Gear up for a second full season of community bike rides in 2016 by supporting Slow Roll Buffalo and having fun at Riverworks: raffles, t-shirts, posters, music.

Continuing its commitment to keep the rides free for all, Slow Roll Buffalo is holding a preseason fundraising party on Friday, April 22nd, 6:00-9:00pm, at Buffalo RiverWorks (359 Ganson Street), at which the entire schedule of venues will be announced along with a few new initiatives. The second floor of Riverworks will be lined with tables full of raffle and auction items such as a "Slow Roll Squad Date," for which one of the volunteers will take the winning bidder on a tandem bike tour of Buffalo followed by drinks at a participating venue. Other items available for the cause include the debut of Slow Roll Buffalo's first retail t-shirt and a commemorative poster featuring a map of the city with all 26 routes from the 2015 season. 

Expect:

-New announcements including the 2016 second-half schedule
-Auctions including a "Squad Date" Tandem Bike Tour of Buffalo
-Raffles for days
-New t-shirts & 2015 route map commemroative poster

One not-so-fun development after such a smashing success in 2015 in gathering thousands of bicyclists of all ages on a weekly basis is a much higher cost of operation over the six-month season of Monday night rides. 

"We were amazed yet prepared for the growth of Slow Roll Buffalo last year, and we're proud of the fact that the season went so smoothly with help from the City of Buffalo and Buffalo Police Department," said Slow Roll Buffalo co-founder Seamus Gallivan. "The city has continued to be supportive in preparing for further growth this year, and we're planning many ways to increase our reach beyond the ride, from addressing pressing community issues to holding neighborhood cleanups, along with more notification for those not participating - all with support from City Hall. This preseason party serves to inform our ridership of upcoming plans while asking for their help in keeping the rides free and fun for all."

The 2016 season of Slow Roll Buffalo will begin with a special Sunday Season Opener at Delaware Park's Marcy Casino on May 8th, 1:00pm, and continue on Mondays through October.

Founded in Detroit, Slow Roll is a group bicycle ride that has expanded into a global network. Each week, participants of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels meet at different venues and take a unique route throughout the city. For more information, visit www.slowrollbuffalo.org.