“Families looking for a great way to spend some quality time together are invited to join us on Aug. 20 for the Iron Hill Twilight Race Series in downtown West Chester,” said Mark Yoder, president of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce, the event’s organizer. 

The fun begins at 4 p.m., when the Kid’s Zone, Benchmark Community Festival and the Market Street Block Party open, and the West Chester Dental Arts Kids Race begins the day’s racing activities. This series of age-determined races is a free event open to children between 3 and 10 who want to discover the thrill of competitive cycling. Immediately following, these young riders will want to join up with family and friends at the Kid’s Zone, where they they will be rewarded with an official Iron Hill Twilight Race Series medal. This popular play area includes inflatables, face painting, games and other kid-friendly activities.

 Other family attractions include the Market Street Block Party, where local businesses have come together with live music and food favorites. Not to be missed is the nearby Benchmark Community Festival, a cavalcade of all the latest trends in health, fitness and high-tech electronic, home improvement, non-profit agencies and other service providers.

 After the West Chester Dental Arts Kid’s Race, the spotlight will shift to the Tolsdorf Twilight Trike Challenge. This fun tag-team race for those 18 and older has proven to be a crowd favorite as each five-person team goes head-to-head in a mad dash down Gay Street pedaling over-sized tricycles.

 Not only will the winning team have their name engraved on the Twilight Trike Challenge trophy, each member will be a VIP guest at the Susquehanna Crit Club located along the race route. There they will enjoy a lavish buffet, drinks and camaraderie while enjoying a prime view of the racing action. Any business, organization or other aggregation of friends and associates is invited to test their skills by registering in advance at www.GreaterWestChester.com.

 The racing excitement escalates significantly during the Rothman Institute Amateur Race, followed by the Pro Women’s Criterium and the pro men’s Iron Hill Twilight Criterium. This year these two events take a leap forward by becoming the venue for the USA CRITS Championship Finals, the culmination of the 10-race USA CRITS Championship Series, now celebrating its 10th anniversary.

 Racing enthusiasts will find that not only the top riders in both the men’s and women’s series be on hand, but the top winners of last year’s USA CRITS Championship Finals are also expected to compete in West Chester.

 “Over the last 11 years, the Iron Hill Twilight Race Series has become one of the most important dates on the pro cycling calendar,” Yoder said, “and we are honored to be hosting the final race on the USA CRITS Championship Series finals. Young and old alike can count on a really exciting day of racing – and endless family fun!”

 Details can be found at www.GreaterWestChester.com.