18th Annual Mountain Sports Festival🍻

The 2018 Mountain Sports Festival is just a few days away (hello, Memorial Day weekend).

Each year this free, nonprofit festival brings together paddling, running, live music, beer + food. The non-profit festival is organized by volunteers dedicated to promoting all participation levels in mountain sports. (Get it?) 🙌

There isn’t any other Asheville festival that combines so many sports with all the classic festival events (read: beer + music). Here’s our guide to make the most of it.

📍The location: The Mountain Sports Festival is based at Carrier Park, with races leading off in the surrounding area such as the Wedge at Foundation, Smoky Mountain Adventure Center, Glen Bridge Park. Once you’re at Carrier Park, you can walk around to the different stages, startlines + events. Map here.

👟The sports: A mountain, road + BMX bike race, rock climbing challenge, a stand-up paddle boarding + bellyak race, a beer mile, a 5K + more. 🚴You’ll want to pre-register for most. Do that here.

🎶The music: Headliners include the local Josh Phillips & A Big Band (Friday), the Colorado-based Euforquestra (Saturday), and local Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats (Sunday).

Now that I know you are ready for some fun, here is the full lineup for the 2018 Mountain Sports Festival. We’ll see you there (although we can’t promise we’ll be at the Beer Mile, which has a 4.33 min. World record 😳).

Outdoor Fun:

Friday, May 25

• Mountain Disc Golf Experience Random Draw Doubles | 3 p.m. | Sandhill DGC | Register
• AVLCX Mountain Sports Festival Friday Night Kross Kickoff | 5 p.m. | Carrier Park | Register
• Asheville Ultimate Club: 2018 MSF Youth Open | 5 p.m. | Carrier Park | Register

Saturday, May 26

• Dirty Asphalt Urban Assault | 7 a.m. | Carrier Park | Register
• Collier Lilly Ride for NCOBS | 8:30 a.m. | Wedge at Foundation | Register
• NC Climbing Challenge SMAC | 9 a.m. | Smoky Mountain Adventure Center | Register
• Down River Dash–French Broad River | 9 a.m. | Glen Bridge Park | Register
• Asheville Beer Mile | 12:30 p.m. | Carrier Park | Register
• Bellyak for a Cause Race–French Broad River | 2 p.m. | Hominy Creek | Register
• Dancing Trees SUP Yoga Paddleboard Yoga | 1 p.m. + 3 p.m. | Hominy Creek | Register
• Festival Frenzy 5K + 1K Fun Run | 4 p.m. | Carrier Park | Register
• Asheville Ultimate Club: 2018 MSF Youth Open | 10 a.m.–7 p.m. | Carrier Park + Memorial Stadium | Register
• Mountain Disc Golf Experience PDGA Sanctioned Singles | TBD | Sandhill DGC | Register
• Asheville Street + Dirt King of the Mountain Spring BMX Street Jam | 10 a.m. | Carrier Park| Register

Sunday, May 27

• Beer City 20K Relay (1, 2, 4 Runners) | 8:30 a.m. | Carrier Park | Register
• Dancing Trees SUP Yoga Paddleboard Yoga | 1 p.m. + 3 p.m. | Hominy Creek | Register
• Rumble on the River (track/citerium bike race) | 1:45–5 p.m. | Carrier Park | Register
• Asheville Ultimate Club: 2018 MSF Youth Open | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Carrier Park | Register
• Mountain Disc Golf Experience PDGA Sanctioned Singles | TBD | Sandhill DGC | Register
• WNC Disc Golf Association Urban Skins Elite Player Showcase | TBD | South Slope

Music:

Friday, May 25

• Dub Kartel | 5–7 p.m. | Carrier Park
• Josh Phillips & A Big Band | 7:30–9:30 p.m. | Carrier Park

Saturday, May 26

• Uncle Kurtis–Youth Band | 2:30–3:30 p.m. | Carrier Park
• The Stump Mutts | 4–5 p.m. | Carrier Park
• Window Cat | 5:30–7 p.m. | Carrier Park
• EUROFQUESTRA | 7:30–9:30 p.m. | Carrier Park

Sunday, May 27

• Ben Phan | 1:30–3 p.m. | Carrier Park
• Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats | 3:30–5:30 p.m. | Carrier Park

The MSF is a classic festival which encompases all that Asheville represents – Playing outdoors, great beer, live music, and great food. Talk about a perfect Memorial weekend 👏

Planning your weekend? No matter what you do, remember to tag AVLtoday in photos on Instagram, Facebook + Twitter. We’ll be oogling over your weekends come Tuesday.

–Audra