BOISE, Idaho — Goatheads cause headaches for bicyclists because this pesky plant found all over Boise causes flat tires.
However, every year people in the community pull this weed, and so far, people have collected 2,000 pounds of goatheads.
This effort culminates in a party that drew 5,000 people to the steps of the Idaho Capitol Building last year for the 2nd annual Goathead Festival.
"We didn't want to invest a lot of time into an event that we thought would have a chance to get canceled," said Jimmy Hallyburton of the Boise Bicycle Project. "So, we decided to reinvent the festival to make sure it could exist during COVID in a really safe way."
This year the festival will have people pedaling in their own parade starting from their driveway while listening to radio Boise which will provide instructions and music for people to ride to destinations around town.
"I think will be the most exciting, wonderfully weird and bonafide Boise bike ride that they've ever been on," said Hallyburton. "When you turn onto different roads you will see sort of like an ant farm, people coming in all different directions in their costumes."
The heart and soul of this classic Boise festival will remain the same, the goathead festival replaced the Tour De Fat festival that was held for more than a decade.
However, Hallyburton and other organizers made the changes necessary to host this event during the pandemic, while most other events have been canceled.
For more information on the festival and ways to help pull goatheads and dispose of them, click here.
