Cool weather and rain Friday evening didn’t hinder the kick-off at the 11th annual Fat & Skinny Tire Fest held in Warsaw and Winona Lake. Events continued today under sunshine with a few cloudy moments and bits of rain.

If you didn’t make it out for events today, Sunday will bring more events and fun.

“It went really well, especially with the weather,” stated Mike Cusik, co-director of the event. He reported over 200 riders participating in the critical mile with a couple 100 downtown for the stunt show and music.

“This is actually beautiful,” Cusik noted late this morning as the skies appeared to be clearing and the sun beginning to shine. “This will bring out a lot of people.”

Cusik reported a record number of participants for the Kosciusko Countryside Tours at 8 a.m. today, with 190 participating, “even with the weather at 40 degrees when the first group started out.”

Events at the Village at Winona continued in the afternoon with the BMX Stunt Show by Solutions Action Sports with numerous kids and family events available: Safe Kids Bicycle Safety School, wild ride bike art parade, family scavenger hunt, Trek Trikester Course, tire toss, inflatables, hill climb and slowest bike race.

The afternoon also brought the historical Winona Bike Tour at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. with the circuit road races from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. There was the DINO Mountain Bike Race Awards and Cerulean Hash Ride. The Winona Lake Mountain Bike Trails opened for riding.

The evening will bring bands to the Village at Winona playing until midnight. The Winona Lake Mountain Bike Trails will open at 9 p.m. for night riding.

Bands slated are James and the Drifters at 7 p.m. with US Royalty at 9:30 p.m.

Sunday Events

The Village at Winona Road Criterium Races will be held between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Village at Winona. Registration for the events will be at 7 a.m. The juniors will compete at 9 a.m. followed by the masters (those age 40 plus) at 9:35 a.m. and the Men Cat 5 at 10:30 a.m.

Women will compete at 11 a.m. in the races followed by Men Cat 4 at 11:45 a.m. and Men Cat 3/4 at 12:30 p.m. The event will conclude with Men Cat 1/2/3 at 2 p.m.

Kids races in age categories of 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 will begin at 1:20 p.m.

The Ortho Cup Corporate Challenge Cruiser Race Qualifying (four laps) is at 1:40 p.m. and the finals at 3 p.m.

The expo and demo bikes open at 10 a.m.

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