Uko Akpanuko
Daily Herald
The Pine Needle Mountain Bike and Music Festival was held at the Little Red River Park on Sunday.
At the end of the six-hour event both the organizers and attendees were left happy and hoping for more next year.
“It’s been amazing,” Pine Needle Mountain Bike and Music Festival organizer Mike Horn said. “We’ve got lots of riders—close to 180. Last year we were, I think, 174 so we’re about the same or a little better, and we’vee got a lot of kids running in the MNP run. It’s been great.”
Weather was a big concern for organizers heading into Sunday’s event. Horn said they were keeping an eye on smoke conditions, since too much could have led to the cancellation of the races.
They were also keeping an eye on rain following a downpour on Saturday. Horn said the rain the day before actually gave the event a bit of a boost.
“The weather has been good,” Horn said. “It’s a little cooler than we’d maybe like, but it’s good for when you’re riding your bike.
“People are having fun and the smoke is staying away,” he added. “It was really good getting the rain yesterday (Saturday). It helped a lot.”
Horn mountain bikers and music lovers continue to travel to Prince Albert from across the province for the event. He said he is always blown away by the community support, which makes the event possible.
Hip Hop artist Big Tones entertained the crowd at Little Red River Park during the 12th Annual Pine Needle Bike and Music Festival on Sunday.
“It’s a lot of smiles and everyone is having a good time, and that’s what it’s all about,” Horn said. “The idea with the festival course is we want it to be rideable for all abilities, right, so you don’t have to be an expert mountain biker to come out and ride in the festival. If you’re a beginner and you want to come try it out, this is perfect.”
Horn said the music also plays a major role. He said it provides something for participants to enjoy while they aren’t racing, and draws more people to Little Red.
Horn said the park is a beautiful part of Prince Albert, and promoting it is one of their goals.
“We are trying to bring awareness to the park. We are trying to get people out here, enjoying it and appreciating it like I do and showing it off,” Horn said. “It’s a gem … and it’s getting busier (with) the Rotary Adventure Park and the trails. There’s tonnes of people walking, biking, using the trail system, using the campsites when they’re allowed to have campfires and stuff. The thing is, there’s so much for everyone to do, and it’s all walks of life.”
Horn said they have to pick a date for next year’s festival, but they’re shooting for more than 200 riders in 2026.
“We just want to keep growing and seeing what we can do,” he said.
Horn expressed his gratitude to the volunteers and all who came out.
“A huge thank you to the volunteers because without them we can’t make it happen and our sponsors, we’re so lucky to have really good support from the community for sponsorship.”
–with files from Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald
