Revelstoke’s Bike Fest takes over with a weekend of festivities

Bike Fest 2024 returns Thursday, Sept. 5 to Sunday, Sept. 8 for a weekend of gear demos, vendors, the challenging Revy50 and the Women’s Enduro.

“We’re excited to celebrate the biking season,” JF Bigras, Race Revelstoke’s owner and events director told Revelstoke Mountaineer. Race Revelstoke is partnering with local and regional bike vendors and organizations such as Revelstoke Cycling Association (RCA) to take advantage of Revelstoke’s biking trails to make Bike Fest 2024 bigger and better than ever for its third year. With so much planned, organizers have taken the chance to spread events over four days, giving residents and guests more opportunities to come and celebrate.

BIKE FEST 2024 EVENTS

Thursday, Sept. 5 at 5 p.m., head over to Mt. Begbie Brewery for an evening party kicking off the weekend of festivities. Featuring live music, some of Mt. Begbie Brewery’s crafted creations and  games, the party is a fundraiser for RCA and the trail maintenance they take on.

Friday, Sept. 6 at 5 p.m. in the Regent hotel parking lot, the MEGA BIKE SHOWDOWN returns once again for the elimination style competition of bike games and shenanigans. Whether it’s bike jousting, high jump challenges or any of the other mini games, participants have three chances (and three balloons) to beat their competitor and head to the next game. Lose a game, lose a balloon. The Mechanic Showdown competition will take place afterwards at 9 p.m., a beverage garden and food options will be onsite and Revelstoke’s Beef Dip will perform live music at 10 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7 at 2 p.m., it’s expo time following the Revelstoke Farmers’ Market. Come downtown to vendor village (or hang around at the end of the Saturday market) and explore the latest gear available. Bike demos will be available and a shuttle will be on hand to take participants to their favorite trails on the Macpherson and Boulder trail networks. A chance to make finding the right bike for you more financially accessible, Bigras stressed that demos and the shuttle trip are free to all participants.

Those downtown will also have a chance to cheer on Women’s Enduro riders as they enter downtown for the finish line. The youth MEGA BIKE SHOWDOWN will also be taking place, with younger riders getting to compete head-to-head. Competitors will then take part in the victory parade at 5 p.m. Bike Fest 2024 attendees will get the chance to peruse vintage bikes and the shiniest local cycles at the Vintage Bike Show-and-Shine located in the Grizzly Plaza. 

Sunday, Sept. 8 at 8:30 a.m., it’s Revy 50 race day. The mass start race takes off from Grizzly Plaza and travels down over 50 kilometres of RCA’s Mt. Macpherson trails. Bigras encourages viewers to come down and cheer on the start of the race at Grizzly Plaza and then head to the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club for the finish line and celebrations.

Apart from competing in the Revy50 and the Women’s Enduro, all events at Bike Fest 2024 are free to attend.