Even the rain couldn’t stop Santa Claus from crossing the Penticton bike path on Saturday.

As the rain fell on dozens of cyclists in Gyro Park at 1 p.m., the anticipation of seeing Mr. Claus in person continued to grow.

And finally, it happened.

With holiday-themed tunes playing over the speakers near Okanagan Lake and avid cyclists in attendance, Santa was ready to take on the bike ride of the season.

Mr. Claus was in the foreground on December 11, leading cyclists of all ages on the city’s cycle path on Martin Street.

Starting from Gyro Park, the crowds made their way to the Penticton Public Library and returned to where it all started just 20 minutes later.

The event was hosted by the Penticton and Area Cycling Association (PACA), a non-profit organization formed in 2008 to give a voice to cyclists in the South Okanagan.

Santa and his fellow cyclists gathered at the park again after the main event ended for photos and more holiday-themed fun.

It was on December 3 that PACA first announced that Santa Claus would be joining a bike ride through Penticton.

“We had heard rumors that someone in a big red suit with white highlights would use our new lake-to-lake bike path for late night training,” said Debbie Ziegler, Director of PACA memberships. “And then, a few weeks ago, we received a new membership request from a Saint Nicholas. “

Ziegler told the Western News in Gyro Park that she plans to make the opportunity to ride a bike with Santa an annual event.

With Mr. Claus and the rest of the city’s cyclists in the holiday spirit, the ride on the bike path was a must-see for pedestrians and cars nearby.

To make a donation or become a member of PACA, people are invited to visit bikepenticton.com.

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