic theme.
Via
