NORWAY — After months of Norway Downtown collectively crossing its fingers and extended discussion amongst selectmen, the Norway Selectboard has approved a permit to allow Bike Maine to make a one day and one night stop in town with one rule — no alcohol on town office property.

But that doesn’t mean the bicyclists won’t have a brew or two right next door.

At the selectmen’s June 5 meeting, Norway Downtown’s Outdoor Festival License for the Bike Maine event was approved. This comes despite some controversy regarding their previous dinner plans. Alcohol was going to be sold during the dinner which was going to be held at the town offices.

Norway Town Manager David Holt said he didn’t approve because alcohol had never been allowed on the town office property in the past.

However, the problem was solved when Norway Savings Bank told Andrea Burns of Downtown Norway that a beer tent could be set up on the bank’s property, which neighbors the town office.

Burns said that beer will allow the bikers to refuel on carbohydrates after their long day’s ride.

Kim True of the Bike Coalition of Maine, creators of Bike Maine, assured the selectboard that all bikers will have a “lights out” curfew at 10 p.m. on the night they stay, Sept. 7, so that none of the residents’ sleep is disturbed. The bikers will be served dinner and breakfast during their stay in the Norway Fire Station.

“We are an association that has been in existence for over 24 years,” said True, adding that there are more than 5,000 members of the group throughout the state.

True said that the Bike Coalition of Maine’s main goal is to increase the popularity of biking throughout Maine. She said that they do this for health reasons and because it is an effective means of transportation for the 24-percent of Mainers who don’t drive cars.

Apart from Bike Maine, the Bike Coalition of Maine sponsors the Womens’ Ride, a recent event where roughly 575 women biked up to 260 miles per day, and the Lobster Ride in Rockland that is attended by more than 900 people each year.

The Lobster Ride is special for towns because bikers come from out of state and spend money in local shops and restaurants when they stay overnight.

True said that this is the similar goal for Norway. She hopes that the bikers will spend money in the town, boosting its economy.

This is the second year for Bike Maine, which was developed when the Bike Coalition looked to explore Maine’s people, places, cultures and foods.

“We’re all about being able to brand the state of Maine,” said True. “We use all Maine vendors, all Maine foods, we have all Maine sponsors…so that all of us can feel proud of the fact that we have beautiful communities, like Norway.”

True said one of Norway’s qualities that she would most like the bikers to discover is its upkeep of historical structures including the Gingerbread House and Opera House, both located on the street that the bikers will be traveling.

“We’re trying to be able to have the spotlight be placed on small communities that don’t get as much of the tourists trade so that those communities have the chance to show all of the good things that are going on in the community,” said True.

The Bike Coalition of Maine hopes local businesses will be more biker-friendly and are working to get bike racks to be placed on Main Street.

Norway was chosen to be a destination for the Bike Maine trek on it’s own merit, and Burns said that neither she nor any other member of the organization had anything to do with the Bike Coalition of Maine’s selection of the town. True agreed.

“This is the kind of community we want to showcase,” she said.