Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – The Skirmish Delta Gravel Festival returned to Jonesboro the weekend of May 29 to 31 for the second annual event.
This year’s cycling festival, organized by All Sports Productions, included two shakeout rides on Friday, four competition-distance races (24-, 43-, 63-, and 100–mile races), a free family ride on Saturday, and a recovery ride Sunday morning.
The event also featured live music from local musicians, food trucks, and vendors, as downtown Jonesboro transformed into Northeast Arkansas’s cycling hub for the weekend, drawing not just riders but also interested community members from around the region.
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“It’s all about the community; that’s what we really want people to understand. You don’t have to ride a bike to come to the Skirmish,” Craig Rickert, executive director of the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission, said. “We got the music, we got the food, we got the activities and vendors.”
The festival’s growth, with a nearly 100-rider increase over last year, gives the city a hopeful outlook for the future of not just the Skirmish but cycling in Jonesboro.
“It’s just encouraging to see the numbers increase and people get involved and want to be part of something like this, because the city has been investing money in trails like Craighead and wider bike paths around town, and the more people we get on those, the better, not just because we spent that money, but because it’s important. It’s healthy,” Rickert said.
The 100-mile, 63-mile, and 43-mile rides began at 6:30 on Saturday morning on Main Street while the 24-mile ride rolled out at 8:30.
All participants received a swag bag from local businesses while finishers also received a custom bottle opener and koozie. Prizes for the 100-mile race included $350 for first place, $250 for second place, and $150 for third place for both female and male competitors. Award plaques for the top three riders and age-group awards for the 100-mile, 63-mile, and 43-mile were also awarded.
Sought-after prizes included a free night’s stay at Embassy Suites, two flight vouchers with Southern Airways, concert tickets with First National Bank Arena and more.
The Skirmish was a family affair for brothers-in-law Bart Rash from Rogers and Kyle Reynolds from Lowell. The two competed in the 63-mile ride to celebrate Rash’s birthday. Rash was inspired to compete after a friend participated in the Skirmish last year and invited his family to join for a birthday ride.
“I thought we could do it as a family event with my father-in-law and brother-in-law,” Rash said. “It would be a good introduction to delta gravel riding as we plan to ride in the Arkansas Graveler Delta Blues.”
Rash said while the weather was hot, the race was enjoyable because the aid stations were well-stocked and the rough terrain was “worth it.”
“Finishing the race was my favorite part, and seeing some of the other riders who had passed me during the race,” Rash added.
Reynolds said his favorite part was spending time with family and that the two plan to do more events in the future.
After the success of the past two years, the Skirmish will return to Jonesboro next summer.
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