The Willard Companies and the Smith Mountain Lake YMCA will present the Inaugural SML Fall Fit Fest, including a 5K Trail Race/Walk and 5K Obstacle Course Race in the field in front of Sunken City Brewery at Westlake Towne Center. The races will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2019 beginning at 10:30 a.m., with the festival following from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the SML YMCA.
The SML Fall Fit Fest will also offer a preview of a brand-new spring festival, Benjamin Franklin Kite Flight, scheduled for May 16, 2020, in the same location. During the Fall Fit Fest, attendees can purchase and color a kite at the Franklin County Public Library Bookmobile – or bring their own kite – then fly the kites in a designated kite flying field. Giant kite flying demos will be on display by American Kitefliers Association and the Got Wind? Kite Club.
The festival is planned for people of all ages. Healing Strides of VA will offer pony rides to children. The Y will have a variety of games, contests, and classes including yoga, Zumba, turbo kickboxing, a slack line, and such classics as sack races, egg races, spoon races, hula hoops, cornhole, giant Jenga and more.
Music will be ongoing throughout the day at SML Fall Fit Fest, leading up to the headliner, Morgan Wade – a Floyd native who has become a crowd favorite at FloydFest. JAM Kids (Junior Appalachian Musicians), Girls Rock Roanoke, The Low Down Dirty and Above the Fray will also be performing,
Multiple food, craft and sales vendors will be on hand as well as craft breweries Twin Creeks, Beale’s, Three Notch’d and Basic City. Fruit wines from Brooks Mill Winery will also be featured. Watch . There will be several sheriff’s K9 demonstrations as well as pets for adoption on site through the Bedford Humane Society and Friends of Bedford Humane Society.
Attendees can flex their muscles in the morning’s Jack O’Lantern Obstacle Course Race through Booker T. Washington National Monument’s Jack-O-Lantern Branch Heritage Trail, with obstacles at the beginning and end, including:
- 14′ Ninja wall
- Tractor tire flip
- Tire football toss
- Tire hurdles
- Hay bale climb
- Seated tire drag
- Bucket carry
- Military crawl
There will also be 5K trail race or walk. Both races begin at 10:30 a.m. at Sunken City at Westlake Towne Center, wind through the Jack-O-Lantern Branch Heritage Trail at the Booker T. Washington National Monument and end at the SML Fall Fit Fest grounds. Race times will be recorded. Awards will be given to the top three runners, male and female, and the top finishers in each age bracket. T-shirts are available to the first 100 participants. Race participants can register online for $25 (adults) and $15 (children under 13) at smlfallfitfest.com.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Buy advance tickets at smlfallfitfest.com for $10. Tickets are $12 at the gate. Tickets for children ages 4-12 are $5 both online and at the gate. Children 3 and under get in free!
