One need not travel far this Halloween season to get a little movement, a lot of fun and a complimentary meal.

Thanks to cycling enthusiasts and Oakdale Cycling Events, Inc. Chairman, Julio Hallack and Vice Chairman Mel Bradley, the annual Spoketoberfest will be hosted Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. The event will begin at the parking lot of Oakdale Bicycle Shop, 445 E. F St., Oakdale. Registration may be done in advance at spoketoberfest.org

Offering something for all riders, the event hosts three distances: the family ride which is 11 miles, a “cruise” at 32 miles and a challenge which spans 56 miles. Start times for each distance ranges from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. depending on the distance. The goal is to have all cyclists return to the starting spot between 11:30 a.m. and noon for a celebratory meal and perhaps a Dying Breed beer for the age-appropriate rider.

“With our experience after so many years, we know that everybody’s going to be coming in close at the same time,” Hallack said. “That way everyone is eating at the same time. Those that are legal adults can have a couple of beers and then we are also going to have a raffle. We try to have some fun added to it.”

While there are two longer distances for the cyclist looking for a challenge, Bradley shared the 11-mile course is perfect for a family or beginner rider looking to get out and enjoy something fun in the community.

“This is a family friendly ride,” Hallack said of the 11-mile distance.

“We’re not going to go fast,” Bradley said, as the lead rider of the family ride. “We really want the family to be able to go out for a bike ride.”

This event, however, is about more than a passion for cycling for the duo. It’s equally about fundraising for their newly established non-profit, so they may help other area non-profit organizations.

Spoketoberfest was re-established in 2022 with Hallack and Bradley at the helm with the non-profit support of Oakdale Rotary Club. Hosted in 2022 and 2023, those events saw an impressive amount of funds raised through the generosity of sponsorships. In 2023 the group raised $70,000 which was gifted to several area non-profits.

“We won’t keep one single dollar,” Hallack said, sharing that this year’s event is the first of many to be hosted by Oakdale Cycling Events, Inc.

The recently launched non-profit was started through the vision of Team 209, Oakdale Bicycle Shop and Sunrise Rotary, with which Hallack is now associated.

“The purpose of that is so we can grow and we can diversify into other events as needed,” Hallack said of the non-profit.

He added that funds brought in through sponsorships and registration fees for the Oct. 18 Spoketoberfest will be put to good use.

“The money will 100 percent be given back to our community non-profits that are changing the lives of our citizens in the area,” Hallack explained. “Sponsorship is still welcome.”

Recipients are chosen and decided upon by the board once the final totals of the event are known.

“It’s been a tougher year, period,” Bradley admitted of their sponsorships. “We probably won’t raise as much money this year as we have in the prior year. But whatever we raise, it’s more than we had the day before.”

The ultimate goal for the cycle enthusiasts would be for Oakdale to be known for its terrain and the variety offered for cyclists.

“We dream that Oakdale can be known, besides the Cowboy Capital of the World, but for cycling. Cyclists from all over the county come here, every single weekend,” Hallack said.

“We’re really lucky given our locale and the variability of riding,” Bradley added. “From here you can do flat rides, you can do long rides, you can do hilly rides. It’s hard to find anywhere in the country where you can find that variability. Continuing to try to make Oakdale a cycling destination for cyclists is one of the things we’re trying to accomplish.”

As the event draws near, both organizers hope to have a great turn out. Past events have ranged from as few as 50 to as many as 200 participants. With Oakdale Mayor Cherilyn Bairos committed to the Family Ride, Bradley hopes the community follows suit.

“I lead the 11-mile ride, and one of the reasons that I do that, is I get a real kick out of seeing people get out and do something that they don’t normally do,” he said. “There will be a lot of people out there on bikes, that may not have been on a bike since high school, but for one reason or another they’ve decided to go out and do this little family ride around town. And I love that.”

Hallack added it’s a “very rewarding” experience overall, from motivating the volunteers to encouraging the riders to seeking the sponsorship support.

“It’s not about me. It’s about us as a community,” Hallack continued, “coming together and supporting one another. To see the smiles of the people, that is my reward in this experience.”