News Release: The Bike to Books design contest is back! Plus many other Bike Month activities

Published

April 28, 2026 8:39 am

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The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Multnomah County Library are teaming up once again for the eighth annual Bike to Books design competition. Starting on May 1, Portlanders are invited to design original art to celebrate Bike Month and the hundreds of miles of bike lanes around the city. Participants start with the standard sharrow bike lane marking and put their own flair on it for the chance to add color and whimsy to Portland streets! Submit art in the Pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd through 6th grade, 7th through 12th grade, or adult categories.

Learn more and download a Bike to Books design sheet

"Bike to Books brings together the creative spirit of Portland artists of all ages, the skill and ingenuity of PBOT's maintenance workers, and the weird and whimsical fun that makes taking a bike ride through our city a year-round joy," said Transportation Director Millicent Williams. "I'm thankful for the long-term partnership with Multnomah County Library and proud to see this heartwarming, community-focused program being adopted by other cities around the country."

"Multnomah County Library is thrilled to continue partnering with PBOT on Bike to Books," said Director of Libraries for Multnomah County, Annie Lewis. "We encourage our community to bike to a library, enter the contest and explore the transformed spaces this May. Enjoy bike parking at many Multnomah County Libraries such as Albina and Holgate, a bike repair station at Midland Library and much more!"

Grand prize winners (one per age category) will have their designs installed on one of Portland's many neighborhood greenways by PBOT's Traffic Signs and Pavement Markings crews. Second and third place winners will also be eligible for prizes.

This year, the bureau is once again inviting adults to submit designs alongside Pre-K to 12th graders.

In May and throughout the summer, visit your local Multnomah County Library branch for free, bike-related events and classes like Bike Storytime or PBOT-led Basic Bike Maintenance workshops.

The Bike to Books program has brought colorful creativity to Portland's bike lanes since 2017. Since then, PBOT has installed 24 original artworks in Portland bike lanes. From fungi and reading octopi to bicycle-riding strawberries and fire-breathing dragons, there is no limit to what Portlanders will create! The program has been adopted by other cities since its inception, including Seattle and Mesa, Arizona. Get excited by checking out last year's winning designs! PBOT crews installed the 2025 grand prize winners earlier this month.

Three of the 2025 Bike to Books winning designs installed on Portland streets are illustrations of "Big Pink" riding a bike, many cats on a bike, and a book loving, coffee drinking bear on a bike.

Contest rules and guidelines

To participate, pick up a copy of the design sheet at your local library branch or visit PBOTs Bike to Books website for a downloadable copy. Once your design has been created you can drop it off at your local Multnomah County Library branch, no later than Sunday, June 1. To find your nearest open branch and for information on hours visit multcolib.org or call 503-988-5123.

You can also scan or take a picture of both sides of the form and email it to PBOT at [email protected]. We accept .jpg, .png, and .pdf file formats. Please check your image so that it is clear and has a high resolution if possible. Make sure to keep the original copy.

Design sheets are available to pick up or download in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russian.

Entries must be original artwork. Multiple entries are welcome. Entrants must live in Multnomah County to be eligible to win.

Bike to Books Family Ride on May 9

We're thrilled to invite you to join the first ever PBOT-led Bike to Books Family Ride and bike from one Southeast library to another using low-stress bike routes. The ride is approximately 4 miles. After the bike ride, stay at Sellwood-Moreland Library's Community Room to participate in a Bike to Books contest activity! A space will be set up for kids and adults to draw and color their Bike to Books design sheets. Submit your design right then and there (or email it later) for a chance to get your original artwork installed on Portland city streets!

Jump on the Bike to Books Family Ride!

A group of people, including two kids in a cargo bike, smile and flash peace signs as they ride bikes together.

Don't miss these other Bike Month events!

May is Bike month! There are many ways you can get involved with Bike Month this year. Hop on your bicycle to explore your neighborhood, attend a bike maintenance workshop, or simply earn rewards for riding your bike.

Bike Month Challenge

Portland is pulling out all the stops to celebrate National Bike Month. Whether you are a daily commuter or haven't hopped on a saddle in years, May is the perfect time to rediscover the joy of biking!

Register a team and invite friends tojoin in!

Sunday Parkways

Celebrate the joy of walking, biking, rolling, and playing on car-free streets with PBOT during the 2026 Portland Sunday Parkways season, Presented by Kaiser Permanente!

The 2026 Sunday Parkways season kicks off on May 17 in Southwest Portland.

Portland Sunday Parkways Presented by Kaiser Permanente kicks off in Southwest Portland on May 17. This event will provide Portlanders with an opportunity for robust physical movement, community connection, and plenty of shared smiles along the miles of car-free open streets!

