GUIDE TO GRIT FEST
We’re so happy you’re here.
LOCATION: FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
This site is designed to serve as a guide to Grit MTB Festival.
Whether you're thinking about purchasing a ticket, or you're paid up and wondering how to prepare, this guide should answer all of your questions!
In here you can find information about what to expect, travel, lodging, choosing a skills clinic that's right for you, shipping bikes, and more.
Fest date: SEPTEMBER 27-29, 2024
Fest location: Centennial Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Additionally, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Our Vibe
It doesn't matter what kind of bike you're on--whether it's the newest thing to hit the market, or a hand-me-down from two generations back--at Grit Fest, our motto is #AllBikesWelcome.
Expect a variety of delicious meals from vegan breakfast burritos to local eateries in NWA.
Regardless of skill level, every rider is welcome (including brand new riders).
"The LaCroix cooler is here, and the beer cooler is over there."
We're encouraging folks to connect to one another, to nature, and to bikes--in that order. Any day we could be rendered unable to ride a bike, but nothing can take our community and nature away from us.
"Let's have a dance party before we go to bed!"
It's not about the gear, the kit, or the bike. It's about the ride and where it takes you.
"Oh, you need to pump breast milk? Here, use my glamping tent!"
Please read through the community agreements linked below. These participant agreements help us to create a fun, safe, welcoming, and successful event!
Food
Meals included with your ticket are:
Friday dinner
Saturday Breakfast
Saturday Lunch
Saturday Dinner
Sunday Breakfast
Sunday Lunch
If you have dietary restrictions, and didn’t specify so on your ticket, email info@gritfestival.com as soon as possible so we can make sure you’re taken care of.
Location
S. Centennial Park Ln.
Fayetteville, AR 72704
Don’t worry, we won’t let you go thirsty.
+ Friday afternoon mocktails & cocktails
+ Saturday morning coffee and tea
+ Saturday evening FREE Beer Garden
+ Sunday morning coffee and tea
—and of course, we will have water refill stations all weekend long!
Never EVER ridden a mountain bike?
That’s great— You’ve come to the right place!
Grit Fest was built to create a safe and inclusive riding environment for riders of all abilities. In our efforts to create more racial and gender diversity in cycling and the outdoors, we recognize that opportunities to try-out mountain biking are often lacking. We are working to combat that by making Grit Fest a place for brand new and seasoned riders alike!
First Touch Skills Clinic - Body position and balance + braking + shifting (beginner)
Never EVER been mountain biking? This clinic is for YOU as long as you have ridden a bike before and can balance and pedal a bike. Our goal is to make sure your first experience is safe, fun, and supported. This is your time to learn, play, and ask all the questions.
You will learn the basic skills and techniques of mountain biking and then apply them on a gentle trail ride. We will have a Q and A session about gear, places to ride, and general best practices to help you on your MTB journey. This is an intentional space created for the first timers to gather to connect with each other!
Skills needed:
Participants in this group should be able to balance and pedal a bike comfortably
Fitness needed:
Moderate amount of leg strength (think holding a squat for 10 seconds or more)
Mild amount of endurance (think 1/2 mile slow jog, 1-2 mile hike, or 3-4 mile gentle bike ride on pavement)
If you are a brand new rider, you can add the First Touch Friday clinic to your Grit Fest registration for FREE.
First Touch Clinic vs Beginner Clinic: Which one is right for me?
If you are brand new to the sport and are hesitant about jumping on a mountain bike, try the First Touch Clinic for FREE on Friday and add a Beginner Clinic to your registration for Saturday.
The First Touch Friday clinic is great for those who have never ridden a mountain bike and are still getting familiar with the mechanics of mountain biking vs other types of biking. This is a great opportunity to get familiar with a mountain bike and have your basic mechanical questions answered.
The Beginner Clinic is great for those who are familiar with riding and want to gain the basic skills for hitting beginner trails. This clinic is a great opportunity to practice the basic skills needed to be confident on a solo or group ride.
Bikes, Bikes, Bikes
Demos
More info to come on this soon!
Rentals
More info to come on this soon!
Shipping
You can ship your bike to High Roller Cyclery for no extra charge at:
322 W. Spring Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Our friends over at High Roller have also offered to build your bike at the shop for $100, as long as they have a few weeks notice. Call them directly for more information.
You can also ship your bikes to UREC Outdoors, a bike shop at the University of Arkansas. For $75 a bike mechanic will unpack and rebuild your bike, and you can drop your bike off again on Sunday and have it taken apart and repackaged to ship. UREC Outdoors request that participants ship their bikes using bikeflights.com or a similar service and highly recommend that bikes are packaged by a local bike shop to ensure they arrive in good condition. You don't want a component of the bike getting broken on it's way to the Fest!
Bikes need to arrive at the shop by Monday, September 6, 2021. Bike should be shipped to:
UREC Outdoors Bike Shop
155 Stadium Dr. , 225 HPER
Fayetteville, AR 72701
The pick up day for your bike should be scheduled within UREC Outdoors hours of operations which are:
Monday: 10 am to 9 pm
Tuesday - Thursday: 12 pm to 9 pm
Friday: 10 am to 6 pm
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: 5 pm to 9 pm
Storage
We will have Feedback Sports stands for you to safely store your bike during the Fest!
Keep in mind that since this is a camping festival, bikes will need to hang out with you at your camp or on your car overnight. We aren’t offering any specific storage facilities or options for bikes during the fest, and you are responsible for making sure your bike stays happy + safe. PLEASE, do not leave your bike unattended on the main festival site overnight.
