Ghost Bike display on Harrisburg Capitol Steps
Members of the community will gather tonight to pay their respects to bikers lost in the past year.
In honor of cyclists who have been tragically killed or suffered injuries while riding, the annual Ride of Silence bike ride will take place on May 20 at 7 p.m.
Additionally, 28 white “ghost bikes” have been placed on the state Capitol steps, each representing an individual who died while riding a bike in Pennsylvania in 2025. One red bike represents riders who were injured last year.
The Ride of Silence takes place nationwide, but was first introduced in Harrisburg 16 years ago by Recycle Bicycle founder Ross Willard, a longtime community advocate who passed away earlier this month.
Despite his passing, the event will go on, and organizers will wait to pay tribute to Willard until his memorial service in June.
“We know Ross, and he’d want nothing to take away from the victims. Not even his death,” said Diane Dankman-Riley, the event’s coordinator.
When asked how tonight’s ride will differ following Willard’s passing, Dankman-Riley said, “We anticipate more riders from outside the community joining us in remembrance of him.”
Ride of Silence participants will gather at 6:30 p.m. and leave at 7 p.m. from the Armed Forces Reserve Center on the 2900 block of Green Street. The group will then ride 2.5 miles in silence to the steps of the state Capitol. A second ride from the West Shore will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Camp Hill Borough Building and make its way to the Capitol.
After the ride, Pat Krebs, a co-founder of the Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition, is scheduled to speak at the Capitol event about Harry Fenton, a co-founder of the organization who was killed in 2025 by a hit-and-run driver.
Finally, the event is free for participants and it is recommended for riders to wear a red or black armband in remembrance.
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