Síclovía, the bi-annual health and wellness event hosted by the YMCA of Greater San Antonio, invites the community to freely bike, walk and play in the streets of San Antonio on Sunday, April 3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Event organizers expect more than 70,000 attendees to enjoy the day’s events and weather, which promises to be cool in the morning and warm up later in the afternoon. Whether you’re a Síclovía pro or a first-time attendee, here are a few guidelines and tools below to help you plan ahead.
Route/Getting Around
This month’s Síclovía will feature an all-new downtown route that begins at Maverick Park, includes the southern portion of Broadway, and connects attendees with cultural and physical landmarks along the way to Roosevelt Park. Participants can join the event at any point along the route, and find multiple meeting points using the Síclovía phone app, available for download here.
The free app allows IOS and Android users to connect with friends, and view the schedule.
What to Expect
Drivers should expect the downtown route to close to vehicles on Sunday at 9:15 a.m. However, Commerce, Market, Houston, St. Mary’s and Navarro streets will remain open to drivers. The San Antonio Police Department will also open a few controlled intersections, allowing slowed traffic to pass.
Attendees should arrive early: Councilman Roberto Treviño (D1) and Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales (D5) will speak during the Síclovía opening ceremonies at City Hall at 10:40 a.m., and the event officially kicks off at Maverick Park at 11 a.m.
To learn more general event information click here.
“The event is really open to anyone, there’s activities for all ages,” said Stephanie Jerger, YMCA mission advancement communications director. “We’ve heard from families that Síclovía has inspired them to start exercising regularly, and that (the event) was the first time their children rode a bike. It’s made some memories that are pretty special.”
Safety Guidelines/What to Bring/ Leave at Home:
- All cyclists should wear helmets while actively riding.
- Participants who are walking, jogging, or traveling with young children should stay to the right of the street.
- Several Síclovía event partners including Culligan, will pass out free water bottles but it’s important for participants to bring their own water and stay hydrated.
- Sidewalks are for designated for walking and standing only.
- Dogs are welcome, but should be kept on a short leash.
- Almost anything on wheels, including: bikes, roller blades and hover boards are welcome.
- Síclovía observes a strict, no drone policy, per the San Antonio Police Department.
Click here to view the Síclovía Safety Pledge.
Reclovías/ Activities
Take a look at the Síclovía route above to find the reclovías, which will offer first-aid and water stations to participants.
Reclovía in Travis Park: Travis Park will serve as the YMCA “activation area,” and feature sponsors like Humana, and vendors like Trinity University Farmers Market and Camp Bow Wow.
Reclovía in Roosevelt Park: Stop by the park for free performances, activities and information provided by SA2020, Mayor’s Fitness Council, SA Pets Alive, a Chalk area by ArtPace, San Antonio Parks and Rec Mobile Fit Unit, Magik Theatre and more.
Reclovía at Maverick Park: San Antonio’s Parks & Rec will also host a free tree adoption event starting at 11 a.m. Officials expect several hundred trees will be adopted, until supplies run out.
Reclovía at KLRN: The KLRN parking lot will become the KLRN Kids’s Area on Sunday, where the San Antonio Public Library, the DoSeum, Woodlawn Theatre, Pre-K 4 SA other organizations will provide children’s activities.
Ace Mart Reclovía: Ace Mart will host several bike vendors and the Bexar County Medical Society Alliance, which will give away free helmets to attendees.
H-E-B South Flores Market: The new H-E-B will host cooking demos in its parking lot and hand out free sunglasses and water to Síclovía participants.
Volunteers
This event promises to be the biggest Síclovía yet, but the YMCA still needs volunteers to help direct traffic, pass out water to participants, and set up/tear down event sites.
“We have 60 volunteers now, but we typically take about 200. We can never have (too many) volunteers,” Jerger said.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities click here.
Top Image: Families ride, walk and skate down Broadway St during the 9th Síclovía event on Sept. 27, 2015. Photo courtesy of YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
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