Lodging
Camping is offered onsite at the Fest and is included in the price of your festival ticket. Camping will be dispersed and you’ll be able to park your cars in a designated lot within short walking distance of the campsite.
Plus, Centennial Park has good cell phone service, so you can check on your kids, pets, etc.!
Please keep in mind that there won’t be any official security around the campsite, and you are responsible for your own belongings.
Tent camping
If you’re tent camping, we’ll have volunteers on site helping you find a good spot. It’ll be first come first serve with choosing sites, but we will have enough space for everyone. The campsite is within short riding / walking distance of the home base of the fest, so you can walk (or bike) to breakfast in the mornings. It’s also right near the Razorback Greenway, so if you want to go into town for drinks or check out any of the cool things Fayetteville has to offer, it’s all just a bike-ride away.
Vans, RVs, and Trailers
If you are sleeping in a conversion van, camper van, RV, or trailer—GREAT! There will be designated spots away from tent camping for you to set-up!
Crashing in your rig? No problem! You just have to be parked within a designated spot within the park grounds.
Off-site lodging
If camping is all together not your thing, that’s okay! Our friends at Staybridge are offering discounted rooms to Grit Fest attendees.
Staybridge Suites Fayetteville/Univ of Arkansas
(479) 695-2400
1577 W. 15th St.
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Packing List
GEARBike + Helmet
Tent or bivy
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Riding Gloves
CLOTHING / PERSONAL ITEMSWool socks for sleeping in
Down Jacket
Fleece
Camp shoes
Closed-toe shoes to ride in
Outfit to ride in
Clothes for hanging out at camp
Hat / beanie
Rain Jacket
Warm gloves
OTHERMug
Re-useable Utensils
Towel
Blanket
Re-usable Bag
Water Bottle
Journal
Pen
Cash / money for merchandise and raffle tickets
Programmming
Keynote Speakers and Workshops
Friday evening of the fest we have a keynote presentation that sets the tone for the weekend. These speakers are usually focused on justice, equity, inclusion and/or empowerment in outdoor sports.
You can learn more about our keynote speakers on our Instagram page.
Workshops begin on Friday afternoon and run all the way through Sunday morning. These may include tea ceremonies, plant walks, basic bike mechanics, trail building opportunities, and panel discussions. More to come on what the full schedule of workshop offerings will look like!
Interested in presenting? More info to come on this soon!
Skills Clinics
Skills clinics can be added on for $60. Skills clinic options include beginner and intermediate skills clinics. Each clinic is two hours long and is taught by BICP and/or PMBIA certified instructors.
Cornering Skills Clinic - Bike-body separation (beginner/intermediate/advanced)
Learn to corner in this clinic where we break down all the components of cornering on flat and bermed turns. This is for beginner, intermediate, and advanced riders. Participants should be comfortable riding 2-5 miles with breaks.
Fundamentals Skills Clinic - Body position + braking + gears totally (beginner/intermediate friendly)
You'll explore the fundamental skills of mountain biking by exploring body position and balance, braking, and gear shifting. This clinic is for beginner or intermediate riders wanting to hone in on some essential components to help you gain confidence and comfort while riding trails. Participants should be comfortable riding 2-5 miles with breaks.
Intro to Jumps - Wheel Lifts (intermediate/advanced)
We will break down getting the wheels off the ground in this clinic where we will focus on wheel lifts and timing.This is an intermediate/advanced clinic. Participants should be comfortable riding up to 5 miles.
Intro to Drops - (intermediate/advanced)
We will get our body position dialed to confidently take on small drops in this clinic. This is an intermediate/advanced clinic. Participants should be comfortable riding up to 5 miles.
Group Rides
Throughout the weekend we will have group rides hosted by instructors locally and from all over the country! Our instructors are highly experienced and we are confident they will make you feel welcome and at home during the ride. We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to practice your skills in a safe environment and meet riders from different places and backgrounds.
Ride levels include:
Beginner
Beginner+
Intermediate
Advanced
What to expect on each ride…
Beginner: You've ridden a handful of times or not at all. Either way, you are learning the basic skills of keeping level pedals, breaking, and bike-body separation. Expect to ride 2-4 miles.
Beginner+: You've got the basics. Now it's time to build stamina! Expect to ride 4-6 miles and spend a little bit of time on skills like cornering and berms.
Intermediate: You're pretty confident maneuvering your bike and riding 6-8 miles. You can roll over drops, or you're ready to learn! You're used to taking 1-2 breaks during a ride, or none at all depending on the terrain. When it comes down to it, you are continually pushing your skills and your endurance.
Advanced: You came to ride, and ride hard. 8 miles? How about 12 miles? Maybe more if we're feeling good! You're going to take the expert line and you might lose track of time while you're riding. Just make sure to make it back for dinner!
What about SWAG?!
We got you!
Expect plenty of opportunities to win FREE stuff. We’ll have raffles, giveaways, and silent auctions for you!
We’re grateful for all of the brands that have stepped up to donate gear for our festival goers.
The Facebook Group
We want to connect you to other Grit Fest attendees. If you haven’t already, click HERE to request access to our exclusive, attendee-only Facebook Group. In this space, you’ll be able to connect with festival goers, organize car pooling and bike shuttles, and get to know each other before the Fest gets here.
What if it Rains?
Our event will go on rain or shine! If it is pouring and riding conditions are less than preferable, we'll still have all of our regular programming including delicious meals, keynote speaker, workshops, yoga, dance parties, beer and mocktails, and more!
Note: We do not accept responsibility for finding alternative lodging in the event of rain, storms, etc. It is up to the attendee if they wish to find a place indoors to rest their head.
