On a brilliant, sun-splashed weekend thousands came out for the second annual Go Outside Festival at River’s Edge last weekend, the GoFest for short. The event was staged by Roanoke City Parks and Recreation, which introduced it last year as the “Roanoke Outdoor Circus.” Besides a name change this time, Parks and Rec. officials were hoping for a 50 percent increase in the number of visitors compared to last year’s 5000 (estimated) for the free festival.
Attendees could talk to several dozen vendors and organizations that deal with outdoor amenities, equipment and programs. They could also watch dogs chase balls into a pool of water, try their hand (or feet) at balancing on a static slack line, see trick bike demonstrations or take a borrowed bike out on the adjacent Roanoke River Greenway.
Several of Roanoke’s bike shops had their own tents, like the Six Eleven shop on Campbell Avenue. Six Eleven builds high-end bicycles starting at several thousand dollars for clients around the world. In fact, most do not reside here in Roanoke, said Michelle Dykstra, who owns the business with her husband Aaron.
Business is apparently good: Dykstra said there is a yearlong waiting list for those ordering a Six Eleven street or mountain bike. “We take a person’s measurements and we build a bike specific to their body,” said Dykstra. How a person will use their bicycle also determines how it will be built. She said the business has grown steadily over the past four years.
“Our business is heavily reliant on the internet,” said Dykstra, who trains for triathlons. Dykstra liked the exposure that GoFest provided: “So many people don’t know that we’re here [in Roanoke]. This gives us a chance to tell people . . . We’re building bikes in your back yard.” Dykstra said the greenway system has been “huge” for her training and for Roanoke. “It makes cycling more visible,” said Dykstra, who moved to the valley from Chicago.
Kevin Jordan was showing off his own business, which uses GPS technology for people that like to traipse through the woods, looking for hidden caches. “Take a Hike GPS,” based in Farmville, rents GPS units to hikers and those involved with Geocaching. After completing their “outdoor treasure hunts,” users can ship back the units to Take a Hike.
There are websites online containing GPS coordinates for buried and hidden geocaches. “It’s become really popular,” said Jordan, who appreciated the exposure GoFest afforded him. “I think it’s an excellent idea.” Summer camps and youth groups have taken to GPS in a big way, said Jordan; local parks and recreation departments offer geocaching events. The Roanoke Star has sponsored the Roanoke County Parks and Rec event the last three years.
Fleet Feet’s Blaine Lewis also called it a great event. “It showcases all of the outdoor opportunities that we have [in Roanoke]. Its good to be a part of this” said Lewis, who co-owns the running store with his wife Robin. He added that the growing greenway system has had a “huge impact” on their Franklin Road retail store. “It’s been a great thing for our business and Roanoke in general.”
Roanoke City utdoor events specialist Joe Hanning was pleased with the turnout for GoFest, which also featured live music and beer for adults. “We’ve got a lot bigger crowd this year…and more vendors. A lot of happy faces both on the vendor side and the participant side.”
Hanning noted that many people had never seen anything like slacklining before (think of a wider tightrope, ideal for honing one’s balance): “that’s a perfect example of something we’re exposing people to – an outdoor activity they’re really latching on to. Its pretty neat.”
by Gene Marrano
