When cyclists participating in the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa’s 50th anniversary ride this summer, they’ll stop overnight in a familiar place: Ames.
This summer’s overnight towns were announced Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Iowa Events Center. Ames was an overnight stop on the original 1973 RAGBRAI route, and the city served as an overnight town in 1983, 2008, and most recently in 2018. The 2023 Ames stop will be on Tuesday, July 25.
On Thursday night (Feb. 2) at the Discover Ames “First Look” reveal party, held at the ISU Alumni Center, Kevin Bourke, president and CEO of Discover Ames, unveiled the theme and logo for the overnight stay in Ames: “Cycling Fun and GAMES.”
“We are looking forward to showcasing the Ames community to RAGBRAI riders again this year,” said Bourke. “We wanted to emphasize the residents of Ames in our theme, and we know that RAGBRAI riders love to have fun. Our ‘Fun and GAMES’ theme will be carried throughout our welcome events and evening entertainment.”
Organization of the overnight stay will be a community-wide endeavor. Discover Ames will collaborate with a local organizing committee consisting of leaders from the city of Ames, Ames Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Ames, Story County, and Iowa State University.
Details regarding the route in and out of Ames, entertainment, volunteer opportunities, campgrounds, and other local services will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information, contact:
- Carole Gieseke, Discover Ames director of marketing and communications
- (515) 956-4602
- caroleg@discoverames.com
4 Responses
We’d like to host Ragbrai cyclists in our home. Also I’d like to volunteer in other areas. Can you sent us information about this as the planning progresses?
Thanks!
Thank you for offering to volunteer and to host riders. We will have details soon!
Will the campgrounds be set up at the same locations as 2018? If you don’t have an answer for that how soon will we know?
What will the route be through Ames – which streets will be affected?