EXETER — With many kids gearing up for some bicycling fun as warmer weather approaches, the Exeter police and fire departments have teamed up with Exeter Hospital to host a Bicycle Rodeo in an effort to keep them safe.

The 2nd annual rodeo will be held on Saturday, May 14, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Lincoln Street School, located at 25 Lincoln St. in Exeter.

The rodeo is open to children of all ages from local communities and will be held rain or shine during Safe Kids Week, which runs from May 8 to May 14.

During the rodeo, bicycles will be inspected to ensure they’re safe to ride and free helmets generously donated by Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD) will be provided and properly fitted. Children who bring their own helmets can also have them checked and fitted.

Under state law, any child under the age of 16 is required to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle on a public way.

The rodeo, which was first held in 2019 but hasn’t taken place since because of the pandemic, will feature an obstacle course, giveaways, snacks, and more.

“We want to make sure kids are as safe as possible on their bicycles and teach them some important rules of the road,” Exeter police community relations officer Bruce Page said.

The rodeo will highlight the importance of taking precautions to ensure a safe riding season. Some of the safety tips to be stressed include wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle, skateboard, scooter or inline skates; making sure a bicycle is the right size for the child; the use of proper hand signals, traffic signs and signals; and wearing bright colors and reflectors, and using lights. Additional safety information can be found at www.safekids.org.

“We would like to promote helmet use on bikes, scooters and skateboards as well as lights and reflectors,” said Exeter Deputy Fire Chief Jason Fritz, who is also the department’s fire prevention officer.

McGruff the Crime Dog will make a special appearance as well courtesy of Seacoast Crime Stoppers.  

For more information, contact community relations officer Bruce Page at (603) 772-1212.