Fat Tire Festival Spins its Wheel in Eureka Springs July 18

The 11th Annual Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival, the largest event of its kind in the central United States, returns here July 18-20, presented by Adventure Subaru.

The mountain bike event in the tiny Ozark mountain getaway town of Eureka Springs will include both competitive and non-competitive cycling events. All races are free to spectators, as are the bike parade, film fest and several "fun" rides.

One key change will be the location of Saturday night's cross country pre-registration and Observed Trials awards. They will now take place at the Pied Piper, located on Spring Street just a few hundred yards south of the Auditorium.

Everyone will be entertained with music, fatty films, food, and beverage specials and a "one of a kind" party atmosphere.

Competitive cross-country (XC), downhill and short track races are scheduled, as well as Observed Trials. Non-competitive events include a Trimble Ranch Ride, two children's fun rides, and two Black Bass Back Street Races. Black Bass rides are non-competitive and are fun rides, not races.

Last year's event drew over 1,000 participants and spectators from all over the country. This year's festival will be "fatter" than ever, according to event organizer David Renko.
He explained, "Word keeps spreading about what a fantastic place Eureka Springs is for mountain biking. And with $5,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs, we expect 'Fatty '08 to be our biggest yet."

The event's name is derived from the size of tires required for traversing the challenging mountainous terrain.

The non-competitive Black Bass Back Street Race kicks off the weekend July 18 at noon, starting at Harmon Park. The event offers an opportunity for the casual cyclist to experience the scenic, tree-lined back roads seldom seen by the casual tourist.

Downhill practice and XC course pre-rides follow that afternoon. Pre-registration for all events is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Harmon Park.

That is also the site for the first competitive event of the festival, the Phat Tire Short Track race, which starts at 7 p.m. Friday.

Saturday's competitive races include the Downhill at Lake Leatherwood Park at 9 a.m. and the Super Fat Trials at Harmon Park at 2 p.m. The "PTD" Downhill will be spiced up thanks to Progressive Trail Designs, which has revamped the course and added some new features.

Two non-competitive rides are also set for Saturday. The Children's Fun Ride begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lake Leatherwood.

A guided ride on one of the newest "Fat" single track courses in Northwest Arkansas takes place at noon at Trimble Ranch in Berryville, eight miles east of Eureka Springs.

Sunday's highlight is the crowd-pleasing, photo-op-filled XC Race to the Lake. That event begins at 9 a.m. at Basin Spring Park and concludes at Lake Leatherwood Park. A Children's Fun Ride, hospitality tent and awards ceremony follow, also at Lake Leatherwood.

One significant change this year is that all Lake Leatherwood Park events will be staged from the sports fields and not the day use area. The entrance to the fields is located just east of the road to the day use area of Lake Leatherwood on U.S. Hwy. 62.

Entry fees for participants range from $15 to $35 depending on events entered and classification.

Information & Image courtesy of Carroll County News