A good poker hand in Barrie is worth prizes, bragging rights

Rider Andy Beecroft holds up a playing card during Barrie's Bike Poker Run. Wed., June 17, 2026. PHOTO: SUBMITTED

Grab your bike and some friends and hit the streets of Barrie Saturday to win a prize.

It’s that simple.

Steve Schwarz is of one of the Living Green team members spearheading the Bike Poker Ride for the last three years.

Both Living Green and Firebird Community Cycle are partners in the Bike Poker Run, which encompasses about 30 shops across Barrie.

Each participating store hands out playing cards to the bike riders participating in the game.

“You can collect as many or as few as you want to do,” Schwarz said.

Riders can easily collect five to eight playing cards in the downtown to turn a good hand into Tiff’s Restaurant and Sports Bar at around 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, he said.

However, for adventurous teams of four – or families of four or more – riders can spread across Barrie for up to 50 kilometres, he said.

“We’ll give out prizes for team names, lucky hands, youngest team and oldest team,” he said.

There’s also a silent auction, where riders, friends and family can play for a chance to win $100 gift certificates from the stores included in the poker run.

“It’s a really fun event and we are really hoping it grows to something significant. We had about 100 riders last year, and we’d love to double that,” said Andee Pelan, executive director of Living Green Barrie.

There is a method behind their poker run madness, said Schwarz

“It’s really all about encouraging people to think about riding their bikes, hopping on their bikes instead of taking the car. If we can get some people to do that, it’s a good all ‘round event,” he said.