Groningen to host 8th International Cargo Bike Festival

The city of Groningen, in the Netherlands, will play host to the 8th International Cargo Bike Festival (ICBF) between 14-16 June this year.

Since its initial launch in 2012, the festival has evolved to become the premiere global event for bringing together organisations and professionals focused on cycle logistics and its potential to change cities.

For 2019, Groningen will host the festival as a part of promoting its ambitious plan to make all city logistics emission-free by 2025. Branded with the title ‘World’s Cycling City’ in 2014, nearly two thirds of all trips throughout the city are made by bicycle, and these numbers have continued to rise since the introduction of the city’s 1977 Traffic Circulation plan.

This year’s event will take place at Groningen’s Suiker Unie, a post-industrial former sugar factory turned festival venue of the Western edge of the city centre. The programme includes a conference day on the first day of the festival (14th June) which will feature a diverse range of speakers who represent some of the foremost voices on the trends and innovation around logistics and cargo bike culture.

On the 15th and 16th, there will be a fair where exhibitors from around the world will show off their visions for the future of cargo bikes, as well as the ‘Cargo Bike of the Year Award’, as judged by a panel of industry experts across three categories: light, heavy and trailer. There will also be cargo bike races, opportunities to test ride the latest models as well as food and music.

ICBF aims to, “provide a forum to bring ideas together and inspire solutions that not only address carbon emission reductions but also contribute to making cities around the world less congested, happy and fun places to be.”