Spokatopia Outdoor Adventure Festival Saturday, July 9

Outdoor Activities, Bike and Paddleboard Demos, 40+ Exhibitors, Live Music, a Beer Garden and More at Camp Sekani Park on the Spokane River

Ryan Griffith, 509.363.5418


Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 3:03 p.m.


At the 2nd annual Spokatopia Outdoor Adventure Festival on Saturday, July 9, festivalgoers can try stand up paddleboarding, rock climbing, kayaking, slacklining, canoeing, geo-caching, SUP yoga, disc golf, mountain biking, yoga and other outdoor activities.

The fun, festive atmosphere includes 40 exhibitors, live music, a beer garden and food trucks, a mountain bike jump jam with riders performing high-flying bike stunts, free bike shuttles to the top of the trail system at Camp Sekani, a trail run/walk, and the biggest bike demo and sales event of the year.

The festival kicks off in the morning with a 5k or 1.5 mile Up Chuck Challenge trail run or walk (9 a.m.) or a free yoga lesson (10 a.m.). Bike demos, paddleboard demos, slacklining and many other activities happen all day long and are free, although there is a cost to sign up for the outdoor adventure clinics ($10-20 per person) offered through the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation. These clinics all sold out last year.

What: Spokatopia

Where: Camp Sekani Park and Boulder Beach on the Spokane River, just east of downtown

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cost: General admission is free. Outdoor adventure clinics cost $10 – 20.

More: Full festival details and clinic registration are available at www.spokatopia.com.

The Biggest Bike Demo and Sales Event of the Year Local bike shops, including Wheel Sport, North Division Bicycle Shop, This Bike Life, The Bike Hub, Velofix, Wintersport, and Coolwater Bikes will be set up at Spokatopia offering demos and selling bikes and gear from Specialized, Pivot, Yeti, Trek, Norco, Santa Cruz, Ellsworth and other brands. Bikes for sale and demo will include full suspension, front suspension, hardtail, and downhill mountain bikes; fat bikes; hybrids; 29ers; and road and commuter bikes. This will be the biggest bike demo and sales event in the Inland Northwest this year. Demo bikes can be checked out for free (with a current ID) and ridden on Camp Sekani dirt trails, forest roads or on Centennial Trail pavement right there at the festival.

Paddleboard & Other Water Sports Demos Festivalgoers can try Stillwater Outdoors inflatable stand up paddleboards and paddles on the lake-like waters of the Spokane River at Boulder Beach below the central festival grounds. Mountain Gear will also have a fleet of boats available to demo. All water sports demos are free (bring a valid ID).

Outdoor Booths & Demos Over 40 booths from the region’s top outdoor recreation oriented companies and organizations, from bike shops and outdoor product retailers to outdoor clubs and other small businesses that cater to active adults and families will be set up at the central festival grounds.

Live Music & Beer Garden Craft beers from the Inland Northwest and beyond will be served up in the pine-shaded beer garden. KPND 95.3 FM tunes will be playing in between live music, including rock and roll and Americana by Smackout Pack (11-12:30), Wyatt Wood (1-3:30) and Marshall McLean (4-6). Proceeds from the beer garden benefit Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance.

Mountain Bike Jump Jam Talented local riders will be flying through the air on bikes, pulling off tricks and launching off huge jumps that few mountain bikers can execute and land at the Camp Sekani bike park a few hundred yards through the trees from the main festival grounds. This free event from 1-2 p.m., with riders practicing before the event, promises to be an awesome experience for spectators.

Sekani Mountain Bike Shuttles For one day only, mountain bikers can ride the trails at Camp Sekani without having to pedal or push to the top in the July heat thanks to free truck shuttles to the top courtesy of Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance. Riders can bring their own bikes or take a demo bike for a spin down their choice of trails ranging from beginner and intermediate to expert. Free trail maps will be available.

Up Chuck Challenge 5K & 1.5 Mile Trail Run/Walk The Up Chuck Challenge trail run starts at Camp Sekani Park on the Up Chuck Trail for a fun 5k climb to the top of Beacon Hill (1,000 feet of elevation gain). New this year, participants can run or walk the 1.5 mile “Up Chuck Lite” course to the top of Camp Sekani. The race is timed on the up only, with another 2.3 mile run or walk back to the start for the 5k, and a half mile walk/run back down for the Up Chuck Lite 1.5 miler.

Morning Yoga Lesson A free “Outdoor Yoga for Everyone” class will run from 10-11 a.m. at the main festival grounds. The class style is appropriate for all levels. Participants should bring a yoga mat and loose-fitting clothing.

Festival Parking/Directions The two parking lots at Camp Sekani Park will fill up early, so festivalgoers are encouraged to use one of these alternative options:

  1. Park on the shoulder/bike lane of E. Upriver Drive in select, signed locations between Shields Park and Boulder Beach, which will be allowed through a permit from Spokane County on the day of the festival (details on this option here).
  2. Park at nearby Pasadena Elementary (1-mile east on Upriver Drive) or Shields Park/Minnehaha (the paved and dirt lot just west of Sekani on Upriver Drive) and catch a van shuttle (running every 15 minutes) or walk/bike to Camp Sekani from their parked vehicle on the Centennial Trail.
  3. Ride a bike to the festival. Participants can park at the Avista Utilities parking lot (1411 E. Mission Ave.) and ride a bike 4.6 miles on the Centennial Trail to the festival. A secure, free bike corral will be available at Camp Sekani, which is located between downtown Spokane and Spokane Valley on E. Upriver Drive.