From June 5–7, BAM! Bicycle Adventure Meeting returns to Villa Contarini for its 12th edition. And once again, it looks less like a festival in the classic sense and more like a temporary village built around bicycle travel, human connection and the culture that grows around both.
Set in one of Europe’s most remarkable festival locations, BAM! has become one of the defining gatherings for bikepacking, adventure riding and outdoor storytelling. But what makes it special is that the bike is rarely the final subject. It is the entry point. From there, things open up: shared meals, unexpected conversations, films, music, workshops, morning rides, late nights and the familiar feeling of meeting people who understand why leaving by bike often means arriving somewhere much bigger.
The 2026 program reflects exactly that spirit. Over three days, Villa Contarini will host talks, workshops, rides, concerts, screenings and community moments with guests from across Europe and beyond. The lineup stretches from ultra-distance racing and big expedition stories to photography, sustainability, inclusion, creativity and slow travel.
Among the international guests are Nelson Trees, founder of the Silk Road Mountain Race and Atlas Mountain Race, presenting Mountains and Trees, as well as Sofiane Sehili, Monica Consolini, Matteo Stella, Giacomo Turco and many more. There will also be workshops on travel photography, weather, emergency mechanics and first aid, alongside gravel rides, foraging sessions, yoga, breathing practices and family-friendly activities.
A strong thread throughout this year’s edition is the idea of travel as a tool for freedom, inclusion and community. Projects and collectives like Bike Boobs, VaiGine, Komoot’s FLINTA Ride, Fondazione Michele Scarponi and the COP Bike Ride all add layers that go far beyond the usual event format. BAM! continues to show that bicycle culture is not only about performance or gear, but also about access, care, imagination and shared space.
And yes — when the sun goes down, BAM! shifts again. Concerts, DJ sets and open-air film screenings turn the festival into something softer, stranger and more joyful. Friday brings Magénta, Combo Suonda and screenings including Mountains and Trees. Saturday closes with Saturnino and DJ Aladyn.
I’ll be there in person too — talking about gravgrav.cc and the WOSSA bikepacking route, joining rides, drinking great coffee and, most importantly, enjoying a few good days of meeting friends old and new. If you’re around, come say hi.
I have never been at BAM! personally and I have to correct this mistake of mine urgently this year.
BAM! remains one of the rare events that feels open in the best possible way: not overly polished, not narrowly defined, but alive with stories, movement and the kind of energy that only appears when thousands of people arrive with curiosity and a bicycle.
The event is free, with camp area reservations available online.
See you at Villa Contarini.
