Pedal Factory’s second annual Spring Roll is June 3
Published 12:05 am Sunday, May 28, 2023
- BMX bicyclist Austin Fleharty completes a successful stunt above a ramp during the Pedal Factory's Spring Roll fundraising event last year on East Council Street. The street festival featured live music, a stunt show and a scavenger hunt, along with food and beverages for sale from local businesses such as Yummi Banh Mi, Mean Mug and New Sarum Brewing. (Natalie Anderson/Salisbury Post File Photo)
SALISBURY — The Pedal Factory’s second annual Spring Roll event will feature bikes, kids BMX clinic, music, contests and an auction.
The Spring Roll, set for June 3, in the 300 block of East Council Street, will raise money to support The Pedal Factory, a local nonprofit community bike center that aims to give everyone access to a bicycle, for the purpose of transportation, recreation and improved health and fitness.
Director Mary Rosser says the organization received plenty of positive feedback following the inaugural event, which took place in April of 2022. Raising nearly $7500 to support the nonprofit’s bicycling programs, the first Spring Roll included a BMX stunt show, two live bands, a bike scavenger hunt and several food trucks.
Looking to build on this success and keep the same family-friendly, community feel, this year’s event will again feature the BMX stunt show, a street party, music and interactive entertainment. Rosser says their board and planning committee was very thoughtful to keep the event true to their organization. “We are a community bike center, and we want to honor that. We looked for ways to really highlight the bike as much as possible, keep people engaged and social, while also bringing in many of the community partners who’ve consistently supported our work.”
Novant Health has stepped up as a major sponsor this year, after working with The Pedal Factory through team building events and community health initiatives. A dozen other sponsors, contributing both financially and through in-kind donations, are all local individuals and small businesses. “The Spring Roll is a community event that allows others to see first-hand how The Pedal Factory is serving and engaging the community. The Pedal Factory works towards better health, acceptance and unity within our community, and that’s something our family wholeheartedly is committed to supporting,” says Cybil Jones, who is sponsoring the event for the second year.
Beginning at 3 p.m. with outdoor games, shop tours, and a DJ, the Spring Roll promises to keep guests entertained and engaged. Chain Reaction Action Sports will bring their high flying BMX stunt show back to Council Street, as well as a youth clinic focused on building the skills necessary to learn tricks. Pro rider Alex Johann expressed early interest in returning to the Spring Roll, and together he and Rosser schemed to make their act a bit more collaborative this year. “Kids were amazed and wowed by Alex and his crew, so we thought, why not let kids have the chance to ride alongside these guys?” A youth BMX clinic will take place at 4 p.m. While there is an extra charge for the clinic, participants will leave with a few more tricks and a signed poster of the riders. Registration is live online and at the event, with a limit of 30 participants.
Adults will also have the opportunity for bike related fun, through an Alleycat scavenger hunt/race. An Alleycat bike race is traditionally held in urban areas with no defined route. Cue sheets are handed out moments before the race begins, then riders race to the listed checkpoints to have the cue sheet stamped or checked. While the first rider to return will get a prize, other categories are up for grabs, such as most unique bike, coolest outfit and more. Knowing the Salisbury area well will be key to finding each checkpoint, again highlighting the community collaboration that the nonprofit works to cultivate. “This is as much a celebration of our work as it is a fundraiser. These local partnerships have allowed us to thrive and reach more people here in Salisbury,” says founding board member Sharon Earnhardt, who regularly leads the Sunday social ride around town. “We want to show off our work and help sustain it through fundraising, but also keep our community involved. Most of the locations on our Alleycat race are longtime local supporters and sponsors.”
Several fun surprises are also promised at the Spring Roll. “We want our fundraiser to be as unique as our community! People bring us ideas and we’re all about sharing our space and sharing the love,” Rosser states. “You’ll just have to show up to see what all we’ve got planned.”
Tickets for the event are priced at $35 per adult, $25 for under 21, and $100 for a family of four. Each ticket includes entertainment, food from Slice of Heaven Pizza or Slice’s Diggity Dogs, beverage choices including New Sarum and Mean Mug, a dessert option, Alleycat race entry for anyone who wishes to participate, game and door prize ticket. Day-of tickets will be available at the event; youth “color your own” T-shirts and BMX bike clinic are available online and on a first come, first serve basis at the event.
For more information, contact Mary Rosser at 704-870-7145 or mary@thepedalfactory.org.