SHELBY BICYCLE DAYS Food, Parade, Bikes, Fireworks, and More.
2025 Shelby Bicycle Days
Friday, July 11, 2025 - Saturday, July 12, 2025
2025 Shelby Bicycle Days Events
Friday, July 11, 2025
Rotary Community Lunch
Friday, July 11, 2025 at Noon
Rotary Club of Shelby enjoys lunch from festival vendors.
Main Midway
Friday, July 11, 2025 from 11 AM to 10 PM
Food Trucks and Non-Food Vendors
Sponsored by Discovery Dental
AND
Midway Marquee Letters
Friday, July 11, 2025 from 11 AM to 10 PM
Sponsored by Hockenberry Trucking and Excavating, and 3 Littles Bounce Co
Come snap a selfie or take a group photo with the light up marquee letters at the end of the Main Midway.
AND
Kids’ Passport Contest
Friday and Saturday Events
Complete three of six Bicycle Days events for a chance to win a Target gift cards
Sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital
AND
Kids’ Bicycle Registration
Register your kids’ bike with the Shelby Police Department so that in the event it is stolen it can be tracked and returned to the owner.
Sponsored by Fraternal order of Police, Shelby Police Department, and Donley Ford of Shelby
The Melody Within - Dance Performance
Friday, July 11, 2025 at 3 PM
Black Fork Commons Amphitheater
Michael Mage the Magician
Friday, July 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Black Fork Commons Amphitheater
Sponsored by Shelby Mutual Insurance
Inflatable Zone
Friday, July 11, 2025 from 5 to 11 PM
Black Fork Commons
Sponsored by Mechanics Bank
Kids’ Safety Spot
Explore a variety of safety service vehicles during a community touch a truck event.
Friday, July 11, 2025 at 6 PM
Parking Lot near Skiles Field
Sponsored by Park National Bank
Shelby Bicycle Museum Open House
Experts in Shelby bicycle history will be on-hand at the Shelby Justice Center to answer questions and provide guided tours of the Shelby Bicycle Museum.
Friday, July 11, 2025 at 6 to 9 PM
Shelby Justice Center
Live Music: TBD
Friday, July 11, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Black Fork Commons Amphitheater
Sponsored by Shelby Rotary Club
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Lindy Flyer Community Bike Tour - 13th Annual
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Download the Lindy Flyer bike routes for various cycling routes throughout the Shelby community.
Corner of W. Main St. and Washington St. at the flag park
Shelby Farmer’s Market
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 9 AM
Near Log Cabin
Shelby Bicycle Museum Open House
Experts in Shelby bicycle history will be on-hand at the Shelby Justice Center to answer questions and provide guided tours of the Shelby Bicycle Museum.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 10 AM to 6 PM
Shelby Justice Center
Main Midway
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 11 AM to 11 PM
Food Trucks and Non-Food Vendors
Sponsored by Discovery Dental
AND
Midway Marquee Letters
Friday, July 12, 2025 from 11 AM to 10 PM
Sponsored by Hockenberry Trucking and Excavating, and 3 Littles Bounce Co
Come snap a selfie or take a group photo with the light up marquee letters at the end of the Main Midway.
AND
Kids’ Passport Contest
Friday and Saturday Events
Complete three of six Bicycle Days events for a chance to win a Target gift cards
Sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital
AND
Kids’ Bicycle Registration
Register your kids’ bike with the Shelby Police Department so that in the event it is stolen it can be tracked and returned to the owner.
Sponsored by Fraternal order of Police, Shelby Police Department, and Donley Ford of Shelby
Inflatable Zone
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 11 AM to 10 PM
Black Fork Commons
Sponsored by Mechanics Bank
Kids’ Bike Clinic
Learn how to successfully tune up your bicycle and how to safely ride this summer while completing the kids obstacle course.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 11 AM
Seltzer Park Tennis Courts
Sponsored by Hess Industries
Bike Decorating Contest
Grab a free kit which includes supplies to decorate your bike.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 11 AM
Seltzer Park Tennis Courts
Sponsored by Civista Bank
Shelby Bicycle Days Parade
Gather for this year’s Shelby Bicycle Days’ Parade along Main Street and Gamble Street.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 2 PM.
