Over 2,000 avid bikers are expected to turn out for the 30th anniversary of DeKalb’s annual Bike MS Tour de Farms.

The event is scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday. It typically raises about $1.3 million for multiple sclerosis research each year, said Bike MS manager Elle Ullum. However, this year ridership is up by 25 percent and pledges are expected to reach $1.5 million.

Registration is still open to those who are interested. Minimum donations per participant are $300 and excluding registration fees.

The event begins at 7 a.m. Saturday with a mass send off from the NIU Convocation Center, 1525 W. Lincoln Highway. The site will open at 5 a.m. and have a continental breakfast for participants at 6 a.m. Participants can peddle through 35, 50, 75 or 100 mile routes. On Sunday, bikers can ride 35, 50 or 75 miles. There will be rest stops for bikers every 10 to 15 miles so they can use a bathroom or have a snack or beverage. Between rest stops, volunteers and family members will stand along the routes to cheer on participants.

“I’m not a bike rider, but I do go out and support it each year and give a welcoming comment,” said DeKalb Mayor Kris Povlsen. “I think it’s a great cause, and they raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. I don’t know how they do it.”

Most meals will be provided for participants. Live entertainment and fireworks are also scheduled.

Participants can spend the night at the surrounding camp grounds or rent a room at a local hotel during their stay in DeKalb. Every year this event helps stimulate the local economy, said Debbie Armstrong, executive director of the DeKalb County Visitor’s Bureau.

“It is beneficial both economically and socially, and it allows a lot of people to come together and do something healthy for the weekend,” Armstrong said.

Typically, 600 to 700 rooms are rented out through local hotels and dorm rooms during this event, Armstrong said. On average, each room is about $85 a night. Camp sites, restaurants, grocery stores, shops and gas stations also see a spike in revenue from this event, Armstrong said.

The organization is still looking for volunteers to help out at rest stops and encourage participants on the routes, Ullum said.

For more information on the event, registering as a participant or becoming a volunteer visit http://bikeild.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_ILD_homepage