Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – Cycling enthusiasts of Jonesboro have much to look forward to this summer as Native Brew Works kicked off National Bike Month with a party.

Cyclists stopped by Native Brew Works the evening of April 30 to meet with local organizations to learn all about upcoming biking events, from Hope Found NEA’s annual Ride Against Trafficking to The Skirmish, coming back to Jonesboro for its second year.

Attendees had the chance to chat with representatives, collect free swag from participating partners, enter drawings, and play games at the kickoff party, while also joining Native’s Slow Roll.

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The Slow Roll is a weekly community event that departs from Native Brew Works every Thursday. The ride is approximately eight miles and lasts around an hour, welcome to all no matter age or cycling experience.

For those wanting to get their tires dirty and try something new, Thursday’s event introduced new and returning Jonesboro cycling events.

After the success of last year’s Skirmish, All Sports Productions, Inc. returns to Jonesboro for its second annual event.

This year’s Skirmish will start Thursday, May 28, with a slow roll starting at 6:30 p.m., followed by two shakeout rides, event registration, and live music from local bands on Friday, May 29. Saturday, races will continue throughout the day with the awards ceremony at 6 p.m.

| READ MORE: Gravel cycling race The Skirmish to return to Jonesboro this spring

Craig Rickert, executive director of the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission, said this year’s Skirmish will be bigger and better than last year’s. “Last year, we got about 210 people to take part in it. This year, we’re already over two hundred with a month to go. That’s what we planned for this event, to watch it grow every year.”

“It’s not just about people being on bicycles, it’s about people coming together as a community and celebrating all the things that Jonesboro is, and now Jonesboro is turning into a cycling city,” he said.

Bruce Dunn, founder of All Sports Productions, Inc., said that last year’s Skirmish exceeded expectations. “Fourteen states [attended] last year, which, quite frankly, was double what I thought. I mean, we exceeded so many expectations the first year that I just said, ‘OK, hold on, we probably met our second-year goals.”

Dunn attributes the growth of the Skirmish to the inviting nature of the Jonesboro community.

“What they loved, and what I heard on our survey, is the people,” Dunn said. “We know how great Jonesboro people are. We know how great Arkansas people are. So to hear the people that come from out of town say that, can’t be undervalued.”

The first ride in this year’s Skirmish series will be a Family Fun Ride on Saturday, May 2. The ride will be a leisurely bike ride from downtown Jonesboro to the Bradbury Art Museum, where riders will be welcomed with food and refreshments.

For more information about the Skirmish, visit skirmishjonesboro.com.

Also coming up is Hope Found NEA’s annual Ride Against Trafficking campaign. The Ride Against Trafficking event will be held at Osment Harley-Davidson of Jonesboro on June 6. This year, the ride will be different as Jeep drivers are now welcome to join the usual line of bikers and cyclists.

| READ MORE: Hope Found of Northeast Arkansas’s Annual Ride Against Trafficking Scheduled

Tickets to join the ride are $20 for drivers and $10 for passengers. Tickets include a t-shirt or towel for bikers, a towel or rubber duck for Jeep drivers, and a barbecue meal. To join the campaign, visit hopefoundnea.org/events.

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