Doncaster communities gear up for Yorkshire cycle fest
Communities in Doncaster are being encouraged to show their Yorkshire spirit and put on a party to welcome the Tour de Yorkshire next month.
The Tour de Yorkshire returns to Doncaster on Thursday, May 3, bringing the thrill and exhilaration of world class cycling back to the borough.
This time round residents have two action-packed days of cycling to look forward to. Doncaster will host the finish of the first stage of the men’s race and the ASDA women’s Tour de Yorkshire on Thursday, followed by the second stage of these races which will also pass through the borough on Friday, May 4.
The route will take in several of the borough’s scenic towns and villages and community groups, businesses, schools and residents have been invited to get into the Tour De Yorkshire spirit by decorating their neighbourhoods with colourful land art or organising community parties.
In 2016, Doncaster’s communities did the borough proud by brightly decorating their towns and villages in the Tour de Yorkshire yellow and blues. Their creativity knew no bounds with all manner of tour-themed adornments. There were cycling fish, cycling scarecrows and cycling 15ft sculptures. We were treated to bike-shaped floral displays, spectacle cycles and, last but by no means least, a Pie-cycle – a bike made completely of pies. All beautifully displayed among knitted bunting created by groups of nimble-fingered folk across the borough.
This year, there will be once again be a thrilling racing climax at Bennetthorpe, near Doncaster town centre on May 3. Event-goers will be able to experience the exciting – and absolutely free – Fan Zone event on Town Fields close to the finish line where there’ll be great entertainment, lots of bikes and a wide variety of food and drink. Guests can also visit Café Doncaster, Yorkshire’s largest cycle café where there’ll be tea and cake, live music and an inclusive village feel.
The Fan Zone will also host a large screen where event visitors can watch the Tour de Yorkshire live, relive its highlights and enjoy the real festival atmosphere that the Tour brings.
Following the massive success of the Tour de Yorkshire in 2016, cycling has continued to grow in popularity across Doncaster with more and more people joining local clubs, and all generations being inspired to embrace the joy of cycling.
Two days of one of the most prized events in the global cycling calendar is a fantastic triumph for the borough – the countdown is on!
As well as the Tour de Yorkshire, Doncaster is hosting the Delicious Doncaster Food and Drink Festival, from Friday, May 4 – Monday, May 7 and the annual Heritage Festival, from April 28 – May 13.
The Delicious Doncaster Food and Drink Festival features entertainment, activities, hot street food and some exciting names from the culinary world including The Hairy Bikers (Si and Dave) and Jean-Christophe Novelli. The celebrity chef cooking demonstrations will be ticketed events.
The annual Doncaster Heritage Festival boasts a packed programme of events, talks, walks, exhibitions and workshops. Writer and producer Philippa Langley MBE will be delivering this year’s David Hey Memorial Lecture – The Looking for Richard Project, and other events include opportunities to learn more about the borough’s Rebel Daughters and suffrage history, delve into Doncaster’s stories from the First World War and the annual Local History Fair, to name but a few.
Visit: www.doncaster.gov.uk/TDY for more information about the Tour De Yorkshire route.
For further details of cooking demonstrations and more events during the Delicious Doncaster Food and Drink Festival weekend visit: www.visitdoncaster.com For heritage festival dates and venues, please visit www.doncaster.gov.uk/heritage