Amish Country Bike Tour weekend Sept. 5-7

For cyclists and the general public who are not familiar with the ways of the Amish, or for those who never knew Dover was home to an Amish community, the weekend of Sept. 5-7 featuring the Amish Country Bike Tour will provide an opportunity to pedal through Amish communities as well as insight into the ways of the Amish including their beautiful handmade quilts.

The Amish Country Bike Tour, now in its 28th year, features five loops (15, 25, 50, 62 and 100 miles) through the back roads of Kent County. It is the largest cycling event in Delaware, with more than 2,500 cyclists from 25 states and the U.K. For more information, go to www.AmishCountryBikeTour.com or find at www.facebook.com/AmishCountryBikeTour.

The Dover Art League is partnering with the Dover Public Library and local art gallery Parke Green Galleries to present the Amish Art Loop the same weekend. An opening reception will be held on First Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m., Sept. 5. The public and Amish Country Bike Tour cyclists are invited to attend, free of charge.

The Amish Art Loop is a self-directed art tour which will cover sections of Governor’s Avenue, Loockerman Street, Federal Street and State Street. All venues are within a short walking distance of each other and will feature local visual artists. Maps will be provided at all participating locations, and the tour is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, the Dover Art League will feature an Amish Quilts presentation in its Holden Gallery with a speaker from the humanities covering the Delaware Amish culture. In the downstairs gallery, the league will feature art related to Amish life and bikes. The Dover Public Library will feature a group show, and Parke Green Galleries will have a focused Amish-themed show as well as a Saturday evening reception from 5 to 8 p.m.

For more information on the Amish Country Bike Tour, call 800-233-5368.