Wilden’s New MTB Trails Open with a 400-Person Summer Block Party

What a day. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us.

On Thursday, June 25, approximately 400 people joined us at the Wilden Presentation Centre to kick off summer and officially open our brand-new mountain bike trails. Wilden neighbours, families, and riders from across Kelowna and the Okanagan MTB community came out for what turned into one of the most memorable afternoons Wilden has ever hosted. The sun stayed out, the vibes stayed high, and every corner of the event had its own personality.

A block party in every corner

The day was built as a five-stop block party, and each stop brought something a little different. At the Presentation Centre, hot dogs were in high demand while face painting and a colouring station kept the little ones busy in the backyard. Inside, the Wilden Community Association set up shop with ice cream sandwiches, freezies, and refreshments, and hosted a resident feedback booth where neighbours could share ideas that will help shape the future of our community. It was so cool to see so many of you weighing in on what you’d like to see next. At the Showhomes, each of our Select Builders brought their own take on the block party feel:

• AuthenTech Homes handed out home-inspired treat bags that were an instant hit.
• Fawdry Homes served up ice cream and set up cornhole on the deck.
• Rykon Construction poured cold lemonade and ran a scavenger hunt through their Showhome.

The stamp pass kept people moving between the stops, and by the end of the event we had collected an incredible stack of completed passes for the prize draw.

Down at the new trails

Behind the Presentation Centre, the new Wilden MTB trails came alive for the first time as a public space. The bike shuttle ran non-stop up to the downhill trailhead, tunes from DJ Ur Girl Meems set the mood at the trail zone, and it was so fun watching riders of every age drop in for the first time. Kids as young as two ripped around the baby pump track on their balance bikes while more experienced riders got their first taste of the new downhill trails. Cyclepath Kelowna was set up on site, giving anyone curious about MTB a chance to try a bike on real, purpose-built terrain. The trail jam at 6:30pm, hosted by trail builder and owner of Trail Co Inc, Alan, was an absolute blast. Big style, bigger air, and a cheering crowd for every trick.

Thank you to our partners

An event like this doesn’t happen without a lot of people saying yes. Huge thanks to:

• The Wilden Community Association (Kim, Micki, Sandi) for the ice cream, refreshments, and feedback booth.
• Alan and the team at TrailCo Inc for building these incredible trails and MCing the trail jam.
• Garry and Eric from Cyclepath Kelowna, along with Colby from Giant Bicycles, for the MTB and eMTB demos.
• Our Select Builders: AuthenTech Homes, Fawdry Homes, and Rykon Construction, for opening your Showhomes with activities and treats.
• The teams at Bike Big White and Elevation Outdoors for coming out and adding to the trail zone.
• DJ Ur Girl Meems for keeping the trail energy going all afternoon.
• Every volunteer who set up, staffed, and packed down. This event ran the way it did because of you.

Thank you to everyone who came out

To the 400 or so of you who spent your Thursday afternoon with us: thank you. Whether you were sending it on the new trails, chasing your kids through the Showhomes with a stamp pass in hand, sipping lemonade on the lawn, or just soaking in the sunshine, you made the day what it was.

This is just the beginning. The trails are open. The community is here. See you at the next one, and out on the trails between now and then.

Watch the Event Video