Pride Ride strolls through downtown

FINDLAY — Further Bikes hosted its first Pride Ride event Wednesday with support from Findlay Pride Potluck. A total of 28 riders came together for a hour-long community bike ride through downtown as a part of the many celebrations for Pride Month. Participants made a loop around downtown Findlay. The "rolling community hang" was open to all skill levels, backgrounds, and bikes — from old mountain bikes to BMX bikes. Levi Gaswint, Further Bikes owner, said the event aimed to encourage more people in Findlay to get out of their bicycles in a welcoming and inclusive environment. "I'm always trying to get more people out on bikes," Gaswint said. "Bikes did a lot for me; clearing my head, getting some fresh air. I think being out in the sunshine is a good idea for everybody. Any different group we can get to swing through is the goal." Pride Ride is a part of Further Bikes' tradition of weekly "Wednesday Party" cruises through downtown. The weekly rides are meant to introduce people to local bike infrastructure and help build confidence on the road. Riders are encouraged to wear colorful outfits or costumes, and even decorate their bikes. "Every Wednesday is our downtown cruise," Gaswint said. "It's more like taking a walk around town, but just on top of a bicycle. Anybody who wants to ride bikes is what we're looking for. We have to constantly be getting as many people to ride bikes as possible, because it's sort of a fringe activity in America." Depending on availability, Further Bikes has bikes participants can borrow on a first-come, first-served basis. "We're working on getting a loaner fleet in the future, where we can have some bikes prepped and ready and always here for people to borrow," Gaswint said. Pride Ride was supported by Findlay Pride Potluck, a 100% volunteer and grassroots effort formed by local residents. The group highlights inclusive, community-centered events in Findlay during Pride Month. While not affiliated with Kaleidoscope Youth Center or the former LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay, the coalition collaborates with various organizations. "It's a way to create visibility to what already exists here in Findlay," said Ryan Spath, co-coordinator. "There's a lot of community support and love in the community. It's just sometimes hard to see or hard to appreciate that it's there. Our goals are to create that visibility and celebrate the wonderful things that are available to the community here in Findlay." Spath said he hopes Findlay continues to host inclusive, accessible community events. "I'd like us to continue to be able to do these sort of community focused events," Spath said. "Making sure that we're creating things that are accessible to everyone that calls Findlay home — whether they're part of the LGBTQ+ community or allies. We want them to be open to everyone in Findlay, so that everyone can feel valued and included and can contribute the most that they have to our community." Other Pride events happening this month include a rainbow flower bouquet class Saturday, June 14, a free yoga class in the park Saturday, June 28 and a historical brick painting class hosted by the Findlay Art League Saturday, June 28. For more information on upcoming Pride Month events, visit Findlaypride.com.