The Ride Leicester Festival freewheels into town this month. All August long you can take part in free pedal-powered fun with a range of inclusive cycling events taking place across the city.

Now in its 21^st year, the festival is an annual celebration of cycling organised by Leicester City Council with support from British Cycling and the sustainable transport charity Sustrans.

It kicked off with Cycle to Work Day, an annual initiative that encourages people to leave the car keys at home, jump on their bikes, and get to work via Leicester’s extensive network of cycleways.

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Great events

On Sunday 4 August, there’s a chance to pedal for a medal at the Saffron Lane athletics stadium. The event, inspired by the Olympics and Paralympics and organised by Leicester Wheels for All, will give everyone the chance to ride a bike, with specially adapted bikes available for anyone with a disability. Sessions run at 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

At 9.30am on Thursday 8 August, a ‘learn to ride’ session will encourage complete beginners to have a go at cycling. The women-only sessions at the St Matthews Centre will be repeated every Thursday throughout August. For details, email cycle-city@leicester.gov.uk

Friday 9 August sees the return of an Indian Summer and free outdoor cinema in Jubilee Square. The Bollywood blockbuster Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani! will be shown on a big screen in the square – and those arriving by bike will find free, secure bike parking available on site.

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Guided rides

A series of guided rides begins with the Adrian Mole and Sue Townsend ride on Saturday 10 August. Meeting at the Bike Park in Town Hall Square at 10am, this steady, three-hour ride for those aged 16+ will explore sites associated with the Leicester author and her 1980s blockbuster The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole.

Meeting in Town Hall Square at the same time is a guided ride for girls and women who want to improve their cycling confidence. Suitable for riders of all levels, the Women’s Confidence Boosting Ride will explore scenic routes away from busy streets, with frequent stops along the way.

Other guided rides include a ‘Faiths’ tour around Leicester’s many places of worship – and a route that takes in nine parks on the north side of the city. Both take place on Sunday 11 August, setting off from Town Hall Square at 10.30am. And on Sunday 18 August, there’s a bike ride for Leicester City fans, with a tour that takes in the sites that have played a role in the football club’s story. The LCFC tour, suitable for all ages, starts from Town Hall Square at 1pm.

Booking is required for all the guided rides and places should be booked at letsride.co.uk/rides

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Open Streets and Bike Fest

Throughout August, there will be led rides and children’s activities, as well as the popular Open Streets event (25 August) and Bike Fest (31 August), all aimed at helping people to enjoy the simple pleasure of riding a bike.

Assistant city mayor Cllr Geoff Whittle, who leads on environment and transport, said: “We want to make cycling as easy and enjoyable as possible, so that more and more people choose cycling as their number one way to get around the city.

“The Ride Leicester Festival is a chance to celebrate everything that’s good about cycling – from the benefits to your health and the environment, to the positive effects it has on air quality and the local economy. But above all, the Ride Leicester Festival is about celebrating the fact that cycling is fun!”

For a full schedule of events taking place during the Ride Leicester Festival, go to choosehowyoumove.co.uk/rideleicesterfest