A stop on the Somerville “Illuminations” tour ride held Dec. 16 by the Somerville Bicycle Committee. (Photo: Lee Toma)

Turnout doubled this year to more than 300 riders for the Somerville Bicycle Committee’s guided group tour of “Illuminations” to see the city’s best and brightest holiday light displays. Participation has grown each year, said Dec. 16 tour guide Gregory Ely.

“For next year,” Ely said, “we may try to plan an additional route that would cover East Somerville and take advantage of some of the traffic calming and improved bicycle infrastructure, such as the community path extension, Pearl Street reconstruction and McGrath restriping plan.”

The number of riders Dec. 16 was more than double the number in previous years, (Photo: Lee Toma)

The tour’s holiday lights stay up through early January; the Somerville Arts Council has a self-guided tour map. Highlights include a Santa in distress, a dinosaur tree and an ode to the leg lamp from “A Christmas Story.” For any Christmas celebrators, it’s the perfect time to cycle through Somerville despite the wintry weather – a bike ride might be the antidote to holiday gluttony.

The Illuminations tour map is on the Somerville Arts Council website.

Share your own 150-word appreciation for a piece of visual art or art happening with photo to [email protected] with the subject line “Behold.”