Milwaukee's "People's Holiday" is Almost Here: Your Guide to the Riverwest 24
Admin Editor
It’s Not Just a Race: Feeling the Unfiltered Joy of Milwaukee’s Riverwest 24
In Milwaukee, the last full weekend of July is sacred. It’s not a traditional holiday, but for those in the know, it’s the most anticipated 24-hour period of the year. This is when the streets of the vibrant, eclectic Riverwest neighborhood transform into a swirling, joyous, and utterly exhausting celebration of community, creativity, and cycling. This is the Riverwest 24.
Mark your calendars: the next glorious ride begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 25, 2025, and doesn’t stop until 7 p.m. the following day. But to call it just a "bike race" is to miss the point entirely. It’s a block party on wheels, a test of endurance, a city-wide inside joke, and a powerful testament to what makes Milwaukee so unique. It’s The People’s Holiday.
How It Works: Laps, Manifests, and Pure Mayhem
The premise is simple: ride your bike in laps around a roughly 4.6-mile course through Riverwest for 24 hours. The goal is to complete as many laps as possible. Riders—who participate in categories like Solo, Tandem, or Teams of up to six—carry a "manifest," a scorecard that gets stamped at four official checkpoints to verify a completed lap.
But the real magic lies beyond the basic loop. The secret to success, and the source of most of the legendary stories, is found in the bonus checkpoints.
These aren't your typical race stops. Scattered throughout the neighborhood at various times are optional, often bizarre, and always memorable tasks. One hour you might find yourself getting a questionable haircut from a volunteer for extra laps. The next, you could be helping a local non-profit, writing a poem on the spot, competing in a toilet-paper-toss, or singing karaoke under a bridge. These checkpoints, dreamed up by residents and volunteers, embody the quirky, creative spirit of Riverwest. They force you to get off your bike, interact with strangers, and embrace the unexpected.
More Than a Race, It's a Community Embrace
What truly elevates the Riverwest 24 is the neighborhood itself. This isn't a closed course. You're riding on open city streets, sharing the road with (mostly) patient drivers. More importantly, the entire neighborhood comes alive to cheer you on.
Residents set up lawn chairs, host block parties, hand out water and snacks, and blast music from their porches at all hours. Kids line the sidewalks for high-fives. You might ride past a live polka band at 2 p.m. and a punk rock show in a backyard at 2 a.m. The energy is palpable and infectious. It’s a collective experience where the line between participant and spectator blurs into one giant, mobile party.
This event is born from the community. It’s 100% volunteer-run, from the organizers to the checkpoint staff to the folks serving the traditional free breakfast to weary riders on Saturday morning. It’s a powerful reminder of what can happen when a neighborhood comes together to create something for the pure joy of it.
How to Experience the RW24
For the Rider: Getting a spot in the race is the first challenge, as it's determined by a registration lottery typically held on the first Sunday in May. If you're lucky enough to get in, be prepared for anything. This is less about aerodynamics and more about having a can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and a willingness to operate on very little sleep. Don't be a jerk, obey traffic laws, and remember to have fun—it’s the unwritten, primary rule.
For the Spectator: This is one of the best spectator sports in Milwaukee. You don’t need a ticket. Just pick a corner anywhere in Riverwest. Good spots are often near the official checkpoints (like the Start/Finish line at Pierce & Clarke) or along bustling corridors like Humboldt Boulevard. But the best way to experience it is to simply wander. Follow the sound of a cheering crowd or a distant drumbeat. Bring a lawn chair, some snacks to share, and be ready to cheer for everyone—from the elite solo riders to the costumed teams just trying to make it to the next bonus checkpoint.
The Riverwest 24 is a beautiful, chaotic, and heartwarming slice of Milwaukee culture. It's a celebration of human-powered transportation, neighborhood pride, and the simple, profound joy of riding a bike. Whether you ride or watch, you’ll walk away tired, inspired, and already counting down the days until next year.
