By Chandler Burgess, courtesy Killington Resort
The inaugural Bike and Brew in 2017 at Killington Bike Park saw an action packed weekend, including riders performing stunts like this backflip.
June 15-17—KILLINGTON— Mountain Bike Vermont (MTBVT) and Killington Resort, home of the largest downhill bike park in eastern North America, are thrilled to welcome the second annual Vermont Bike & Brew Festival to Killington Bike Park, June 15-17. This weekend-long event will include entertainment for the entire family, including three days of organized mountain biking for all skill levels, the downhill critical mass ride, onsite camping, vendor garden, bike swap, craft beer garden, whip-off competition, pond cross skinny challenge and live music from mountain biking’s house band, The CopOuts.
“Our goal is to harness last year’s momentum and one-up the best downhill oriented bike festival the East Coast has ever seen,” said Bike & Brew organizer Nate Freund. “Between Killington’s epic trails, on-site camping, and Vermont’s finest beer garden being constructed on site, we guarantee a good time. And everyone’s invited!”
The event will kick off on Friday, June 15 with a pre-registration party and afternoon lift laps. Dusk brings a locals’ night cross-country ride tour of Green Mountain Trails followed by an evening around the campfire at the Vale Lot camping area.
Saturday morning the “Kegs n’ Eggs” breakfast returns before the lifts open at 9 a.m. The 10 a.m. Critical Mass ride will line up the largest downhill train of riders Vermont has ever seen. Help them beat last year’s 150 rider total and join for a peak to creek romp with a few hundred friends.
Join the skinny bridge contest or spectate on Saturday afternoon while riders test their balance on a floating skinny bridge strung across the Snowshed Pond.
Following the pond-cross an open entry whip-off competition will be held adjacent the beer garden. Speaking of beer garden, MTBVT and Killington are curating a tap list to please the most discerning beer nerd – and beer tickets are included with registration.
“The resort is excited to host such an action packed weekend,” said Rich McCoy, director of summer operations at Killington Resort. “The schedule has something for all ages and thanks to the five years of work we’ve completed with Gravity Logic, the Vermont Bike and Brew promises terrain for riders of all ability levels.”
Sunday morning brings an additional day of riding kicked off with the MTBVT Recovery Ride for those that didn’t (or did) get their fill. For those with an cross-country bike in tow and brave enough to take on the mountain, climb to the top with MTBVT (yes, climb) before kicking off a day of downhill laps.
For more information, visit mtbvt.com.
2018 Bike & Brew Festival schedule:
Friday, June 15
9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Registration/ticketing open – Showshed Base Lodge
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Bike Park open – Snowshed & Ramshead Areas
5-8 p.m.
Registration party – Snowshed Umbrella Bars
Sunset
Group night ride, cross country/trail – Green Mountain Trails, Pittsfield
Saturday, June 16
7:30-9 a.m.
Kegs and Eggs breakfast – Snowshed Food Court
9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Registration/ticketing open – Snowshed Base Lodge
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Beast of a Bike Swap – Festival Area/Vendor Village at Snowshed
9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Bike Park open – Showshed & Ramshead Areas
10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Vendor Village Open – Snowshed Base Area
10 a.m.
Critical Mass ride – Meet at Ramshead Express Quad
11 a.m.-1:15 p.m.
Kids’ Shred Sessions group ride – Meet at Snowshed Express Quad
11 a.m.
Outdoor barbecue opens – Snowshed Base Area
11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m.
Adult group rides – Meet at Snowshed Base Area
12-2 p.m.
Live remote broadcast with WEQX – Snowshed Base Area
1:30-4:30 p.m.
Live music with The Wheel – Snowshed Base Area
2-6 p.m.
Brewfest open – Snowshed Base Area
2 p.m.
Kids’ Stryder bike rodeo – TBA
3 p.m.
Whip-off contest – Snowshed Base Area
4 p.m.
Skinny bridge contest – Snowshed Pond
4:30-7 p.m.
Live music with Saints & Liars – Snowshed Umbrella Bar
7 p.m.
Whip-off and skinny bridge awards – Snowshed Umbrella Bar
10 p.m.
After party with live music and bonfire – Vale parking lots / camping area
Sunday, June 17
9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Beast of a Bike Swap – Festival Area/Vendor Village at Snowshed
9:30-11 a.m.
Breakfast served – Snowshed Food Court
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Bike Park open – Snowshed & Ramshead areas
10:30 a.m.
Group recovery ride – Meet at Snowshed Express Quad
11 a.m.
Bike Bum race – Meet at Snowshed Base Area
1 p.m.
Bike Bum race awards – Snowshed Umbrella Bar
