Coming up: Concord Pedal Fest, a county block party and a free 'Dracula' preview

Three free events worth the drive over the next three weeks: a first-year bike festival in Concord, a county services block party in Pleasant Hill and a theater preview at the Walnut Creek Library.

Pedal Fest, Sunday, Sept. 27

Concord holds its first Pedal Fest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at John F. Baldwin Park, 2727 Parkside Circle. Admission is free, and the one thing to bring is a bike.

The day is built around a bike rodeo and skills courses for riders working on confidence, plus safety education with local advocates. Bike Concord runs an UpCycle Bike Program with Mount Diablo Resource Recovery, where a child who has outgrown a bike can trade it for one that fits. There are pedal-powered smoothie blenders, bike-powered spin art, arts and crafts, food trucks, local vendors and community booths, and the band Quattro plays live.

The festival is organized by the city of Concord, Bike Concord, the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce and other community partners. Details are at concordpedalfest.com.

County block party, Tuesday, Sept. 29

Contra Costa County brings its annual summer Block Party to the Pleasant Hill Library, 2 Monticello Ave., from 4 to 7 p.m. It is free, and the point is getting county business done in one stop.

The Public Defender's Office, the Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department, Employment and Human Services, County Public Works and Contra Costa Health all set up tables alongside the city of Pleasant Hill. Residents can sign up for CalFresh, Medi-Cal and CalWORKs, register to vote, ask about childcare and preschool, and use the Clerk-Recorder's Records Within Reach service. The county is running the event with the city and Supervisor Ken Carlson's office.

'Dracula' preview, Tuesday, Oct. 13

Center REP Artistic Director Matt M. Morrow and cast members come to the Walnut Creek Library, 1644 N. Broadway, at 7 p.m. to preview "Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors." The program is in the Oak View Room, admission is free, and registration is through the Walnut Creek Library Foundation at wclibrary.org.

It is part of the foundation's "Live! From the Library" series. Morrow is also due to talk about Center REP's 2026-27 season and the state of regional theater as the company, the only professional theater company in Contra Costa County, approaches its 60th season.

The production itself runs Oct. 25 through Nov. 15, directed by Becca Wolff, with five actors playing close to 20 characters in the Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel.