You can plan all the activities you want when it comes to a big event like DuneFest, but when it comes down to it, this four-day sand extravaganza is all about the riding—and the ride.
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area near Reedsport and Winchester Bay, OR, is the big attraction for DuneFest. It’s not just any ol’ dunes, either. These dunes are flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west so the views are spectacular as you rise and fall with the dunes.
So to compete with that kind of attraction, you have to put on a pretty good show, which is exactly what DuneFest organizers did again this year. Concerts, vendor row, sand drags, freestyle shows, a charity auction, side-by-side racing, movie night, a poker run and demo rides were all part of this year’s DuneFest.
There was always something going on—and that includes riding and watching. One of the sideshows—one that always attracts our attention—is people and vehicle watching. You see some pretty darn interesting sand vehicles during the four days of DuneFest.
The sand drags are a very popular event and were sponsored by Barnyard Toyz this year. And the side-by-side racing was, well should we say, “spirited” this year. QuadCross Northwest ran the motocross events at DuneFest.
Another popular event at DuneFest is the WGAS Freestyle Show. The wind at the dunes always presents a challenge for these athletes but they persevered to put on some great shows.
Vendor Row was full of all things to do with adding a little (or a lot) something to your ride.
We did manage to get a couple of great rides in at this year’s event—just to remind us how much fun the Oregon Dunes really are.
For information on next year’s event, visit www.dunefest.com.
