McKINNEY, TEXAS  – McKinney Main Street is teaming up with local cycling organization McKinney Velo to host the Second Annual Historic Downtown McKinney Bike the Bricks Criterium race on Friday, May 27.

Bike the Bricks features several interval races, a mayoral cup invitational and a purse worth $20,000. Warm-up starts at 4:30 p.m. and the races kick off at 5 p.m.

The event isn’t just for cyclists; it’s free and open to spectators, too. On race day, fans will have the opportunity to enjoy the races plus live entertainment and a beer garden. Entertainment begins at 6:30 p.m. with a line-up that includes the Alex Dowidchuk Band, the Maylee Thomas Band and more. The event serves as a fundraiser for the McKinney Education Foundation and Spokes4Hope.

“Event spectators of all ages will enjoy a free Friday night event in Historic Downtown McKinney with cycling, live entertainment, food and drinks. We are estimating up to 500 cyclists participate in the event and thousands of spectators to enjoy event amenities,” said Ty Lake, Main Street Director.

Sponsors for this second annual event include McKinney Community Development Corporation, McKinney Velo, Richardson Bike Mart, Independent Bank, Loughmiller and Higgins, Michelob Ultra, Lone Star 92.5, Nissan Buick GMC of McKinney, Tallent Roofing, Tommy Rose Contracting, ACIS, McKinney Pipe and Steel, Bikin’ Mike, Brown and Hofmeister, Thompson and Knight, LLC, Simply Fit Meals, 97.5 KLAK and Appian Commercial Realty. Admission to the event is free to the public, and parking is plentiful throughout the eleven parking lots north, south, east and west of the square. For additional information, contact McKinney Main Street at 972-547-2660 or visit www.downtownmckinney.com.  

About Historic Downtown McKinney

McKinney boasts one the oldest authentic and thriving historic downtowns in Texas. Downtown McKinney offers more than 100 unique shops, including an assortment of specialty shops, art galleries featuring the works of local artists, furniture stores, exquisite antique collections, gift shops and apparel boutiques all centered around the McKinney Performing Arts Center housed in the Historic Collin County Courthouse. Downtown McKinney also has more than a dozen unique restaurants, including upscale restaurants featuring award-winning chefs, sandwich shops and neighborhood pubs with outdoor patio dining. For more information, visit www.downtownmckinney.com.  

About McKinney

McKinney, Texas, is unique by nature. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., McKinney has a current population of more than 131,000. Incorporated in 1848, the city is located 30 miles north of Dallas and is the county seat of Collin County. McKinney offers rolling hills, lush trees, a historic downtown square and unique neighborhoods and developments, and it was recently ranked as the #5 Best Places to Live by Money Magazine. Visit the city’s Web site at www.mckinneytexas.org.