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New in 2023: Wheelie competition and one-mile running event;
community ride returning for kids and families
EASTON, Pa – The Easton Twilight Criterium (eastontwilightcrit.com) races back to Downtown Easton for its third year on May 27, offering a day of world-class bicycle racing and participatory events for children and adults.
Presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network, the Easton Twilight Criterium (ETC) will feature some of the world’s top cyclists reaching speeds over 40 miles per hour on downtown Easton streets. The bike race is a partnership between the City of Easton and the nonprofit Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP) and kicks off the Memorial Day race weekend, which culminates with the prestigious Tour of Somerville, the longest-running race in North America, on May 29 in Somerville, N.J. The ETC is held rain or shine. It is free for spectators.
Cheer the racers
The Criterium covers a challenging 0.8-mile course featuring six turns as racers wind their way through downtown streets. An estimated 300 racers will hit the start/finish line in the 200 block of Northampton Street close to Centre Square. They race continuously for either 30 minutes or 35 miles (depending on age and classification) throughout the evening. Professional teams from as far away as New Zealand are expected to compete, as well as cyclists from Canada, Europe and several Caribbean nations.
The short uphill finish on Northampton Street will reward both the strong and the savvy racers in front of thousands of fans at Easton’s Centre Square. Fans are expected to line the entire course, enjoying food and drink at downtown restaurants and bars while ringing cowbells and cheering on racers during the high-energy races.
Amateur races begin at 2:55 p.m. and pros take to the course at 7 p.m. with professional women in a 25-mile race followed by pro men in a 35-mile race at 8:30 p.m. See the full schedule:
eastontwilightcrit.com/race-schedule/. Want to learn the lingo and strategy of a criterium? Visit eastontwilightcrit.com/festival-info/racing-101.
The event is also the Pennsylvania State Criterium Championships. Men and women who are PA residents on their USA Cycling license will race for the state titles in their respective categories. Races remain open to residents from all states, but the scoring will identify the top PA riders for special recognition. More:
https://eastontwilightcrit.com/racer-info/
Fun Events For All
Families and individuals that want to shift gears and test out the course before the races can participate in a Community Ride presented by Crayola, provided free of charge through the Easton Recreation Department. Streets will be closed to automobiles, allowing participants to ride several laps on the race course before the races kick off. The Community Ride begins at 2:15 p.m. Advance registration is required at
https://eastontwilightcrit.com/festival-info/community-ride/. Helmets are mandatory.
A wheelie competition (free) will feature three competitions from 6:30 – 6:50 p.m.: 12 o’clock (rider’s body is vertical on bike), swerves (riders in a wheelie see how close they can get to an object without touching it) and circles (riding in a large circle while in a wheelie). Prizes will be awarded.
Another addition to the schedule this year is a one-mile running race at 5:55 p.m. ($25 entry). Runners will take to the same closed criterium roadways for a test of speed without the benefit of wheels. A total of $2,000 in prizes will be awarded to the top three overall men’s and women’s finishers.
“We’re building this event into an annual celebration of Easton and to show off the opportunities for recreation and competitive sport that are possible here, alongside our Easton-based partners in fun and sweat, Bicycling Magazine and Runners World,” says Jared Mast, GEDP executive director. “We hope that residents and visitors come downtown for this celebration and help cheer on all the racers all day long, from the juniors to the pros.”
Sponsors for the 2023 Easton Twilight Criterium include presenting sponsor Lehigh Valley Health Network as well as Hindle Power, Unity Bank, Discover Lehigh Valley, Perfect Bungee, Brown-Daub Kia, the Grand Eastonian Suites Hotel, and Crayola.
ABOUT: GEDP is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization focused on Easton’s economic well-being, historical integrity, programmatic development, vibrant culture and hospitality. For more information, contact Executive Director Jared Mast at 610-250-2078 or
jared@eastonpartnership.org. Visit us online at EastonPartnership.org.
Information provided to TVL by:
Michael Drabenstott (for GEDP)
Drabenstott Communications Group
