Pedal Power & Small Biz Pride: McKinley Park Kicks Off May with Bike Rides and Entrepreneur Energy

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Mckinley Park · May 6, 2026

McKinley Park is rolling into May with two fresh community highlights that show just how much this Southwest Side neighborhood loves bringing people together — on two wheels and across a business table.

First, cyclists of all skill levels have a brand-new reason to lace up their helmets every Saturday this month. The Southwest Collective is hosting Bike Archer, a recurring group ride departing at 9:30 a.m. each Saturday in May 2026 from near the William McKinley Memorial inside McKinley Park at 2210 W. Pershing Road. The rides showcase the neighborhood's new bike lanes along Archer Avenue and feature a special guest each week — making every Saturday a fresh adventure on two wheels. It's a perfect, free way to explore the neighborhood, meet neighbors, and break in those spring legs.

And for the neighborhood's entrepreneurial heartbeat, 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez and the McKinley Park Development Council joined forces to host a Small Business Social on Tuesday, May 5 — a midday networking lunch connecting local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs across the community. It's the kind of grassroots economic investment that keeps McKinley Park's corridors thriving. Whether you missed May 5th's gathering or want to stay plugged into the next one, follow the McKinley Park Development Council and visit mckinleypark.news to stay current on all the neighborhood's business and community happenings.

Sources:
1. https://mckinleypark.news/events/event/28118-bike-archer
2. https://mckinleypark.news/events/featured-events/event/28046-small-business-social