How many times have you watched someone participating in a sport or activity and thought, “I wish I knew how to do that?” There is something intimidating about going mountain biking, trail running or still water paddling with little experience or advice. Thankfully, a local event in Knoxville has created a weekend of outdoor clinics for people interested in trying new things.
“We found that people need to be introduced to these sports,” says Carol Evans, executive director, Knoxfest. “Outdoor Knoxfest is more than a weekend for outdoor enthusiasts; it is a launching pad for beginners to try new activities. We wanted to have beginner lessons and allow people to try activities without any fees.” The two-day event allows locals to try sailing, fly fishing, paddling and much more without investing money. That’s right, most of these events are free! Simply show up to the activity and try it out.
Outdoor Knoxfest is presented by Legacy Parks , a non-profit initiative by Knoxville to create an outdoor community that this city deserves. The event started as an adventure race, but the program found that the clinics had a greater response. “The amount of volunteers we had allowed us to add more events this year. Everyone likes to introduce their passions to other people and we are seeing amazing turn outs”, Carol explained.
In an effort to further entice people to try new activities, Knoxfest will provide punch cards. “If you try six different events you will get a water bottle. “The more clinics you try the more punches you get,” says Evans. Most clinics are focused on beginners, but more experienced adventures can participate in longer rides, races and hikes.
All events are conveniently located at Meads Quarry or Volunteer Landing. The activities start on April 26th and ends on April 27th. For a full schedule of events visit the website below and ‘like’ them on Facebook.
http://www.outdoorknoxville.com/calendar/event/5090-outdoor-knoxfest
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Outdoor-KnoxFest/126327244152094?ref=hl