The fun doesn't stop in May. Portland Sunday Parkways continues in East Portland on June 28, Downtown Portland on September 13, and for the first time since 2019, Portland Sunday Parkways will be returning to North Portland on August 2 with a brand-new route showcasing downtown St. Johns and PBOT's new walking and biking infrastructure investments along N Willamette Boulevard.

City Bike Bus

Join us on one of eight unique bike bus routes on your ride to downtown! This event happens every fourth Wednesday of the month through September. Meet at locations across the city or jump on a route anywhere along the way. Rides converge at Salmon Street Springs for coffee, treats, a group photo, and conversations.

The Earth Day City Bike Bus group ride ended at Salmon Street Springs with a group photo in front of the fountain.

Text "City Bike Bus" to 888-520-0526 to receive monthly Bike Bus reminders!

National Bike+Roll to School Day

Keep active this spring and join schools across Oregon to celebrate National Bike+Roll to School Day on Wednesday, May 6. Walking, biking, and rolling to school is exhilarating and fun - give it a try this spring!

If you're able, leave the car at home and travel to school with friends through either a walking school bus or bike bus.

If you live too far to walk, bike, or roll, try a park-and-walk by parking a few blocks away from the school and walking the rest of the way.

If you take the school bus, have a walk in the school yard or do a few laps around the track at break time so you can get active too!

New to Portland Ride: Lents

Are you new to town, or new to cycling in Portland? Want to explore some of the best low-stress bike routes in the Lents, Foster-Powell and Mt Scott-Arleta neighborhoods? Then join our New to Portland ride on Tuesday, May 5th!

We'll see some great parks, look for Heritage Trees and find other gems in the area. This is the first of a series of New to Portland rides for 2026 exploring different areas and designed for folks who want to get to know their neighborhoods and neighbors.

Gather at 5:30 p.m. at Lents Park Nature Path.

Centennial Neighborhood Bike Fair

Join PBOT in East Portland at Parklane Middle School on Friday, May 29 from 2:45 - 5:45 p.m. for the Centennial Neighborhood Bike Fair. Both kids and adults can get lessons and build their bike skills, make sure your bike is rolling smoothing with free quick fix bike repair, join a low-stress 1-2-mile guided community ride, and pick up a free helmet. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes. There will be bikes of various sizes available for children and adults to borrow for the Learn to Ride lessons.

Beyond Bike Month

May might be Bike Month, but PBOT hosts events and provides resources for walking, biking, and rolling all year round. Keep an eye on our events page and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky for event reminders.

Biking and pedestrian resources

PBOT has bicycling resources for people of all ages, abilities, and skill levels. PBOT's Biking in Portland page is a great starting point, with a compilation of useful resources, from suggested rides around the city to bike repair and maintenance.

Sign up for text or email updates on PBOT's bike-related tips and events

Follow the neighborhood greenways: Where to ride in Portland

• Portland has nearly 400 miles of bikeways, of which over 100 miles are along low-stress neighborhood greenways.
• PBOT's Portland by Cycle program has developed free bike and walk maps for the city. Check out our list of suggested rides around Portland, which are all loops and are centered around low-traffic streets and Neighborhood Greenways. From the "Summer of Pride 2023 - N/NE Loop" to the "Classic Waterfront Loop Ride", there's a ride in every part of the city. Portland by Cycle is made possible with support from Metro, the Federal Transit Administration, and PCEF.

Resources for new riders

• Start with the checklist for getting started biking, which has useful information such as places to rent a bike, choosing the right gear, and understanding common bike symbols and signs.
• The Portland Biking Guide includes tips and techniques to keep your ride safe and fun.
• There's also a Portland Family Biking Guide, so that even the youngest Portlanders can get familiar with bikes. This includes carrying options like cargo box bikes and rear-mounted seats, as well as tips for helping children learn how to bike independently.

Resources for pedestrians

• Portland isn't just for cyclists; there are plenty of resources for pedestrians as well. SmartTrips' Walking in Portland page includes useful information about how to navigate Portland streets.
• The comprehensive Portland Walking Guide details ways to stay safe by being visible and aware of what the different pedestrian signals mean.
• PBOT also has a list of 12 suggested walks located across Portland. There's the classic 2.6-mile "Downtown Waterfront Loop Walk", the 2.7-mile "Historic Kerns Walk", and the 4- mile "Jade District Mount Tabor Walk" to name a few.
• Start a walking school bus! PBOT's Safe Routes to School program is available to help you organize a group of neighbors and friends to walk to school together.

Portland, we hope you choose to walk, bike, and roll through the city this spring. Safe travels!