RUN Wenatchee

Groovnhouse

By Steve Maher
RunWenatchee.com

WENATCHEE — Groovnhouse and RedHouse will headline the Dark Side Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, at Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort.

The two bands will play at the ski area during the evening, culminating a day of activities celebrating the Wenatchee Valley’s status as a growing outdoor endurance sports hub.

Tickets to the Dark Side Festival, presented by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, cost $25 (or $30 day of the event) and can be obtained at http://www.darksidefestival.com. For the price of admission, festival-goers get the live music; the choice of an evening mountain bike ride, trail run or hike; and one free beer from a beer garden (additional beer available for purchase). Mission Ridge also will be selling food. The festival will run from 5 to 10 p.m. T-shirts and headlights can be purchased for additional amounts on the website.

RedHouse

Proceeds from the Dark Side Festival will go to EMBA for the maintenance and construction of trails in the foothills of the Wenatchee Valley.

Earlier in the day, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., EMBA will hold its annual trail-building work party, beginning at Mission Ridge’s Chairlift 1 area. Volunteers receive a shirt, two free beer tokens and a free mountain bike ride the following day.

“We are stoked to have two great bands playing for us at the festival,” said Mat Lyons, president of EMBA’s Central Washington chapter. “Both put out great dance music so we expect some major fun that night in a beautiful fall mountain setting. If folks want, they can come for just the music and beer. The more adventurous can add an evening ride or run or hike to the equation. And it’s all for a great cause.”

Groovnhouse is set to play from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. that Saturday. The band, formerly known as Mugsy’s Groove, is known for melding pop, soul, funk, rock, jazz, and reggae. For more on Groovnhouse: http://groovnhouse.com/.

RedHouse, a four-piece blues band from Cashmere, will open and play from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more on Red House: https://www.facebook.com/redhouseband.

The beer garden will open at 5 p.m. with select beers from Badger Mountain Brewing, Icicle Brewing Co. and Iron Horse Brewery. Hikers going up to Clara Lake will leave between 5 and 5:30 p.m.; the mountain bike rides will depart from Mission Ridge at 6 p.m.; and the non-timed trail run will start at 6:15 p.m.

Besides EMBA and Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort, other groups and businesses involved in the planning of the event include Wenatchee Valley Velo, RunWenatchee, AdventureWenatchee, North 40 Productions, Arlberg Sports and KOHO Radio.

To buy a ticket or for more info on the Dark Side Festival: http://www.darksidefestival.com.