Central Park will be the Happiest Place on Earth come Sept. 22 when the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame and Radio Disney team up to present Bingo Bikeathon — a family outing jam-packed with kids activities, a bike excursion to UC Davis, a stage show and the opportunity to earn two nights and two days at Disneyland.

The event, open to the public, also will be a fundraiser for the Hall of Fame’s expanding children’s programs: happenings like classroom visits, safety education, presentations on the history of cycling in America and learning more about how the bicycle can play a key role in local ambiance and environment protection.

The facility has a far-reaching program in the works that will encourage classrooms from not only Davis, but from throughout the region, to tour the facility and allow kids to understand more about cycling in America.

Radio Disney’s Road Crew will be bouncing around Central Park, bringing the tunes of Justin, Selena and Taylor to town.

Prizes appropriate for those 16 years old and under are aplenty during the 90-minute show and audience participation, Crew dances and special interaction with selected local kids are on the menu in Radio Disney’s 90-minute show.

“We’re all very excited about this event,” Hall of Fame trustee Brodie Hamilton told me. “An immediate goal of the Hall of Fame is to create an environment of education for kids, not only from Davis, but from the region.”

Hamilton has been working with city of Davis Public Relations Manager Bob Bowen and SwimAmerica owner Rose Cholewinski to put together the fun-filled event.

The gathering invites family members to take pledges with the promise to ride the friendly UCD route, which will feature public art and campus landmark checkpoints. Participants will get a map to their destinations at check-in.

The pledge-collecting aspect of the event will be similar to other community and school fundraisers: think Little League hit-a-thons or football lift-a-thons.

Hamilton says participants who secure pledges for $100 or more will be eligible for drawings for two sets of four-day passes to Disneyland, while the participant collecting the most money on behalf of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame will take home the grand prize — a two night stay and two-day admission for four at the Southern California park (including California Adventure).

A Disney/Hall of Fame goodie bag with event T-shirts from Ink Monkey and water bottles, complements of the Hall of Fame, and Radio Disney items will be given to each participating child who reaches their pledge threshold.

Pre-Radio Disney show music will be supplied by a live band, refreshments for purchase will be available and other surprises are on tap, Hamilton promises.

Hamilton adds that the facility’s website (www.usbhof.org) will have a pledge-pay element set up by July 1. Families riding the UCD route can begin anytime from 10:30 a.m. on, but be sure to be around for the festivities in Central Park. Radio Disney will bring the merriment beginning at noon.

If a participant gets, say, 20 pledges at $5 each, that’s $100 and qualifies for entry into the Disneyland/California Adventure passes drawing.

“We expect this to be an ongoing family event,” Hamilton continued.

The Radio Disney show is high energy — totally entertaining. Add Team Green’s  inspiring look at our planet (with local ways to pitch in to protect Mother Earth), Sunday, Sept. 22, becomes an educational experience as well.

This event is a giant step in the right direction in educating kids (and parents) about how the world unfolds to folks who ride their bicycles — and how riding your bike helps keep that natural wonder in good health for the generations to come.

While I Have You Here: Put me down for four tickets on the Fourth of July.

Word comes from Davis High Athletic Director Dennis Foster that seats are available at Ron & Mary Brown Stadium for the city’s annual fireworks extravaganza.

For $10 ($5 for kids 12 and under), folks can sit in comfort at the stadium and watch the 20-minute show.

Refreshments will be on sale (candy, energy bars, drinks) and there will be organized activities for kids on Halden Field.

The newly dedicated Steve Larsen Memorial Bike Plaza has plenty of bicycle parking and doors at Brown Stadium will be open from 8:15 p.m. to the conclusion of the fireworks (just before 10 p.m.).

This first-year offering is conducted by the Blue Devil football and track squads with part of the proceeds going to the city’s fireworks program.

“Everybody wins on this,” Foster says. “And it’s a comfortable environment in which to watch the show.”

Tickets are on sale now through Foster ([email protected]), and Blue Devil coaches of football, Steve Smyte ([email protected]), and track, Spencer Elliott ([email protected]).

Get your orders in now. There are four fewer tickets as of 10 minutes ago.

— Bruce Gallaudet is a staff writer for The Davis Enterprise. Reach him at [email protected] or 530-747-8047.

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