Knoxville, Tennessee, to Host Outdoor KnoxFest

Everyone from an outdoor adventure enthusiast to someone who simply loves all that nature has to offer can experience Knoxville from a bicycle seat, paddle board, canoe, trail, climbing wall and more during Outdoor KnoxFest, a three-day signature event of the Dogwood Arts Festival scheduled for Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21, 2013.

The Outdoor Knoxville Adventure Center at Knoxville’s Volunteer Landing will be the hub for this year's mix of outdoor recreational venues that encourages people of all ages and levels of experience to participate. From guided trail rides, runs, hikes and paddles, the festival showcases Knoxville’s outdoor amenities with a special spotlight on the Urban Wilderness, a 1,000-acre urban playground only minutes from downtown.

The event is produced by Legacy Parks Foundation, a Knoxville-based non-profit actively working to make East Tennessee a recreational destination of the Southeast. Most of the events are free of charge and include:

• The Pickel Road Rides led by the Smoky Mountain Wheelmen Bike Club with options of 20, 40 and 60 mile bike rides
• Urban Wilderness Trail Run led by Knoxville Track Club
• Bicycle Maintenance Clinics sponsored by Tennessee Valley Bikes
• On the Trail Mountain Bike Clinic taught by Fountain City Pedaler
• Get Out & Play activities provided by River Sports, YMCA and UT Outdoor Program
• Fly Fishing 101 classes taught by 3 Rivers Angler
• Series of guided hikes exploring Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness led by Ijams Nature Center, Missy Kane and TREK South
• Twilight Criterium Road Race hosted by Knox Velo and Southern Cycling Operations
• “First Time in the Woods” mountain bike ride with Appalachian Mountain Bike Club
• “Where’s the Trail?” mountain bike rides led by the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club
• Disc Golf Clinic and Singles Tournament hosted by the Knoxville Disc Golf Club
• Bikes ‘N Blooms scenic bike rides led by Tennessee Valley Bikes
• Get on the Greenway Runs led by the Knoxville Track Club
• Group Paddle on the River guided by UT Outdoor Program and City of Knoxville
• Mountain Bike Checkpoint Race hosted by the Tennessee Valley Bikes and Appalachian Mountain Bike Club
• Advanced Mountain Bike Ride led by the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club

The event has attracted participants from throughout the region, including Asheville, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Atlanta.

Proceeds from the event benefit Legacy Parks Foundation, a Knoxville-based non-profit actively working to make East Tennessee a recreational destination of the Southeast. During the past five years Legacy Parks Foundation has raised more than $3 million for parks, greenways and recreational venues, added more than 200 acres of parkland to Knox County and helped protect nearly 1,000 acres of farm and forestland in East Tennessee.

The Outdoor Knoxville initiative is championed by Legacy Parks Foundation as a major step towards putting Knoxville on the map as a premier outdoor recreation community. Launched in 2012, the three-pronged project capitalizes on the exceptional outdoor recreational assets found in and around Knoxville. It includes a new Adventure Center, a website and a three-day festival showcasing Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness.

For more details and to register for the events visit outdoorknoxville.com.