Critical Mass Summit, a two-day, in-person event focused on reducing barriers in active transportation will take place in Fayetteville, Arkansas for 2022.
Now in its second year, the 2022 Critical Mass Summit will be held at Mount Sequoyah on Friday, November 4, with recreational participatory experiences taking place throughout the Northwest Arkansas region on Saturday, November 5. A no-registration-required community bike ride - the Critical Mass Ride - will take place at the conclusion of the summit on Saturday, departing from Prairie Street Live in Fayetteville at 3:30pm.
Specifically designed to bring marginalized community members and existing stakeholders together, Critical Mass Summit aims to engage participants in playing their part to create an inclusive culture in the trails, cycling, and human-powered transportation community. The summit will focus on reducing barriers to access, developing infrastructure that is inclusive of active transportation, and arming attendees with tools to impact change in their communities.
An abridged agenda for Critical Mass Summit is listed below:
Critical Mass Summit: Friday, Nov 4
9:00am - Check-In
9:45am - Keynote: Our Built Environment
11:00am - Affinity/Accountability Concurrent Sessions
12:15pm - Panel Discussion: How to Engage Diverse Audiences in Programs and Events
2:30pm - Affinity/Accountability Concurrent Sessions
3:45pm - Panel Discussion: The Future of Cycling, Trails and Active Transportation in NWA
6:00pm - Summit concludes, networking reception begins
Critical Mass Summit: Saturday, November 5
9:00am - Regional Experiences
1:00pm - 3:00pm - Break
3:00pm - 5:00pm - Critical Mass Slow Roll in Fayetteville
Friday’s speakers are a mix of regional and national leaders with experience and insight into the world of active transportation, built environment planning, community organizing, and other related fields. They’ll offer up engaging sessions and lead conversations around infrastructure, inclusive cycling events and programs, empowering local communities, and becoming an advocate for collective change! To add to the inspiration, the summit will take place on gorgeous Mount Sequoyah, at the Historic Conference and Retreat Center overlooking downtown Fayetteville.
On Saturday, participants are encouraged to try a new activity, with a variety of guided recreational opportunities available. Options include varying levels of gravel, mountain, and greenway bike rides, learn-to-ride sessions, hiking, yoga, pottery, volunteer projects, and rock climbing, to name a few. BIPOC and WTF affinity space activities will be available.
To celebrate the successes of the weekend, the entire community is invited to join in on Saturday afternoon’s FREE Critical Mass Ride from 3:30-5:00pm. Meet at Prairie Street Live in Fayetteville at 3:00pm, where upon your return you’ll be greeted with music, food, drinks, and s’mores from Yummallo! The 6-mile ride is casual, slow, and no-humans-left-behind, intended for all wheels, bodies, ages, and abilities. There will be cruiser bikes on standby for those who need them.
Learn more about Critical Mass Summit by visiting the website at criticalmasssummit.com.
