It all started back in 2004 when, after a decade of traveling by car on family vacations in Union Pier, Michigan, close friends and average cyclists, Lois and Ernie Baumann, and Kay and Steve Coughlin, challenged each other to ditch their vehicles and ride their bicycles from Chicago to Union Pier. So, with scant maps and no cue sheet, in June of 2004, this baby boomer foursome embarked on an 80-mile, 2-day scenic adventure. 

Since that inaugural ride in 2004, thousands of cyclists have enjoyed pedaling along the lakefront of Chicago, the Duneland trails of Indiana Dunes National Park, and biking through Michigan Harbor Country. In 2024, over 600 cyclists participated in Le Tour de Shore. 

Sadly, in 2025, we lost Ernie, who once looked over at his friend Steve and said, "Let's ride our bikes to Michigan." Ernie devoted himself to kids in the community, on his block, at the pool, in the parks, and at Mr. Ernie's Flip Flop & Fly. Ernie's selfless work in the community lives on at Maywood Fine Arts. We invite all of you to come see this miracle in Maywood first-hand.

This year, on its 22nd anniversary, let's go the extra mile with Le Tour de Shore.  Let's make this ride the biggest and best ride to date, a fundraiser befitting the legacy of Ernie and the organization he co-founded that makes a difference in the lives of thousands of children each year.

So what are you waiting for?! Get those tires pumped and let’s go for it! Let’s ride for Ernie and Maywood Fine Arts!

Why We Ride!

Mission: Maywood Fine Arts provides affordable quality arts and fitness education for children and families in Maywood and surrounding communities to enrich and transform their lives.

Vision: Every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive through the arts.

Our Story: We are passionate about the transformational power of the creative experience and its ability to expand a child’s worldview, to give them agency as well as the ability to express themselves with confidence and joy.  MFA has struck a unique balance between artistic excellence in the education and experiences we offer with a welcoming acceptance to all who want to join. We are dedicated to serving our community through this lens. 

Through grassroots efforts, we transformed a boarded-up bank building in downtown Maywood into a vibrant place where fine arts activity could flourish. After nearly three decades, MFA continues to improve its surroundings with a state-of-the-art Dance and Fitness Studio as well as a historic Fine Arts building that provide safe, welcoming spaces for children and bring pride of place to Maywood.

See us in action on Facebook and Instagram