BikeFest is only 22 days away! Which means that there are only 528 hours or 31,680 more minutes to get excited for what will surely be the best BikeFest yet. As a celebration of all things cycling put on for and by bikers throughout the city, it’s important for us to continually call attention to how essential you all are to the success of BikeFest. In an effort to ensure that this year’s BikeFest is bigger and better than the year before, we are promoting particular events on our website so that you can get a sneak peak of the fun in store!

Aug 13: Ride to the WORLD Pinball Championships – Don’t miss this totally unique Pittsburgh event!

You may wonder – what do bikes and pinball have in common?

Well first off both are fun and flashy forms of technology that while seemingly endangered are ultimately far from extinct. A second similarity they share is that both will be enjoyed simultaneously during Thick Bike’s ride to the 14th annual PAPA Pinball Tournament. PAPA is the Professional Amateur Pinball Association and this annual tournament that they put on is practically pinball’s world championships. It’s held in PAPA Headquarters, which is a warehouse with over 30,000 square feet filled with more than 400 pinball machines and an array of classic video games.

There will be plenty of pinball to play and watch, and all ages and abilities are welcome to either play for fun or participate in the tournament, which boasts a total prize package of $39,200. And although it may be impossible to take home that prize package, we will all be winners who participated in a priceless experience; after all what better way is there to pull up to a pinball tournament than with a great group of bikers?

The ride is about 18 miles round trip biking almost entirely on roads, and just like all rides in or out of Pittsburgh it will have some hills involved.

• The Thick Bikes Ride to the PAPA Pinball Tournament
• Saturday August 14th
• Meet at Thick Bikes (1408 Bingham Street Pittsburgh PA 15203)
• 10 am returning around 2pm
• For any additional information on the PAPA Pinball Tournament go to: www.papa.org

Don’t miss one of the best parties in Pittsburgh: The BikeFest Kickoff Fundraiser Party! Our largest party of the year kicks off BikeFest in style, and raises funds to support BikePGH’s advocacy efforts. Beat the long lines getting into the party and buy your tickets today!