TROY — Tour de Donut, the unique, donut-based bicycle event that rides though Troy, is set to return for its 15th annual race next weekend.

The Tour de Donut will be held in downtown Troy, along with other race-day events, on Saturday morning, Aug. 24. The Douut Jam, a downtown, pre-Tour de Donut event, will be held the evening before on Friday, Aug. 23.

“Join us in downtown Troy for a fun-filled weekend of dancing, bicycling, and… Donuts! Troy Main Street and the Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau have done it once again. A fabulous two-day event is planned, coordinated, and ready to welcome you! So get ready, get set, get donut-crazed!” said Kennedy Goubeaux, executive director of Troy Main Street, by email.

The Tour de Donut is a scenic, bicycle race that begins and ends in downtown Troy. The difference between this bike race and others, is that throughout the event, contestants will have the opportunity to have some time shaved off if they stop and eat donuts. For each donut eaten, five minutes will be deducted from the racers finishing time. Meaning that to win, you don’t necessarily need to be the fastest, you just need to eat more than the next guy and keep the donuts down and then keep going.

Donuts are available at stations placed periodically throughout the race with the ability to eat three donuts per station. The number of stations depends on the length of the race the participants choose to sign up for.

Registration for the event is ongoing and can be done at www.thetourdedonut.com by clicking the sign-up button located on the top right of the webpage. Contestants can sign up for a variety of race lengths and with different vehicle categories including tandem bicycles, e-bikes, ElliptiGO’s, and recumbent bikes.

Registration is $50, plus a $5.53 sign-up fee, but increases to $55 after July 29, and then to $60 for week-of registration. For riders under the age of 18, registration is $35 until July 29, and then increases to $40 after that. Slight variations in pricing can be expected based on race length. For exact details on pricing, please see thetourdedonut.com under the event info tab. Participants must register by August 10 to be guaranteed a T-shirt.

Four race lengths are available.

• Donut Hole: A 9.72-mile mass start event that features an out and back along the scenic Great Miami River Trail bike path. This race features one donut stop -at The Glazer- prior to finishing.

• Mini Donut: A 19.7-mile mass start event that takes riders through the countryside with a donut stop and riders will have a chance at The Glazer prior to finishing.

• Full Donut: A 34.4-mile mass start event that takes riders through the countryside with a donut stop and riders will have a chance at The Glazer prior to finishing.

• Double D: A 58.5-mile mass start event that takes riders through the countryside with a donut stop and riders will have a chance at The Glazer prior to finishing.

The Tour de Donut also features a free kid’s event at 8 a.m. on race day. Registration begins at 7 a.m. on race day at the start/finish line. Kids aged 2-12 are eligible to participate and will compete in their age groups with races ranging from half a block for younger kids to two blocks for older children. The first 120 to register will receive a T-shirt and all who participate will get a finisher’s medal along with all you can eat donuts and milk.

And that weekend of biking festivities isn’t just for the riders. The Donut Jam, which begins Friday, Aug. 23, and continues race day, offers a wide array of activities for the community and riders alike.

“An event like the Tour de Donut gives us the opportunity to showcase why Troy and Miami County is such a great place to live, work, and play. Many cyclists come back year after year, and they have come to love downtown Troy, the beautiful rural areas in Miami County they experience while riding, our friendly communities, and so much more,” said Leiann Stewart, executive director of the Miami County Visitor’s Bureau, by email. “However, this event is not just for cyclists, the Donut Jam is as much for our residents as it is for the riders. We invite all of Miami County to come to downtown Troy on August 23 and 24 to enjoy lively entertainment, numerous children’s activities, local restaurants and shops, and don’t forget the DONUTS!”

Donut Jam attendees can enjoy live entertainment, a drink in the DORA, take part in children’s activities, and are encouraged to eat at one of the local restaurants around the square and support Troy’s local businesses. The Donut Jam activities, featuring live music, food trucks and kid’s events, begins at 5 p.m. and goes until 10:30 p.m.

“Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to The Miami County Foundation, The Troy Foundation, and Clopay for continuing to infuse downtown Troy with vibrant community events,” Goubeaux said.

Registration is open now; to sign up, visit https://www.thetourdedonut.com/