Parks & Recreation

Paddle, bike, & play at Spokatopia July 13-14, 2019

5th annual outdoor adventure festival

Media: Ryan Griffith, 509-363-5418

Tuesday, July 2, 2019 at 3:35 p.m.

People of all ages and abilities who love spending time outdoors with family and friends, can head to Camp Sekani Park on the Spokane River for a fun-filled weekend July 13 – 14.

Spokatopia is a two-day outdoor adventure festival featuring paddleboarding, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, yoga, kids’ activities and kids’ bike demos, rock climbing, bike and watersports gear demos, and other outdoor activities.

Enjoy live music, an adult beverage garden, food trucks, camping and nighttime family activities, a 5K trail run and paddleboard race, a Saturday night mountain bike movie, a mountain bike jump show, over 60 outdoor recreation-related exhibitors, and more.

Spokatopia
Saturday, July 13 from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday, July 14 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Camp Sekani Park and Boulder Beach, along the Spokane River at 6707 E. Upriver Drive

The event also offers guided adventure clinics to learn a new outdoor sport or skill with experienced City of Spokane Parks and Recreation staff; shuttles to the top of Camp Sekani for all downhill mountain bike rides; and the biggest bike demo event of the year featuring the latest mountain, electric-assist, hybrid, and other bikes.

General admission is free, and activity passes range from $5-$50 depending on the types of activities, adventure clinics, and bikes and watersports gear people want to try.

Festival attendees are encouraged to ride their bikes to the festival and use the free, secure bike corral.

New in 2019

• SUP Cup Paddleboard Race: Sunday, July 14 from 1-4 p.m. will kick-off Spokane’s only stand up paddleboard race, a highly-anticipated sporting event that is attracting elite racers from around the Northwest and Canada and promises to be an excellent spectator opportunity. The event includes both elite and recreational division races with $500 cash prizes going to the top male and female elite races. www.spokatopia.com/spokatopia-sup-cup.
• Expanded Kids Activities: Spokatopia will have even more activities this year for families and kids of all ages, including the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation Mobile Recreation van featuring relays, challenges, chalk art, ladder golf, and giant 4-in-a-row game; two climbing walls; Strider balance bike demos and kids’ pedal bike demos; camp activities with REI; games; slacklining; a water soaker area; paddleboard and kayak demos; and Saturday evening Creativity and Nature programs by award-winning author Joseph Drumheller. www.spokatopia.com/kids-activities
• Camping: A limited number of camp sites at Camp Sekani Park are up for grabs on a first-come-first served basis. Campers will enjoy nighttime music, a free mountain bike movie, and kids’ activities and free camp breakfast in the morning. www.spokatopia.com/camping

One of the Biggest Bike Demo Events in the Northwest

Festivalgoers can try many different types of mountain bikes, as well as electric-assist, cruiser, hybrid, fat bikes, road bikes, and kids’ bikes from Spokane-area shops including Wheel Sport, The Bike Hub, North Division Bicycle, Shred Sports Outlet, and REI Spokane, plus out-of-town demo fleets. Bike brands include Niner, Specialized, Giant, Pivot, Santa Cruz, Orbea, Juliana, Liv, Salsa, Ibis, Trek, Yeti, Kona, and REI’s Co-op Cycles. www.spokatopia.com/demos

Try the Latest Stand Up Paddleboards, Kayaks, and Canoes

Water lovers of all abilities can splash around in the lake-like waters of the Spokane River at Boulder Beach and cool off on different types of inflatable paddleboards, kayaks and canoes from local shops and national brands. Options include Stillwater Outdoors inflatable stand up paddleboards with Fun Unlimited; SUP Spokane paddleboards; paddleboards and kayaks from The General Store; inflatable paddleboards from Red Paddle Co.; kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards from City of Spokane Parks & Recreation; and top-of-the-line boats from Mountain Gear, including Wenonah Itasca canoes, Wilderness Systems Pungo 120 kayaks, Hobie Eclipse SUPs, the 2019 Hobie outback fishing kayak, and Hobie pro angler 12 fishing kayak. www.spokatopia.com/demos

Learn a New Outdoor Sport or Skill at an Adventure Clinic

Anyone looking to learn a new outdoor sport or skill can sign up for an Adventure Clinic through City of Spokane Parks & Recreation scheduled for Saturday, July 13. Clinics are guided by friendly experts with other people who are there to learn too. Sign up in advance or at Camp Sekani Park the day of the festival (if there’s space remaining). All gear and instruction are provided, and the cost is $20 per person, including a festival Adventure Pass. Clinics to choose from include rock climbing and rappelling, disc golf, stand up paddleboard yoga, a Voyageur 8-person canoe tour, a paddleboarding lesson, and a tandem kayak tour. Register at SpokaneRec.org or call 509-755-2489.

Live Music

Spokatopia will feature free live rock, Americana, and folk music all weekend long this year, including James Walker, Joe Cajon (hand pan drum music), Wyatt Wood (acoustic rock), River City Roots (reggae/roots/rock), Haley & The Hitchhikers (Americana Roots/rock), Sovereign Citizen (country rock), and Matt Mitchell (acoustic rock/folk). www.Spokatopia.com/live-music

Spokatopia 5K Trail Run

On Sunday morning at 8 a.m., July 14, a fun, 5K trail run through Camp Sekani Park will start the day of Spokatopia festivities for both experienced trail runners and those who may be new to running on trails. There is also an optional trail running clinic that starts at 7:30 a.m. and a free yoga class featuring poses and stretches for runners and cyclists after the race at 9 a.m. www.spokatopia.com/trail-run

Mountain Bike Jump Show

Watch mountain bikers fly through the air off of huge jumps up close at the Camp Sekani bike park on Saturday from 1-2 p.m. These skilled riders and their aerial tricks are one of the highlights of Spokatopia.

Free Yoga Classes

Two free yoga classes at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday will be the perfect start to the day for all abilities. Special poses and stretches for runners and cyclists will be included in the Sunday morning class. www.spokatopia.com/yoga

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