Whiz Bang Science Show
Saturday, July 12, 2025 following parade
Black Fork Commons Amphitheater
Sponsored by Marvin Memorial Library
Shelby Help Line Pie Auction
Bid on your favorite pie to help support the efforts of Shelby Help Line Ministries.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 following parade
Central Park Gazebo
Kids’ Minispokes
A collection of fun challenges for kids to complete!
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 5 PM
Skiles Field
Sponsored by Phillips Tube Group
Music in the Amphitheater featuring CONNE
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 7:30 PM.
Black Fork Commons Amphitheater
Sponsored by Richland Source
Shelby Bicycle Days Fireworks
Saturday, July 12, 2025 at dark
Skiles Lawn
Sponsored by ArcelorMittal and
Shelby Fraternal Order of Eagles #763
The support of an entire community.
OhioHealth is proud to be the presenting sponsor of Shelby Bicycle Days
Lead Sponsors
Shelby Fraternal Order of Eagles #763, ArcelorMittal, and Mechanics Bank,
Sponsors
Adams Albert and Curry, Civista Bank, Discovery Dental, Hess Industries, Hockenberry Trucking and Excavating, Park National Bank, Phillips Tube Group, Shelby Mutual Insurance Agency, Richland Source, Lloyd Rebar, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and 3 Littles Bounce Co.
Supporters
DAS Hardware, and Marvin Memorial Library
Contact us.
2024 Festival Contact
Katlyn Niese - (419) 543-1018
Kristen Wasilewski - (419) 545-5229
BicycleDays.Shelby@Gmail.com
Vote now for the 2024 Kiddie King & Queen
Online donation voting ends Sunday, July 7, 2024.
What are Shelby Bicycle Days
Shelby Bicycle Days is an annual community festival that takes place in the heart of Downtown Shelby. The festival is designed for family fun, while incorporating the history of Shelby Bikes that were once manufactured by the Shelby Cycle Company. The festival has taken place for more than 25 years in Richland County.
Each year a group of Shelby residents, help to plan a festival that includes signature events like the Shelby Bicycle Days Parade, Spokes4Kids Community Challenge and the area's best firework display.
The event takes place annually in early to mid-July in Black Fork Commons.
Shelby Bicycle Days is a project of the Community Improvement Corporation of Shelby.
History of Shelby Cycle Co.
Shelby has a rich history in bicycle production that, through foresight and perseverance, prospered through the Great Depression and World War II. It was a profitable 30-year venture that almost didn’t come to be.
The Shelby Cycle Frame Builders was formed in 1921 by A. D. Meiselbach of Chicago, a pioneer in the industry. Lured by a local supply of seamless tubing and the promise of free factory space, Meiselbach began producing frames and forks in Shelby.
Despite increased capitalization, the company was failing by the summer of 1924. Shareholders abandoned the venture, but factory superintendent Leon A. Smith found work to keep the factory open. By November 1924, Smith and 18 employees began to turn a profit.
In 1925, the company name was changed to Shelby Cycle Company and began assembling complete bikes.
The company displayed their newest creation, The Whippet, at a trade show in Madison Square Garden in January 1927. There they met trans-continental cyclist Clarence Wagner, who agreed to ride a Whippet cross-country later that year. Wagner broke the transcontinental record from Newport Beach to Atlantic City in 20 days, 17 hours.
In the 1930’s, there were several plant expansions. By 1937, Ohio companies made 50 percent of American bicycles; the Shelby Cycle Company was responsible for 1/3 of the output. More than 200,000 bicycles were made by 400 employees working day and night.
World War II and a required industry shutdown in 1942 would impact the mission of the mighty bicycle company. The company made a bold decision in 1941 to build a two-story addition in anticipation of national defense orders. At shutdown, the plant was already doing some war work in addition to manufacturing bicycles.
Through sub-contracts, Shelby Cycle Co. made tank rangefinder telescope tubes, gun shells, and airplane rockets. In 1945, bicycle production resumed. To fill orders more quickly, the most popular models were mass produced.
The company signed contracts with outlets such as Western Auto Stores, Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, and others.
With the retirement of Leon Smith, the decision was made in 1953 to sell the company. The Shelby plant would continue to operate under an agreement with the Cleveland Welding Company, a subsidiary of AMF.
By year’s end, the Shelby plant was closed; operations were moved to Cleveland, then Little Rock, Ark. About 100 local workers were laid off. Within 10 years, the name Shelby was no longer used.
Written by Christina Drain, 2018
