Ride the Drive Information

 Get ready to stroll, roll, pedal, or glide at Ride the Drive 2025! Join the Madison tradition on Sunday, August 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., for a free community event celebrating healthy, active living.

The 2.38-mile Ride the Drive route closes John Nolen Drive from Lakeside Street to South Blair/Williamson Streets and Williamson Street from South Blair Street to South Ingersoll Street. Access to downtown Madison and the Olin Park boat launch remains open during the event.

• Boaters can reach the Olin Park boat launch from East Olin Avenue through the open service gates at Turville Point Conservation Park.
• Main roads, including East Washington Avenue, Gorham Street and Johnson Street, stay open and provide options to reach the Capitol Square, State Street, and downtown Madison.

Streets on the route will be closed from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Vehicles must be removed from closed streets by 8:00 a.m.

Metro Transit Route C will detour. Details are available at this link.

For one day, walk, bike, skate or roll your way along the 2+ miles of closed streets between four action-packed activity hubs set in three downtown area parks. Each park hub is buzzing with games, giveaways, music, food and more!

• Olin Park, 202 East Lakeside Street
• Law Park West, 355 John Nolen Drive
• Law Park East, 410 South Blair Street
• McPike Park, 210 South Ingersoll Street

Ride the Drive (RTD) goers can start at any point along the route or at a Madison Parks information booth located at the four park hubs to pick up the event-day map and RTD Parks Prize Pass. The Prize Pass encourages participants to stop at each park hub and play along by visiting a vendor at each park hub and securing their official stamp autograph. Completed prize passes may be dropped off at any Madison Parks information booth for a chance to win Parks prizes. A random drawing will be held the week following Ride the Drive.

The four park hubs along the route offer food, entertainment, bike safety checks, water stations, and restrooms with plenty of free giveaways and all-ages activities like bike obstacle courses at Olin Park and McPike Park, bike on/off the bus demos at Law Park west and the WI DNR fishmobile at Law Park east, to name a few.

New this year is the Pedal Parade. Decorate your bike or stop by Law Park East to gear up, then join Madison Bikes and Machinery Row Bicycles at McPike Park before noon for a 5-mile slow-roll lap along the RTD route.

Ride the Drive is a rain or shine event; however, if there is a threat of severe weather, safety is our primary concern. If lightning or other threatening weather is expected or in the area, we may delay the start, end early, or cancel the event. Any updates will be posted on RidetheDrive.com.

See RidetheDrive.com for up-to-the-minute updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Ride the Drive is organized by the City of Madison Parks Division in collaboration with numerous City agencies and local organizations and made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and partners, including the Madison Parks Foundation.