Event Report | 2015 Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival
Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz (MBoSC) is happy to announce yet another successful Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival (SCMBF) presented by MBoSC and FOX. Running at an all-new venue — San Lorenzo Park in downtown Santa Cruz — on April 11-12, 2015, the popular community-minded festival drew an estimated 6,000 attendees.
The Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival was created in 2010 to celebrate the world class mountain bike facilities, riders, and cycling industry of Santa Cruz county, with proceeds benefiting local bike projects. The eco-conscious, family-friendly event grows year after year with the generous support of our sponsors, volunteers, and community. The success of the event is a testament to the depth of the mountain bike culture in Santa Cruz County.
Festival Director Justin Becks enthuses, “The 2015 Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival was a huge success. We couldn’t have done it without so many dedicated sponsors, partners and volunteers. San Lorenzo Park was a great home for this year’s festival as it was easy to get to for so many people and easily accessible to miles and miles of rip roaring world class trails. As I strolled through the expo, I heard a lot of people trading stories, getting tips, and sharing their stoke on mountain biking … and that’s what the festival is all about. It was great to see so many families enjoying the sport together.”
98 volunteers pitched in 1,100 hours to organize and run this year’s event which included bike demos, skills clinics, an aerial jump bag, an expanded kids’ area, contests, an expansive vendor fair, beer garden and food court, and live music.
This year’s festival featured a number of kids’ activities, including skills zones for ages 2-6 and 7-14, plus bounce houses and face painting. Over 300 children enjoyed the free kids’ rodeo run by Trips for Kids Santa Cruz, a volunteer non-profit which provides positive outdoor experiences for at-risk kids through mountain biking, in partnership with Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (MORCA) who provided their bike skills obstacle course and volunteers.
Over 500 bicycles were demo’d from 15 of the industry’s top bike manufacturers. Title sponsor FOX offered free service, while Industry Nine and SRAM were on hand with product to try out. Skills classes for kids and adults alike were offered by top riders such as Scott Sharples, Kat Sweet, Lorraine Blancher, and Lindsay Beth Currier. Kat Sweet also organized Shred Games, a new, fun contest that tested skills and crowned the King and Queen of Shred.
New for 2015, the Poker Ride proved a popular addition to the festivities. Single Tracks – a Meetup group for single mountain biking enthusiasts – kicked off their new group with the Poker Ride, and grand prizes included a FOX 36 fork and Santa Cruz Bicycles Weekend for Two.
Velocity Bike Park’s aerial jump bag saw a great deal of action, with people of all ages getting a taste of flying with their bikes. A wide range of vendors experienced a different sort of action with a constant flow of visitors at their booths. Festival attendees enjoyed local brew and eats at the beer garden and food court, while listening to live music from local bands including Echo Street, Phat Chants, The Blackouts and Coffee Zombie Collective. Exciting raffles and giveaways were interjected throughout the weekend. Bike Santa Cruz County (formerly People Power of Santa Cruz County) provided free valet bike parking, parking 408 bikes over the weekend – nearly double the number parked at the festival in 2014.
Check out the event video right here:
Words: Press Release | Photos: Robin Schmitt
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.