Youth en Route Launches CycleFest 2026: Building Community, Confidence, and a More Bike-Friendly Calgary
Reflections from our AGM and the launch of Calgary’s newest community cycling festival.
On Tuesday, January 27th, we gathered with staff, board members, partners, and community champions for Youth en Route’s Annual General Meeting and the official launch of CycleFest 2026 — and we left feeling deeply grateful, energized, and excited for what’s ahead.
These moments of coming together remind us why Youth en Route exists in the first place: to ensure young people have the confidence, skills, and access needed to move safely and independently through their city. Mobility is more than getting from point A to point B — it is a pathway to independence, connection, wellbeing, and belonging.
“Bikes really are freedom. Once we teach the basics of balance and control, we take the youth for a short ride in their community, and they discover bikes are a joyful, fun way to get around — and it’s easier than they thought it would be. Bikes open doors to experiences and opportunities for everyone.”
— Laura Shutiak, Executive Director, Youth en Route
A Year of Growth and Collective Impact
At our AGM, we reflected on a year of meaningful growth. Over the past year, Youth en Route’s reach expanded from approximately 1,400 students to more than 4,600, and our operating budget grew from $110,000 to $350,000. These numbers represent far more than organizational milestones — they reflect thousands of young people gaining access to bicycles, learning new skills, and discovering what it feels like to move through their community with confidence.
Programs continue to grow in response to increasing demand, including adaptive cycling programs reaching students of all ages and abilities, winter programming, PE 10 classes, and summer programs with community partners such as newcomer-serving organizations and social service agencies. Since September alone, more than 300 bikes have been given away to youth and families, helping remove financial barriers and open doors to everyday mobility.
Cyclefest Officially Launches at the Annual General Meeting 2026 (Photos courtesy of Laura Shutiak)
Looking Ahead: A Community Bike Hub for Calgary
Executive Director Laura Shutiak shared an exciting vision for what’s next, including the development of a membership-based DIY community bike shop, donation depot, and Youth en Route workshop, meeting space, and a second location for Bathtub Bikes. Funded for two years through the Calgary Foundation, this future hub will serve as a physical home for learning, repairing, sharing, and connecting — a place where sustainability, skill-building, and community come together.
This work reflects Youth en Route’s holistic approach to cycling and active transportation: addressing access, ability, culture, safe routes, and secure parking, because we know that one broken link can become a barrier.
Introducing CycleFest 2026: Calgary’s New Community Cycling Festival
We were thrilled to launch CycleFest 2026 officially, Youth en Route’s inaugural, free, family-friendly community cycling festival, taking place June 6, 2026, in downtown Calgary.
CycleFest is a public extension of Youth en Route’s school-based cycling education programs — bringing our programs, values, and partnerships into a shared, welcoming space. It is designed as a gateway to skills, confidence, and local cycling resources, and a celebration of youth mobility, active transportation, and community connection.
What you can expect at CycleFest 2026:
• Hands-on learn-to-bike and cycling safety programming
• Kids Bike Trade-Up, repair/safety check areas, and cycle track guided tours
• Community booths, demos, and local resources
• Mainstage programming and CyclePalooza events
Why CycleFest Matters
Healthy & Active Lifestyles
Regular movement supports physical and mental well-being. Through cycling education and access to safe, welcoming spaces, CycleFest encourages cardiovascular health, coordination, confidence, and joy — helping families build healthy habits that last beyond a single day.
Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability
By promoting cycling and active transportation as practical, everyday options, CycleFest supports a shift away from single-occupancy vehicle trips and builds awareness of Calgary’s growing active transportation network. Sustainability is framed as joyful, accessible, and community-driven.
Social Inclusion & Belonging
CycleFest creates space for youth, families, and communities to come together. By centring youth voices and inclusive programming, the event fosters connection, reduces isolation, and encourages intergenerational participation.
Economic Equity & Access
Cost remains a significant barrier to participation in cycling. CycleFest helps reduce this barrier by offering free programming, access to equipment, and connections to local resources — supporting long-term financial resilience for families.
Moving Forward, Together
CycleFest 2026 is about access, joy, and shared movement for all ages. It is about teaching a young person to ride for the first time — and then hearing them ask, “Can you teach my mom?” It is about building a safer, healthier, more connected Calgary, one pedal stroke at a time.
If you’d like to be part of CycleFest — by joining a committee, becoming a partner or sponsor, or connecting us with vendors, volunteers, or community groups — we would love to hear from you. Be sure to stay in the loop for further details by checking out our Cyclefest website, which will be available soon.
Together, we’re pedalling onwards.
