April 24, 2026
The Brevard Bike Alliance will offer several public events May 15-21 as part of “Strive Not to Drive” week. Brevard Bike Alliance
Residents across western North Carolina are invited to “strive not to drive” Friday, May 15 through Friday, May 22 by using sustainable transportation for one
week.
“Strive Not to Drive” has been rolling along since the 1980s and the annual event promoting walking, biking, riding public transit, or even carpooling includes
more than 20 events across five counties in WNC with chances to win prizes by signing a pledge to “strive not to drive” during the week.
“Strive Not to Drive encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and explore our region without relying on driving alone,” stated Sandy Broadwill, Transportation Demand Management Coordinator at the Land of Sky Regional Council in a news release. “Every county in North Carolina has a public transit service, and many people don’t even realize it’s available in their backyard. Strive Not to Drive is a region-wide effort to make people aware of their transportation options and to help make them more attainable.”
Events will take place across Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties. The 2026 schedule includes free transit days across four of the five counties, social bike rides and bike to work breakfasts, free bike valet at three different community events, and opportunities to learn new skills (like how to play Bike Polo, or how to fix a flat bicycle tire) as well as opportunities to learn more about local transit service through engagement at breweries, farmers markets, and trivia nights.
Each person who chooses not to drive reduces the burden on local transportation systems and lessens traffic congestion for those who still need to drive.
Brevard events include:
Bike to Work Day (Brevard): Friday, May 15, 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at Clemson Plaza (79 W Main St, Brevard). Celebrate National Bike To Work Day with the Brevard Bike Alliance. They will be set up in Clemson Plaza (rain or shine) with free pastries and coffee for anyone who wants to swing by.
WNC Bike Fest, Bike Valet (Brevard): Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Ecusta Brewing (451 Ecusta Rd, Brevard). Ride your bike over to Ecusta Brewing to celebrate WNC Bike Fest and check out the vendors. The Brevard Bike Alliance will provide a courtesy valet for all multimodal vehicles.
Ride of Silence (Brevard): Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 p.m. at the Jimmy Harris Railroad Depot (390 Railroad Ave, Brevard). Join the Brevard Bike Alliance as they honor the lives of bike riders who have lost their lives. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. The Ride of Silence is a group ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph, wear helmets, follow the rules of the road, and remain silent during the ride.
Free Transit Day (Transylvania County): Thursday, May 21. Transylvania in Motion typically offers two public service fixed routes that residents can normally ride for $1. On Thursday, May 21, try out the serivce-fare free 6:30 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. The North Route, which runs through the City of Brevard, has 22 stops. The South Route, which runs through the Town of Rosman, has five stops.
Visit www.strivebeyond.org/strive for a full list of events and giveaways.