Riders prepare to embark on the Critical Mass Ride at a previous Fat & Skinny Tire Fest. (Photo Provided)

WARSAW — Warsaw and Winona Lake will be a biker’s paradise this weekend as the annual Fat & Skinny Tire Fest takes place. The event is a fun-filled weekend centered around bringing cycling enthusiasts and participants together to share the enjoyment of cycling and the health related benefits it provides.

The fun kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 19 with opening ceremonies at the Trailhouse in the Village at Winona. Then the all-size-tires, family-friendly Community Critical Mass ride, an exciting, fun, and light-hearted “take over the road” rolling celebration happens. The ride starts at Trailhouse in the Village at Winona at 6:30 p.m. and finishes 2.5 miles later at Mad Anthony’s Lake City Taphouse in Downtown Warsaw. There will be a variety of activities downtown Warsaw for everyone to enjoy after the ride.

The rest of the weekend includes various rides for every experience level of bike riders. These rides include a Historical Winona Tour, Countryside Tour and Century and DINO Series mountain bike races. Young bike riders will also get to join in on the fun with age appropriate activities such as Tracey’s Trailer Safety Skills Course, TREK Trikester Course, and Metzger Outdoors Scavenger Hunt.

Over 700 cyclists and fans are expected to attend this year’s event. Through participation, the event raises awareness and funds for Bicycle Indiana, Ride+Walk Warsaw+Winona Lake, the Winona Lake Trails, KCV Cycling Club, plus more area health and wellness-related organizations.

A full list of events and schedule can be found online.