A good-sized crowd of families packed Third Street in downtown Riverbank last Wednesday for this year’s edition of the Bicycle Rodeo and Health and Safety Fair.

Luckily, it was staged on July 12, just before the heat spell that took hold later in the week and lasted through the weekend. And Third Street has plenty of shade trees on it, helping keep things a bit cooler.

The event was held in the half block between Santa Fe and the alley between City Hall North and the Riverbank Police Services facility, right in front of Plaza del Rio Park. Some booths were on the park, as well as the bicycles to be given away, and some booths were on the sidewalk in front of City Hall.

In addition to all of the safety information booths, there was a grill and food booth, presented by Central Valley Community Resources, a local non-profit organization. There were several corn hole game areas, along with a table staffed by Modesto Police officers who were fitting youngsters for free bicycle helmets they were giving away.

Of course, the main attraction was the more than two dozen tricycles and bicycles that RPS Chief Ed Ridenour drew lucky tickets for in the giveaway. Many of them were donated by F & M Bank’s Riverbank Branch.

The giveaway was pretty straightforward, with the chief pulling tickets out of the paper bags that were attached to the handlebars of the various cycles, where families placed the tickets they were given, so they could try for a bike of the appropriate size for their children.

And another freebie on the bikes was a pre-filled out license application form that the winners could complete and turn in to register their new bikes for free.

“The event was very well attended,” Chief Ridenour said of the annual bicycle rodeo and safety fair. “Twenty-eight bicycles, over 100 helmets, and safety materials were provided to children at the event.”