We’ve very excited to be sponsoring The Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival this weekend April 5 &6 for the second year in a row. For more info, read below.
Well, hello April! Can it really be April 1 already? Who’s down to join us this coming weekend (April 5-6) in Aptos Village, CA for the 5th annual Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival? We’ve sure come a long way since our very first event at Depot Park in 2010. Check out all the exciting comps and skills clinics plus an inspired list of expo activities lined up for this year’s festival!
Some late breaking news that you may not yet have heard: Freeride legend and Santa Cruz local Cam McCaul is bringing a fresh twist to this year’s 831 JUMP JAM & CONTEST sponsored by Trek and Epicenter Cycling. We’re amped to announce that the amateur portion of this event is a Freeride Mountain Bike (FMB) World Tour Bronze event! Up & coming riders, here’s your chance to show your talent, gain experience and earn points for the FMB US amateur series. FMB Bronze events offer amateur athletes an achievable way to work up to pro ranks—register now and get ready to send it into the big time!
In other news, we’d like to remind y’all that we strive to be a Zero Waste Event. Our operations will be powered by the sun courtesy Sandbar Solar. Carpooling and biking to the event will further diminish the festival’s impact on the planet. Free, secure bike valet parking on the Expo grounds will be provided by People Power of Santa Cruz. Bottled water will not be available for sale; however, HydroLogic will provide filtered water, so please bring your reusable water bottles and leave the bottled water behind. Alternatively, you can purchase our commemorative SCMBF mason jar at the beer garden or merchandise booth, and feel good knowing you’re helping the environment, funding bike projects and bringing home a super sweet memento of a great time!
Speaking of turning your dollars into new trails and other bike projects by purchasing rad commemorative products—be sure to swing by our merchandise booth to check out this year’s ALL NEW t-shirt and socks designs. You’ll want one or both, guaranteed! Also make a stop at the raffle booth where you can purchase $1 and $5 tickets for the chance to win some impressive gear. A silent auction will also be offered so bid on your favorite items and go home with a great deal!
Open from 9am-6pm Saturday and 9am-5pm Sunday, there is no cost to enter the Expo Area which offers a wide range of activities for the whole family plus a varied selection of industry manufacturers and retailers. In the Expo Area, attendees will find:
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Free bike demos from a wide range of top manufacturers such as Specialized, Trek, Pivot, Ibis, Cannondale, Diamondback, Liv/giant, Marin, Morpheus, Niner, Rocky Mountain, Santa Cruz, and Scott. Plus SRAM will be sending demos out, as well, so you can try out their products!
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Free service from FOX
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$25 shuttle rides to the top of Nisene Mark, by Shuttle Smith Adventures
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$10 all-day wristband for the Velocity aerial jump bag
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Free Kids’ Rodeo (skills area) sponsored by Specialized/Scotts Valley Cycle Sport
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Beer Garden featuring Uncommon Brewers and other craft beer
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Food Court featuring Dee Dees Deli-ishes Taqueria, Pizza Gypsy and Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine
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Raffles and silent auction to benefit local bike projects
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Smith Optics After Party, Saturday 3pm-6pm featuring local favorite band Coffee Zombie Collective (plays at 4pm)
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Deep list of vendors and exhibitors including bike shops, industry media, bike gear and clothing, festival merchandise and much more.
In addition to an extensive Expo Area, the festival offers competitive events for pros and amateurs alike including the Bell Pump Track Pandemonium Comp, the Trek/Epicenter Cycling 831 Jump Jam & Contest (an FMB World Tour Bronze Event!), and Sweetlines Sugar Showdown Santa Cruz women-specific jump class and contest. Youth 3-12 can “race” around the short track on the Specialized/Scotts Valley Cycle Sport Kids’ Fun Lap. Clinics presented by Sweetlines/Clif Bar include basic mountain bike skills (taught by an impressive list of pro coaches) and enduro skills (taught by AllRide’s Kirt and Lindsey Voreis).
The Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival was created to celebrate the world class mountain bike facilities, riders, and cycling industry of Santa Cruz county and continues to grow year after year with the generous support of its sponsors, volunteers, and community. In just its fourth year, the 2013 eco-conscious festival drew over 9,000 attendees and 395 registered participants—a 50% increase in attendance and 220% increase in registered participation over 2012. The event reflects what Santa Cruz is all about: loving the outdoors, meeting friendly people, kicking back and immersing yourself in your favorite sport, and its success is a testament to the depth of the mountain bike culture in Santa Cruz county.