WILMINGTON — The Ausable River Association and Cycle Adirondacks have announced the eighth annual Ride for the River set for Sunday, July 21.

The family-friendly event is a fully supported road cycling tour featuring four distance options, all showcasing the AuSable River watershed. Registration and details are available at cycleadirondacks.com/ridefortheriver.

Ride for the River was created by AsRA in 2012 to celebrate the resilience of local communities following the devastating flooding caused by Tropical Storm Irene. In partnership with CycleADK, this year’s event will feature interactive route stops allowing cyclists to learn about the impact of road salt, invasive species and undersized culverts on AuSable streams and habitat.

Proceeds from the event support the AsRA’s efforts to protect the clean waters, natural hydrology, diverse ecology and scenic beauty of the AuSable. In recent years, the event has grown to draw cyclists from across the Northeast and Canada.

For the second straight year, CycleADK and the Hungry Trout restaurant will host the “Tailgater,” a casual evening ride on Saturday, July 20. In addition, Adirondack Riverwalking will take interested guests into the river on Saturday morning for an immersive experience with the watershed.

Sunday’s main event will start and finish at the Hungry Trout Resort, located in Wilmington at the top of the Flume, a series of waterfalls.

Ride distances of 5, 30, 45 and 55 miles will feature Wilmington, Jay and Keene and will be marked with route signage. Each route will feature interactive stops where cyclists can get a firsthand guided look at the critical conservation work of AsRA.

Following the ride there will be food, local craft beer, live music from Steve Langdon and a raffle including prizes from local retailers and Thule, with all proceeds benefitting AsRA. The after-party starts at 1 p.m. and is open to everyone, even those who don’t participate in the ride. Guests can choose the family, couple, individual or barbecue-only options.