NEMBAFest update
January 17, 2020
NEMBAfest Statement 1.17.20
NEMBAfest 2020 Will Not be Held on Kingdom Trails
In a combined decision, the New England Mountain Bike Association, Kingdom Trail Association, and
Wildflower Inn, have chosen not to host the 2020 NEMBAfest on the Kingdom Trails network.
The NEMBA organization has chosen to take a year off from producing the festival in order to find a more
suitable location for 2021. The difficult decision came after much discernment and careful consideration
of a variety of factors and the impacts of holding the event again on the Darling Hill Ridge
NEMBAfest is a three-day celebration of all things mountain biking. Festival goers have experienced
over 100 miles of unique trails and terrain, enjoyed a fun-filled, family-friendly weekend of riding,
camping, demo-ing the latest mountain bikes, checking out new gadgets and gear, great music, and local
food & drink from around the region. The event was created to encourage the sport of mountain biking in
order for future generations to enjoy the unique benefits of the sport and trail experience, as well as an
annual fundraiser for KTA and NEMBA, both nonprofit organizations.
A number of factors determined the decision to not host the 2020 NEMBAfest on Kingdom Trails. Last
year the event experienced 4,000 attendees, the largest MTB festival in the Northeast. Although the
contribution to the regional economy was significant, the event was too large for the surrounding
communities. The impact of the event over the 3 days placed much stress and pressure on the rural
Vermont infrastructure and roads. The partners understand this was disruptive to neighbors and the
community as a whole and apologize for the unmanaged growth and size.
Also, as many are aware, there are trails with restricted access to mountain biking on Darling Ridge.
These trails are neighboring the festival location. With the negative impact that the festival had on area
residents and the community, combined with limited access to MTB trails, the partners felt cancelling the
event was in everyone’s best interest.
NEMBA, Kingdom Trails, and the Wildflower Inn wish to thank all the festival goers, industry sponsors
and partners, families, community members, volunteers, the Town of Lyndon, and especially the KTA
Landowners for understanding this decision. It has been an honor to host this incredible event, a privilege
to have the opportunity to welcome all from across the Northeast and beyond to experience these amazing
trails and the beautiful landscape of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Sincerely,
Philip Keyes, Executive Director NEMBA
Abby Long, Executive Director, KTA
Jim O’Reilly, Owner, Wildflower Inn
7/11/26 Community Chat
Canadian Community Month Offers Below Kingdom Trails Kingdom Trails is a world-renowned, community-supported trail network at the heart of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, built through long-standing landowner partnerships and careful stewardship. It remains the central hub of the region’s mountain biking community. As part of Canadian Community Month, Canadian visitors are welcomed with special membership access and benefits designed to make visiting more accessible. Offers: Canadian dollars accepted at par for annual and day memberships purchased in-person at the Kingdom Trails Welcome Center New and current Canadian annual members will receive a complimentary guest day membership to share with a friend or family member, redeemable anytime during the 2026 riding season. Canadians who purchased day memberships earlier this season may upgrade to annual memberships at par, with the amount already paid in USD credited toward the upgrade Please note that the at-par rates will be applied at checkout in USD as a discount according to the current daily exchange rate; the KT Welcome Center is unable to accept Canadian currency at this time.
From the Executive Director: Hi Everyone! Well, July has certainly brought the heat, but luckily here at KT there are plenty of shady trails to choose from. Speaking of trails...we are opening a new one this weekend: "Cheddar Slice" connects the bottom of Butter Tubs to the bottom of the Dashney Loop, creating a roughly 4-mile family-friendly loop and adding another way to connect the Moose Alley and Dashney zones. Connectivity has been a big focus this year, and there is more to come later this season. Thank you to all our generous Landowners, members and supporters. Have a wonderful weekend and a very Happy Fourth of July!! -Georgia Celebrate the Fourth with Us! As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we invite you to celebrate with us throughout the month of July. If you're riding on Saturday, July 4, be sure to stop by our newly refreshed Welcome Center! We'll be serving complimentary cookies and lemonade throughout the day—a small way of celebrating the holiday and welcoming riders, families, and visitors to Kingdom Trails. Later in the month, join us at Lyndonville's Stars & Stripes Celebration on Saturday, July 18. The celebration begins with the 10:00 a.m. parade, followed by the festival, where you'll find the Kingdom Trails tent. Stop by to say hello, learn about our newest initiatives and chat with our staff about everything happening at Kingdom Trails this summer. The festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and features food trucks, vendors, children's activities, live music, a Rotary BBQ, axe throwing, and more—making it a fun day for the whole family. We hope you'll stop by, say hello, and celebrate with us! CLICK HERE to read the full newsletter.
