The History of Move-A-Bull City
Move-A-Bull City is Durham’s biggest open streets event, held each October by Bike Durham.
For one day, 1.2 miles of downtown Durham close to cars and open to people, running from the Ellerbe Creek Trail to the American Tobacco Trail.
It’s free and open to everyone, drawing thousands of neighbors to walk, bike, roll, and gather in streets normally full of traffic. Its roots reach back to 2014.
When did Move-A-Bull City start?
It started in 2014 as Bike-a-Bull City, a Bike Durham event held at Bull McCabe’s. Board member Chris Russo gave it the name, a play on Durham’s Bull City nickname and a bikeable city.
In those early years it was a celebration more than a street takeover, and it moved around town: Ciderworks in 2015, Ponysaurus in 2016, Durty Bull in 2017, and the Scrap Exchange in 2019.
The format was loose and social, the kind of event where you could bring the whole family and meet other people who got around Durham on two wheels.
Why Call it Move-A-Bull City?
In 2021, Bike-a-Bull City became Move-A-Bull City. The new name reflected a bigger idea. Bike Durham’s mission had always been wider than biking, taking in walking and transit too, and the event grew to match.
That first Move-A-Bull City, held at the Scrap Exchange, drew more than a hundred people for a morning family bike ride, a “heavy haulers” trailer obstacle course, a food truck, and visits from the local transit agency and Spin.
It felt a lot like the Bull City Bike Stampede. Small, fun, and clearly on its way to becoming something bigger.
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