Downtown Amherstburg, Ontario, will come alive with cycling events from August 14 to 16 as Cycle the Burg rolls into the Open Air Weekends series. Organized by the Windsor Essex Bike Community (WEBC) and Amherstburg Tourism, the festival brings professional BMX stunt shows, group rides, and family activities to 242 Dalhousie Street.
The highlight is the Krusher BMX stunt shows, with professional riders performing flips and spins on Friday at 7 p.m. and during the day Saturday. A live DJ will keep the energy up, and visitors can explore cycling vendors, join group rides, or take part in scavenger hunts and street games.
WEBC has quickly become a force for cycling in Amherstburg since forming in 2022. Since 2023, volunteers have raised over $200,000 and put in more than 5,000 hours to build over eight kilometres of mountain bike trails at the Libro Centre, giving riders a dedicated place to explore without leaving town. That effort earned the group the 2025 June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism from the Province of Ontario.
WEBC president James Braakman said the group grew from a handful of riders looking for connection. “Mountain biking essentially changed my life, especially with mental health,” he said. Today the organization includes road cycling, youth programs, and the Dirt Divas, a women-specific riding group.
Local connections run deep. Eric Favot, a WEBC mountain bike ambassador and former professional BMX rider who once performed with the Krusher team, started riding at age nine at the original Amherstburg Skatepark. Flow Cafe & Bikes, a participating vendor, will have a booth at the event.
The weekend wraps up Sunday with group rides ending at a post-ride party from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Missing O venue inside Hotel STRY on Murray Street. Throughout the weekend, downtown streets will be closed to traffic as part of the Open Air Weekends setup, creating a pedestrian-friendly festival atmosphere.
Cycle the Burg runs August 14 to 16, 2026, with events centered around 242 Dalhousie Street. Admission is free, and more details are available at visitamherstburg.ca.
