August Bike Festival Gets Blessing of Principal Shopping District

Despite early concerns by the City Commission, the Birmingham Bike Festival may be back on track for approval after the  board unanimously approved the festival’s plans at its regular meeting Thursday.

The board had few concerns with the plans, which were sent back at Monday’s commission meeting after commissioners raised concerns with how the business community would react to closing many streets the day of the event. In addition,  commissioners pointed out that the festival’s proposed date of Aug. 28 is just one week after the Birmingham Cruise event.

“We’re piling on more and more of these events ... and while I think this could be a great event, we’re asking a lot,” Commissioner Tom McDaniel said Monday. “Particularly for the people (on Old Woodward), there’s something going on once a month.”

At that meeting, Jeff Surnow, owner of the West Bloomfield-based developer Surnow Co., presented his plans for the festival — plans that included closing downtown streets for 20 minutes to an hour at a time for bike races throughout the day.

At the PSD meeting, Surnow laid out more specifics for the festival, which would be broken into two parts: a series of races for professional cyclists and family activities, featuring a children’s rodeo, bike safety demonstrations and bike decorating competitions.

Race routes include parts of Maple Road, South Old Woodward Avenue and Merrill, Pierce, Martin and Bates streets, all of which would be closed during the races. The streets would be closed at 4 a.m. Aug. 28, with the races lasting until mid-afternoon, when the streets could be reopened, Surnow said. 

Though commissioners were concerned businesses would be opposed to the plans, no one on the PSD board raised any objections to closing the streets. Cheryl Daskas, co-owner of , said many stores — including Tender — are closed on Sunday, the day of the festival. In addition, the festival might even benefit certain retailers, such as , which sells outdoor and exercise gear and clothing.

Surnow stressed that the festival would bring hundreds, if not thousands of visitors to the city. With an estimated 350 bikers participating in the races alone, he said each is sure to bring guests for support.

Another concern from City Commission was whether the festival would be “charity sanctioned,” with profits going toward a local or national nonprofit. Surnow said he’s unable to ask for nonprofit support until the event has been approved, but he’s looking into asking the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Tour de Cure, an organization that raises money for diabetes research.

In addition, event organizer Cullen Watkins noted that the Wolverine Sports Club, a Royal Oak-based sports club that works to promote cycling, has indicated it wants to partner with the Surnow Co.

The festival plan goes back to City Commission for final approval at its March 21 meeting.