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Fairfield cyclists light up the town
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD – Fairfield residents who were outside on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 19 might have noticed a large group of cyclists spreading holiday cheer as they rode through town with their bikes decked out in Christmas lights.
About 35 cyclists participated in the event, known as the Holiday Lights Ride. The Ride in Fairfield has organized the event every winter since 2020. The group started its route at The Ride on North Court Street, then traveled 4-5 miles through Fairfield before ending it an hour later in Central Park. Afterward, group members enjoyed food at the Elk’s Lodge across the street.
Stephanie Wharton, a native of Brighton who has lived in Fairfield since 2019, organized the event. She lived in Des Moines for seven years, where she participated in a holiday light ride, and wanted to do the same thing after she moved to Fairfield. Mark Smith, owner of The Ride, liked the idea, and allowed Wharton to take charge of planning Fairfield’s Holiday Lights Ride.
Participants place holiday lights on their bicycles, and many take the opportunity to dress in a costume. Wharton said she plans a route that lets the cyclists see the best decorated homes in town. This year, the cyclists visited some of the top homes that competed in the Christmas Light Showdown. Wharton added that the pace of the ride is leisurely, and group members try to stick together.
“We get kids and older people, so we try to make it as family friendly as possible,” Wharton said.
The response from residents has been really positive. Wharton said a few motorists aren’t happy about having to drive around the group, but most people enjoy seeing the cyclists get into the Christmas spirit.
“We play Christmas music during the ride. I have my speaker and Mark brings his, so people can hear us coming,” Wharton said. “A lot of them wave and think it’s fun. They’ll roll down their windows and say, ‘You look so cool!’”
Wharton said she’s been an avid cyclist ever since her days as a little girl growing up in Brighton. Her mom gave money to her and her sister to bike to the gas station for ice cream. After moving to Des Moines, Wharton did a lot of the bike trails in that part of the state.
“When I decided to move closer to home, I told my parents that the only place I wanted to go was Fairfield because they have a loop trail,” Wharton said.
Since moving to Fairfield, Wharton has joined the Jefferson County Trails Council, and serves as its maintenance chair.
“I wanted to get involved in the community, and that’s one of the first things I joined when I moved here,” she said.
The Ride organizes weekly bike rides, starting at its shop. The group meets on Thursday evenings in the summer, and then switches to Sunday after Labor Day. Wharton said that anyone wishing to learn more about cycling opportunities in the area can submit a request to join the Facebook group Southeast Iowa Cyclists.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
