MILWAUKEE– It’s the one day a year where holiday spirit is spread by pedals and spoked wheels.
The annual Santa Rampage brings thousands of people dressed like jolly St. Nick and other Christmas characters as a way to spread holiday cheer across Milwaukee.
Kirsten Finn is the President of the Wisconsin Bike Federation and says the annual event is the world’s largest holiday themed bike event for charity.
“More than 1900 people pre-registered this year,” said Finn. “I think for some people, especially in my family, this is the most magical day of the year and it kicks off the whole holiday season.”
According to the Wisconsin Bike Fed, the event started more than 20 plus years ago as a small group ride among friends to celebrate the holiday season.
Over time the event gradually grew and became a charity ride that now funds Wisconsin Bike Fed education programs like bike safety for kids, bike lessons for children and adults, and helps with efforts to expand biking opportunities across the state of Wisconsin.
Cyclist Becky Policht has done the event for 9 years and is always surprised how people dress for the event.
“You usually have people dressed up as Santa, but then you meet people who dress up like Buddy the Elf and even Krampus,” said Policht. “Some people will do the whole ride every year, but I know some people will get on and off of the route and go bar-hopping to really enjoy the day.”
The route starts and ends at Wheel & Sprocket in Bay View but the ride takes cyclists through neighborhoods such as Murray Hill, Lower East Side, Riverwest, the Third Ward, and Walker’s Point.
Jaime Vos has biked the rampage for almost a decade and says the event really highlights how bike-centric Milwaukee is as a city.
“Like Madison, I think Milwaukee is really a biking mecca,” said Vos. “This event not only raises important funds for the Wisconsin Bike Fed, but I think its gives the city a real sense of unity through its love of cycling.”
