The festivals surrounding Amgen

May 12

Life Time Gran Fondo. Take to the road on bikes for the 25K Family & Friends Ride or the 100K Challenge Ride. Routes incorporate parts of the Tour of California course, and begin and end at the Cloverleaf Ranch, 3892 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa. 8 a.m. A free party follows the ride, with barbecue, beer and wine. To register: ltgranfondo.com

Sonoma Napa Gran Fondo. Pro cycling Team Garmin-Barracuda will lead out the Sonoma-Napa cycling event, which has rides of 11, 50 and 75 miles that begin and end at the Sonoma Plaza. Registration for the 9 a.m. benefit ride is at echelongranfondo.org

Team Swift Junior State Criterium Championships. The Team Swift Junior Development Cycling Program invites riders ages 10 to 18 to compete for championship titles in their age categories. There also will be Elite Category Criterium races for all ages. Sonoma County Administration Center, 2300 County Center Drive, Santa Rosa. 4-8 p.m. santarosa2012.com , teamswift.org

May 13

Lifestyle Festival. Downtown Santa Rosa lends several city blocks to a health and fitness expo, cycling-related vendors and displays, food and drink, a beer garden and more, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Hear “The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by the winner of the KRSH National Anthem contest. Live music by local bands, including “Frobeck” from Sebastopol, starts at noon. The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition will provide free valet bike parking at Seventh Street and Mendocino Avenue. You also can visit the North Bay Medical Pavilion for free tests and information. santarosa2012.com

Breakaway Mile. Cancer patients, survivors, care givers and their advocates are invited to walk a mile of the race course and cross the finish line before the race starts, then stay and watch it from reserved seating. Registration is limited to the first 150. To register: amgentourofcalifornia.com/breakawaymile

And, at last, Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California starts at 10:50 a.m. in downtown Santa Rosa.

You can reach Staff Writer Dan Taylor at 521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com. See his ARTS blog at arts.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.