The inaugural North Carolina 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. The EVTA is a volunteer group with a mission to enhance Elkin by building a network of trails for people of all abilities.
The festivities begin Friday with several options during the day, followed by an evening gathering at Elkin Municipal Park. The gathering includes a welcome tent, festival information, live music and a low country boil. Later that night is Five Point Adventure Film Night at the Reeves Theater on Main Street, showcasing adventure film shorts that won awards at the Five Point Film Festival.
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.
“What we’re seeing is everybody is starting to embrace trails across all activity levels,” Lyon says. “I think 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 information, go to www.NCTrailDays.com.
For more information about this festival and other Yadkin Valley events, visit www.YadkinValley.org