The fifth annual Big Pig Mountain Bike races are set to expand their already popular venue with the addition of a major two day festival this year. Organized by the Burns Lake and District Chamber of Commerce (BLDCC) the festival will run from Aug. 17 to 19 and feature something for everyone; from a street festival and children's train rides in town to spectator shuttle buses up the mountain to view the bike races and events.
The party begins on Friday Aug. 17 with a street festival from noon to 5 p.m. and Shelley Wall, Manager of the BLDCC hopes it will generate some excitement downtown. "We're hoping to have buskers and artists and vendors all through the town, businesses out on the sidewalks with sidewalk sales creating a festival atmosphere, tourists stopping and walking and locals walking the streets and enjoying the festivities," she said.
And thanks to the generosity of the many sponsors, there will be discounts and deals to look for around town such as the Big Pig rib dinners at both Root 16 and the Royal Canadian Legion on Friday night and an on going scavenger hunt called ‘Who Let the Pigs Out?’ involving over 20 local businesses and lots of prizes.
On Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. the festival shifts to Spirit Square where there will be entertainment artists, vendors, concessions, a concert hosted by the Lakes District Arts Council called the Big Pig Gig, and rides for the kids on the miniature train.
And the price is right says Shelley Wall. “There’s not going to be great expense at the park. Except for the dollar to ride the train and the concessions, it’s mostly free,” she said. “The magic show, the clowns, that’s all free, the stage show, just come on down, there’s no charge.”
Appearing on stage will be a number of local artists and groups that include Jennifer Reynolds, Flaming Pie, the Tweedsmuir Fiddlers and the Southside Youth Fiddlers. Out-of-towners Carlie and Julie Kennedy will be headlining the stage show as well as appearing at Mulvaney’s Pub on Friday night.
All this is in addition to the main draw, which is of course the bike races on Boer Mountain.
The bike events begin on Friday night with the kids mini downhill and cross country races. Saturday morning starts with the “Full Boar” downhill race followed after lunch with the Jump Jam and the Rider Cross race. On Sunday spectators can expect to see ‘Dante’s Inferno’ a progressive cross country race that increases by 10 kilometers each year and is currently at a butt numbing 60 kilometers. To view the races and avoid parking hassles on the hill spectators can catch a free shuttle bus ride up to the bike park departing from the College of New Caledonia or from Spirit Square.
And if you get a chance to fill out a survey card about the weekend it may be well worth your while, explains Shelly Coxen, sales and marketing executive, also of the BLDCC. “For this event Hawkair has donated airfare for two, roundtrip to Vancouver,” she said, “so that when people come, whether they be visitors, competitors, or spectators, if they are 19 or older and fill out a survey, their name will be entered in the draw.”
The BLDCC is still looking for volunteers to help with the festival and they will be most welcome, “Whether they have an hour or two to spare, or the whole day,” said Wall. Wall summed up the weekend with a brief reminder of where it all started.
“I think a lot of credit has to go to the bike association for all the hard work they’ve put in. We’re organizing the festival but it’s the mountain bike people who are up there slashing trails and keeping the trails open during the summer months, and working so hard. And they’re the ones that designed and built world class trails in Burns Lake. So great credit must be given to the Burns Lake Mountain Biking Association.”