 Over 800 bikes looped Lake Bemidji as part of the fourth annual Loop the Lake Festival. In this week's community spotlight, we take a look at why the festival has seen so much growth in a short amount of time. Over the past four years, the annual Loop the Lake Festival has been a celebration of Lake Bemidji and the community that surrounds the lake. Because of those reasons, the festival has seen rapid growth. In its first year, the event had over 300 participants, and four years later an estimated eight to nine hundred are expected to pedal their way around the lake. I think our bike ride is unique because number one, it is not a fundraiser. Number two, it is not a race. And so if you put those two together, they base, and I'd say three is it's affordable. With such rapid growth, the festival fears that they may outgrow their space and have to cap the amount of its participants. Our committee may have to consider a cutoff number, and we'll just have to wait and see. We're just excited that we have everybody here. For some of the Loop the Lake participants, they have been looking forward to this festival since last year. This is my second year of doing it, and what I think about doing the Loop the latest, you can meet a lot of people and it's a real little exercise. With a festival that spans 17 miles around Lake Bemidji, key partnerships have been formed to make sure that each year is a success. We have a lot of paths, but the other thing is, even on the road today, we have some safety personnel in place that will help us navigate the Loop throughout the day. For the Bemidji Parks and Recreation Department, a festival that showcases all the scenic beauty and amenities of Bemidji's trail system is an added bonus. It's great that we can offer a partnership with the city of Bemidji and Loop the Lake just so we can showcase all of our beautiful parks and trails. With another year completed, preparations and planning for the fifth annual Loop the Lake Festival has already begun. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.