It’s back and it’s better than ever.The 4th annual Black Hills Fat Tire Festival is quickly approaching and includes several new events.

With a vertical drop of nearly 1,000 feet, jumps, rocks and technical sections, the first ever running of Dirk’s Draw Downhill Race will bring out some serious competitors. The mountain bike race is one of five new events added this year to the Black Hills Fat Tire Festival, May 28 – 31, in Rapid City.

“The festival was started because we wanted to show that world-class riding could be done in the Heartland,” says festival director Jerry Cole. “People were driving through from coast to coast and had no idea what they were missing here in the Black Hills.”

This year’s festival features more than 30 bicycle rides, six races and one film festival. Racers and riders from beginners to professionals are encouraged to participate. All races, including the “Cowboy Hill Sprint Climb”, “Super D” and “King/Queen of the Hills” are staged at M Hill (Hanson-Larsen Memorial Park) in the center of Rapid City.

Not every race requires two wheels however. The Rapids Triathlon is a combination of mountain biking, kayaking and running. For those who prefer a leisurely ride rather than a race, outings are available to the Mickelson and Centennial Trails in the Black Hills outside of Rapid City. Other biking routes can even be downloaded to GPS units for a different kind of adventure.

“Rapid City is a great community and a perfect fit for the Black Hills Fat Tire Festival,” says Michelle Lintz, Executive Director of the Rapid City Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We hope that people come away with new friendships and a new respect for our trails.”