The Wheelmen are riding into Carillon Historical Park this Saturday!

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59th Annual Meet Rolls Into Carillon Historical Park:

Saturday, July 11, 2026 • 1 to 4 p.m.

Weather Dependent

The Wheelmen are riding into Carillon Historical Park this Saturday!

Founded in 1967, The Wheelmen are a national nonprofit dedicated to preserving America's cycling heritage through riding and restoring cycles built in and before 1932.

This Saturday, 125 cyclists from 20 countries and Puerto Rico will gather at Carillon Historical Park to display and ride dozens of historic bicycles, including numerous high-wheel bicycles — also known as high-wheelers, ordinaries, and penny-farthings. Because these cycles are challenging to ride under normal conditions, let alone during inclement weather, the event is weather dependent.

The Wheelmen share a long history with Carillon Historical Park. When the park's replica of Wright Cycle Co. — the Wright brothers' fifth and final bike shop at 1127 W. Third St. — was dedicated on May 6, 1972, more than 100 Wheelmen celebrated with a two-day event featuring races, demonstrations, and classes.

In the years before they became aviation pioneers, Wilbur and Orville Wright were bicycle manufacturers and repairmen. Although no photographs survive, the brothers built a giant tandem bicycle using the four-foot front wheels from two high-wheel bicycles.

Only five Wright bicycles are known to survive, and two — a 1900 and 1901 Van Cleve — are preserved in the Wright Brothers National Museum at Carillon Historical Park. Visitors can also see how the brothers adapted bicycle technology for flight: the 1905 Wright Flyer III uses similar sprocket-and-chain technology they employed in their bicycle shop to drive its propellers.

See you on Saturday!

📍 Carillon Historical Park

🗓️ Sat., July 11, 2026, 1 to 4 p.m.

🎟️ Regular admission fees apply. Free to members.