Ride your steel steed in tweed

BACK for a seventh year, and part of Heritage Weekend for a sixth time around, is the Ballarat Lifestyle Magazine Tweed Ride.

The event combines the old-world charm of robust yet stylish tweed fabric and fashion with the simple harmonic motion of cycling and the history of this grand city.

“It’s a great way to see Ballarat and all the different decades and centuries that have gone into it becoming what it is today,” said organiser Liana Skewes.

“Fabric like tweed comes from an era where we expected things to last and we bought things for not just their form, but their function.

“Bikes themselves are an amazing invention and a great part of our history too.”

Starting from Pipers by the Lake, the Tweed Ride winds through Ballarat, taking in some key historical sites before ending at Queen Alexandra band stand on Sturt Street.

Ms Skewes said the event was more than just tweed fanatics on push bikes.

“It’s a good way to go around and see Ballarat, it’s architecture and iconic locations,” she said. “One of the main features this year will be the Wendouree Lake. The riders like it when we just ride and see everything.”

The ride is based on similar events around the world and Ballarat’s take not only offers a stylish way to explore the city, there’s prizes across eight categories for participants, including most dapper and most stylish.

“We’ve also gone gender natural, which means that non-binary persons can feel comfortable getting dressed up and participating,” Ms Skewes said.

However, if you lack the appropriate fashion or wheels, don’t fret, the event is inclusive and not just limited to tweed, or bicycles.

“There’s multiple fabrics that you could wear, wool, velvet, tweed, anything that reflects the season or speaks to a vintage style is a good choice,” Ms Skewes said.

To take part you’ll need to sign up via ballaratlifestylemagazine.com.au/tweed-ride and registration is free.