Snow is still on the ground across much of the state, but Bay State Bike Week is right around the corner. This year, it takes place between May 11 and 19, and will be here before you know it.

Bay State Bike Week is an umbrella event organized by MassBike in partnership with MassDOT and MassRIDES, and is composed of hundreds of local events which celebrate and raise awareness about bicycling. Events are organized locally and then added to the online calendar, meaning that we couldn't do it without the local advocates putting together events. Last year, we had a wide variety of activities on the calendar, ranging from bike rodeos on the Cape, to the Rush Hour Race in Somerville, to film screenings in North Adams.

Are you thinking about organizing an event for Bay State Bike Week? It's really easy, and has great benefits:

• • Kicks off the bike season for 2013, encouraging new bicyclists to discover how great it is to go by two wheels.

• • Demonstrates the strength of the Massachusetts bicycling community.

• • Helps spread awareness about bike safety and access issues, not just to other bicyclists but to all users of the road.

• • Highlights your organization or bike-friendly business.

• • Provides a great way to meet other bicyclists.

• • Gives you the opportunity to request free swag to hand out!

Look here to find more information about how to plan an event. Once you have it planned and submitted, you can request materials (t-shirts, etc) here. Quantities are limited, but we'll do our best to fill your order.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email [email protected].