Neptune Beach Police shut down First Street to cars to accommodate the thousands of cyclists.
NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. — It’s a Fourth of July tradition dating back as far as most people can remember.
First Street in Neptune Beach was shut down to cars Friday to make way for thousands of bicycles.
Many agree that the origins of the tradition of riding along First Street from Neptune Beach to Jacksonville Beach are unclear, but people are enthusiastic about joining in.
“I was thrilled,” expressed Hayden Molmer as he prepared to join the ride. “I thought I must come down here and see it for myself because it’s likely a unique experience.”
Whether you’re riding it…
“We’ll see where the bike takes me,” said Molmer.
Or watching from the sidelines…
“It feels like an endless parade,” remarked Aileen Bevard, who was spending time with relatives on First Street. “It’s great to relax with family and enjoy free entertainment throughout the day.”
One thing is clear, First Street and bicycles have become synonymous with the Fourth of July in Neptune Beach.
However, just how that “never-ending parade” came to be is a mystery to many.
“Our neighbors said ‘okay, so here’s what goes down,'” said Deidre Bevard, who moved to First Street last year.
“Every Fourth I get phone calls from my friends saying, ‘Yo, we’re having a great time down here,'” said Molmer.
A former Neptune Beach City Councilmember, who took office back in the 70s, said he couldn’t pinpoint an exact date it became a tradition, but mentioned the bike culture really picked up in the 80s when islands went in on Seagate, Hopkins and Cherry Streets, limiting thru traffic.
On busy holidays, many folks who lived on and around First Street opted for bikes instead of cars to get around, and it grew so much that in 2016, the city council decided it would be best for everyone’s safety to shut down the road to cars altogether.
From there, it really snowballed into the tradition we see today.
“You ride past someone, you say, ‘Happy Fourth.’ They say, ‘Happy Fourth’ back. It’s just a good time,” said Molmer. “Everybody is in good spirits.”
“It’s only going to get more and more entertaining and thicker and thicker with the bikes,” said Bevard. “It’s just a lot of fun.”
That former city councilman said they had a bicycle counter on First Street to figure out just how many cyclists made the trek.
