Amgen tour seeks vendor booths, volunteers for Modesto stage

The organizers of the Stage 2 start of the Amgen Tour of California in downtown Modesto need nonprofits and health-related businesses to set up booths at the lifestyle festival that will be held in conjunction with the stage.

Organizers also need race-day volunteers.

The tour features some of the world’s best bicyclists as they pedal about 600 miles over seven days. Modesto will be a host city along the tour for a fifth time. Stage 2 will be held May 15, with the bicyclists racing from Modesto to San Jose. They will make two laps through downtown before heading out.

Organizers are offering free 10-foot-by-10-foot spaces for nonprofits and health-related businesses, such as health clubs, hospitals and stores that sell athletic gear. The nonprofits and businesses cannot sell anything but can provide promotional materials about their services.

Booths must be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will be along the Gallo Center for the Arts plaza and grassy area along I Street. Booths could be on 11th Street near I Street if needed. The nonprofits and health-related businesses must provide their own tables, chairs and tents.

Volunteers are needed to serve as ambassadors, anti-doping chaperones and parking monitors and in hospitality, the media office and check-in. But most of the volunteers will work as course marshals. They help the 75 professional course marshals who travel with the tour and support law enforcement in the host cities.

“Course marshal volunteers have an opportunity to be on the race route, close to the cyclists, with responsibility for monitoring pedestrian traffic, barricades and street closures,” according to information on the city’s website.

The deadline to reserve booth space is April 15. Contact Robert Dunbar at 209-578-3447 or bobs76911@aol.com to do so. Race-day volunteers can sign up at http://modestogov.com/1983/Volunteer-Information.

This story was originally published March 5, 2017 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Amgen tour seeks vendor booths, volunteers for Modesto stage."