XtremeFEST of the Blue Ridge Hike It, Bike It, Paddle It, Climb It!

By Adrianne Lunn
Published: April 17, 2008

Looking for some spectacular outdoor family fun this May? The Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department invites you to come out and enjoy the outdoors at XtremeFEST of the Blue Ridge ’08! XtremeFEST ’08, part of the Wild Weekend in Waynesboro, is a one day festival taking place Saturday, May 17, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at beautiful Ridgeview Park at the end of Magnolia Avenue in Waynesboro.

According to a Virginia state report, obesity in adolescents has tripled since 1980 with much of the growth occurring in the past 10 years. The increase stems from the poor eating habits of youth in the U.S., combined with the increasing amount of time that youth spend in sedentary activities, such as watching television and playing video games.

In response to this, XtremeFEST ’08 places special emphasis on promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for today’s youth by introducing them to outdoor activities like rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and hiking. The Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department has partnered with local outfitters, including Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine, Rockfish Gap Outfitters, and Blue Ridge Mountain Sports to show you the area’s best spots to hit the trail, water or rock! Festival goers can climb on the mobile climbing wall, kayak the South River, marvel at the high flying BMX stunt show and register for huge giveaways while enjoying great food and fun for the whole family.

A new addition to festival this year, hailing from New Zealand, is the latest in extreme fun—Zorbing™. Conceived by Dwayne van der Sluis and Andrew Akers in 1994, Zorbing is a trademarked term, generically referred to as “sphering,” for the newest extreme pastime sweeping across America. Imagine a 12 foot diameter inflated ball. You climb inside and are rolled down a hill, completely protected by the massive cushion of air. Some Zorbs have harnesses inside while in others you are completely free within the confines of the sphere. Hydrosphering is another form of Zorbing, where water is added inside the sphere with you, making for a wet, fun-filled experience described by Zorb.com as “a cross between a water slide and a rollercoaster.”

If you want to take full advantage of this beautiful region’s many adventure sports opportunities or just want to try something new and exciting, then mark XtremeFEST of the Blue Ridge ’08 on your calendar. For more information log onto http://www.waynesboro.va.us or call the Waynesboro Parks and Recreation office at 540.942.6735.