As we say goodbye to ski season, cyclists are busting out their gear for a spring and summer full of mountain and road biking. The Stoke the Season Festival is gearing up with a day dedicated to all things cycling April 27.
While Sun Peaks Bike Park doesn’t open until June 15, the Stoke the Season Festival will be a place to connect with other cycling enthusiasts.
“We wanted it to be early…to build up excitement for the season,” festival organizer Andrea Locke told SPIN.
The event will be held at two locations, Dufferin Park and Thompson Rivers University (TRU), with family-fun games, lessons, vendors and more.
Kick the day off at Dufferin Park at 12:30 p.m. for trail work sessions at the Kids Zone Trails until 2:30 p.m. before heading to TRU at 3:30 p.m. for a trail riding lesson, BBQ, community showcase, competitions and a movie screening of Ritual.
Attendance to the Stoke the Season Festival is by donation, and money raised will go to Kamloops Bike Riders Association (KBRA), Kamloops Performance Cycling (KPCC) and Kamloops Cycling Coalition (KCC).
“[KBRA and KPCC] are focused on mountain bike trails, maintaining trails and organizing community events around mountain biking and KCC is about building active transportation, getting funding and improving infrastructure in town,” Locke said.
Stoke the Season is also partnering with the Kamloops Food Bank to collect non-perishable food items.
Whether your preference is for hitting the trails or hitting the pavement, the festival is a place for all to come together and share their passion Locke said.
“We wanted to bring the whole community together, not just mountain bikers or road bikers or gravel riders, bring all different types of cyclists together to the same space that is meant for everybody.”
This year’s event is the inaugural kick off, but in coming years Locke would like to see the festival expanded to a weekend-long shindig.
Learn more about Stoke the Season at their website.
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