The Tour de Kids bicycle race scheduled for June 20 won't occur this year, event organizers said today.

Tour de Kids Foundation board members unanimously decided earlier this week to postpone the event until 2011.

“We viewed the budget, and we could probably squeak through, but we couldn’t have the amenities that we have had and do it right for the kids,” said board president Paul Alman.

Children enjoy the 2008 Tour de Kids in Ann Arbor.

File photo

Children ages 3-12 were eligible for the event, which included races, arts and crafts and music. The event was planned for South University and East University.

The race was on hiatus from 2005-2007 before starting up again in 2008 under different leadership. The foundation took over planning in 2009. 

The foundation didn’t begin pursuing sponsors until February, said Alman.

The next step for the foundation is obtaining nonprofit status by filing for 501(c)(3) exemption with the IRS. Alman said he's working to get the foundation's financial statements from board members by next week to submit paperwork by June 10.

The event reached its peak in the late 1990s when 1,100 children participated, Alman said. According to its website, the Tour de Kids was the largest one-day bike race for kids in the nation.

Event organizers hadn't opened registration for this year’s race.

“It was a difficult decision, just with the sponsorships being where they were,” said Eric Yelsma, the event’s executive director. “We didn’t want to lower expectations of the event, so we decided to push it back and make it all it can be.”