Plainfield Bike Park 4th annual Dirt Jam

The Plainfield Park District and CAMBr West, the west chapter of Chicago Area Mountain Bikers, will host the 4th annual Dirt Jam on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Plainfield Bike Park. The bike park is located on the eastern edge of Van Horn Woods, along the I-55 Frontage Road between Route 30 and Caton Farm Road in Plainfield.

During the Dirt Jam, MTB and BMX riders of all ages will ride the park for prizes. Prizes will include bikes, frames, parts, and other swag. There will also be food, music, entertainment, contests, raffles and giveaways. Participants must be registered for the Dirt Jam to ride the park that day and be eligible for the prizes and giveaways.

The event is a fundraiser for the bike park. The money raised will be used to fund operational expenses and future improvements at the bike park. Operational expenses include the purchase and rental of tools, machinery and materials to maintain the park. Future improvements include building a berm at the end of the dirt jump lines to slow/stop momentum and building a BMX racetrack-style loop around the perimeter of the park.

Admission is $25 for CAMBr members and $30 for non-members. Riders bringing in more than $50 in donations will receive free admission to the Dirt Jam and a chance to win free bikes and other prizes. Participants bringing less than $50 in donations will need to pay the registration fee but are still eligible to win prizes. A Dirt Jam Fundraiser Packet can be downloaded from www.cambrwest.org.

Those who register online will receive a free event t-shirt. Day-of-event registration will start at 10 a.m. Signed waivers and helmets are required for event participation, and the event will take place rain or shine. Spectators are free, and volunteers are welcome.

Similar to a skate park but made of dirt, the free public bike park features dirt jumps of various sizes, a rhythm section of rolling berms, a pump track, and a skills area with obstacles such as logs and rocks. The unique venue was the first of its kind in Illinois and is one of the few in the Midwest. The park is a safe environment designed for riders of all ages and skill levels with sections ranging from beginner to expert for riders to evolve in their sport. The bike park provides a location for competitions, exhibition riding, and instructional classes, as well as provides a training ground for the Olympic sports of BMX racing, mountain bike racing, and freestyle competitions like the X-Games.

The bike park is funded mostly by grants, donations and the fundraising efforts of CAMBr West. CAMBr is a non-profit volunteer organization of hundreds of riders with a mission to promote responsible trail use, prevent trail closings, maintain unpaved trails and create new legal off-road opportunities for cycling in the Chicago area. CAMBr West and its volunteers are responsible for inspection and maintenance of the bike park to ensure its safety for riders.

For more information about the bike park, Dirt Jam, volunteer opportunities, or to make a donation to CAMBr West, visit www.cambrwest.org or e-mail west@cambr.org. For more information about the Plainfield Park District, visit www.plainfieldparkdistrict.com.