What to expect as Leesburg gears up for Bikefest
LEESBURG — Starting this Friday, April 19, driving anywhere around historic downtown Leesburg business district will be a little more tedious than usual thanks to the influx of people gearing up for this year's Bikefest.
Expect traffic delays along with street and parking lot closures as crews begin setup for the 27th Leesburg Bikefest. The three-day event is set for Friday-Sunday, April 26-28. Click here for the event's entertainment lineup.
From a city manager's office press release: "Due to Bikefest street closures, Leesburg City Hall and the Municipal Services Center will close on Friday, April 26. The Customer Service drive-through payment window at City Hall will close at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24. The Leesburg Public Library will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, and remain closed for the entire weekend. No library materials will be due during the closure period."
The release goes on to say that all City facilities reopen again on Monday, April 29. Many city services including building permits, planning and zoning applications and utility payments can be conducted online at LeesburgFlorida.gov.
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Parking and getting around
"Drivers are encouraged to use extra caution and watch for motorcycles and pedestrians throughout the entire weekend," city spokesperson Pam Hester said in the release.
LakeXpress will operate a special Bikefest shuttle with 160 stops from the Villages to Mount Dora. A map of the shuttle route is available at RideLakeXpress.com.
The first Bikefest took place in 1997, and the event has drawn more than 250,000 people to downtown Leesburg. According to LightningCustoms, the 2024 Bikefest has once again made LightningCustoms.com’s Major Motorcycle Rallies List.
Moto-themed events will be with Bikefest
Gator Harley Davidson, 1745 U.S. 441 in Leesburg, will be hosting its annual Spring Bike Rally just down the road from the downtown BikeFest. Those festivities begin on Thursday, April 25, and run through Sunday, April 28. (Details at gatorharley.com under the events tab.)
The Custom Bike Show and Field Meet will take place at the Lake County Fairgrounds from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. The fun includes a mechanical bull-riding competition. Admission is free, and details can be found on event organizer Elite Baggerz Facebook page.
Windy Acres Farms, 1236 Miller Blvd. in Fruitland Park, will feature a Bikefest camping event with "adult games," body painting, and food and beverage vendors from Wednesday through Sunday, April 24-28. Bands will rock the event, including April Red on Thursday, Lawless Intent and Ted Scallan and the Delta Boogie on Friday and the Chris Cornish Band on Saturday. Details at windyacresfestivities.com.
More details about Bikefest can be found at LeesburgBikefest.com or follow Leesburg Bikefest on Facebook at facebook.com/leesburgbikefest.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: What to expect during the lead-up to Leesburg's Bikefest April 26-28
