Photo courtesy of XTERRA Global.
About 700 racers are expected to compete during the XTERRA event at Oak Mountain State Park May 15-17.
About 700 racers are expected to compete during the XTERRA event at Oak Mountain State Park May 15-17.
The XTERRA North American Championship will return to Pelham for a weekend of races, music and fun activities for the whole family. The event will be held May 15-17 at Oak Mountain State Park and will also include the Youth North American Championship and the 2026 USAT Youth and Junior Cross National Championship.
The North American Championship has been held at Oak Mountain since 2024, and close to 700 racers are expected to compete during the weekend events, said Steve Andrus, director of Americas and global event strategy for XTERRA. This year, they will also have a family-friendly 5K trail run.
“We hope the community comes out and participates, and that’s why we’re doing the 5K fun run race,” Andrus said.
The XTERRA festival opens at 2 p.m. that Friday, with a kickoff concert starting at 6 p.m. with live music from The Stepdads, which will play a mix of bluegrass, heirloom country and upbeat blues.
Attendees can enjoy food trucks, local vendors, children’s activities, yard games and a battle of the bands, which will be Saturday afternoon. There will also be a large sculpture crafted from repurposed materials by Homewood Middle School’s art students.
The Interpretive Center will host Scales and Tails, a fun and educational wildlife encounter that showcases a variety of animals like reptiles and birds. The staff will share interesting facts about the animals and give people an up-close look at them. The encounter will be Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. on the XTERRA stage.
Photo courtesy of XTERRA Global.
About 700 racers are expected to compete during the XTERRA event at Oak Mountain State Park May 15-17
About 700 racers are expected to compete during the XTERRA event at Oak Mountain State Park May 15-17.
“Come be a part of the festival at the park, cheer on athletes and just be a part of the atmosphere,” Andrus said. “Come get inspired and share the success of all of the athletes. We’d love to have you.”
The event is rain or shine and typically attracts about 2,000 people during the weekend festivities each year. None of it would be possible without local volunteers, Andrus said, and he encourages anyone interested to sign up online to help. He also said the relationships with Oak Mountain State Park, Shelby County, the community and local partnerships keep the event going each year.
“The best things about Oak Mountain State Park are the people and the community,” Andrus said. “Second is the world-class trails system and the networks they have in the park that people talk about globally.”
While the trails are set to attract crowds for the event, XTERRA isn’t simply about racing, Andrus said. They also want to promote an active lifestyle to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy nature.
“It will be an immersive experience with all the community and state park has to offer,” Andrus said. “There will be various activities to enjoy, whether you’re an athlete or not. We encourage everyone to come out.”
For a full schedule of events or to register as a volunteer or for the 5K, visit xterraplanet.com/events and select the Pelham event.
