ELKIN, N.C. – The inaugural NC Trail Days Festival takes place May 31-June 2 in Elkin and combines the area’s abundance of trails with a fun schedule of events.
The festival is an initiative of the Elkin Valley Trails Association, in conjunction with Explore Elkin. The EVTA is a volunteer group with a mission to enhance Elkin by building an extensive network of trails for people of all ability levels.
“The festival has competitive events, family-oriented events and guided hikes throughout the weekend,” says festival director Denise Lyon. “We’ve put together a variety of activities to appeal to as many people as we can.”
Festivities begin Friday with several options during the day, followed by an evening gathering at Elkin Municipal Park. The gathering includes festival information, live music and a low country boil. Later that night is 5Point Adventure Film Night at the Reeves Theater on Main Street, showcasing adventure film shorts that won awards at the 5Point Film Festival in Colorado.
Saturday is full of activities, starting with a 5k hill climb trail race to the top of Stone Mountain and concluding with a bonfire and live music at the Foothills Arts Council.
Other Saturday activities include: guided hikes, a 40-mile group cycle ride, women’s kayaking on the Yadkin River Paddle Trail, fly fishing and mountain bike demonstrations, trail seminars and kids’ activities.
Sunday includes a family paddle flotilla on the Yadkin River and exploring the Surry County Wine Trail.
“We really want to celebrate all of our trail network here. Our paddle trail, our mountain bike trail, our hiking trails, and our national historic trail, the Overmountain Victory Trail,” Lyon says. “As we get busier, more stressed out, and glued to our phones and computers, there’s this real shift that is happening with people wanting to find themselves again on a trail.”
For more info on NC Trail Days, go to: www.NCTrailDays.com.
