Ladds 500
| Ladds 500 | |
|---|---|
 The event in 2025 | |
| Status | Active |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Ladd's Addition |
| Location(s) | Portland, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 45°30′31″N 122°38′58″W / 45.508541°N 122.649415°W |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2016 |
| Founder | David Barstow Robinson |
| Participants | Hundreds (2025) |
| Website | www |
The Ladds 500 is an annual cycling event in Portland, Oregon, United States.
Description
[edit]The purpose of the non-competitive annual cycling event is to travel around a park in the Ladd's Addition district of southeast Portland's Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood 500 times, either individually or as part of a team.[1][2] The free event has been described as a "relay" and not a race.[3] According to the organizer, 500 laps is a century, or 100 miles. Portland Monthly has included the Ladds 500 in a list of fifteen "essential" annual bike events in the city and said, "Riders form relay teams and 'turn left for a while,' while non-riders party in the middle."[4] The event operates as a project of fiscal sponsor Umbrella 501(c)(3), is funded by donations, and run by volunteers.[5] The phrase "It's spring, let's do something stupid"[6] (or simply "Let's do something stupid") is part of the event's marketing.[7][8] The event is held annually on the Saturday after the second Friday in April.
History
[edit]The event was founded by David Barstow Robinson.[5] Approximately 40 people participated in the first event in 2016. By 2025, the event attracted hundreds of participants.[5] It has become popular enough that a permit from the Portland Bureau of Transportation is obtained to temporarily shut down vehicular traffic around the park where the event takes place.[5][9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Ladds 500 returns to Southeast Portland, bigger than ever". kgw.com. 2025-04-12. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ "The Ladds 500 Returns, Now With No Cars on the Road". Willamette Week. 2025-04-08. Archived from the original on 2025-04-09. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ Gebel, Meira (2024-04-11). "Weekend Guide: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at Moda, plus Ladds 500 relay". Axios. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ "The Essential Portland Bike Events All Year Long". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2025-04-10. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ a b c d Todd, Tatum (2025-04-13). "Thousands of wheels, hundreds of laps, one traffic circle: Ladds 500 invites riders to 'do something stupid'". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ "What to Do in Portland (April 9–15, 2025)". Willamette Week. 2025-04-08. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ Seibold, Hannah (2025-04-02). "Ladds 500: Southeast Portland's 100-mile relay around a traffic circle returns". PortlandTribune.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ Graves, Mark. "Ladds 500 2024". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ "Streets close for 8th annual Ladds 500 bike relay in Portland". kgw.com. 2025-04-12. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
