SACO — With warmer weather, children have already taken to their bicycles. Safe riding is very important.

On Saturday, local youth can learn bicycle safety skills at the Saco Community Bike Rodeo.

The rodeo will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Saco Public Works facility, 351 North St.

The highlight of the event is the bicycle safety course, which will feature stations depicting real life situations, such as a stop sign, to teach children bicycle safety skills.

The event is geared toward children in Kindergarten through fifth grades, but everyone’s welcome, said organizer Jennifer Sirois.

Children should bring a bicycle or scooter and a helmet if they have one, said Sirois. The Michael Goulet Foundation will be giving away helmets to children who don’t have them.

Bike tune ups, a “touch a truck” activity and various wellness and community venders will also be available. Local students who won bicycles with the Saco Mason’s “Bikes for Books” program will receive their bicycles at the event.

The event is free, and there will be food for purchase and a raffle benefitting Young and Fairfield schools.

The event is a collaboration between the Young and Fairfield schools parent teacher organizations, the Saco police and fire departments, Saco parks and recreation and public works and departments, the Michael Goulet Foundation, Rotary Club of Saco Bay and Saco Masonic Lodge #9.

This is the event’s third year, said Sirois.

“We’ve had great community participation and great attendance,” she said.

About 600 people attended the event last year, Sirois said, and 18 boxes, totaling about 1,000 pounds of food, were collected and donated to the Saco Food Pantry. Also, about $600 was raised for each of the two schools.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.