More than 200 vendors are now open for business in downtown Emporia as the annual All Things Gravel Expo is up and running.
The expo officially opened Thursday afternoon between Commercial Street and Mechanic with vendors from all across the world, and the local area, in attendance. This includes Mulready’s Pub, which has been a popular name around the expo and cycling community for many years.
Owner Meg Worthing says the expo is a unique opportunity for Mulready’s to build and expand its name and brand on a global scale from right in their own backyard.
On top of this, Worthing says the expo and Unbound as a whole, are a great way to test their creativity when it comes to the products they offer and how they market them.
Making their first official appearance at the expo this year was Precision Hydration, a company based in the United Kingdom, which offers a variety of cutting-edge hydration products for endurance athletes. Founder and CEO Andy Blow says their team has had a presence at Unbound for many years, with riders taking part in the series of races, which led to them setting up shop at the expo this year.
Blow echoed Worthing’s statement regarding the creativity that flows among vendors at events such as the expo. In fact, he says that flow of creativity has already paid off for his company in the past.
The All Things Gravel Expo will continue Friday. Activities will only continue to ramp up between now and the main Unbound event on Saturday.
There are more shakeout rides, more music and more check-in activities Friday. KVOE will have Talk of Emporia at the Lyon County History Center from 11 am to noon Friday, followed by more reports between 12-1 pm.
Friday afternoon will see the launch of the XL 350 mile ride from Eighth and Commercial at 3 pm. All other race distances will launch Saturday morning at the following times:
*The Elite Men 200-mile category starts at 5:50 am Saturday, followed by the Elite Women at 6:05 am and the remaining 200-mile riders at 6:30 am.
*100-mile riders launch at 7:30 am.
*50-mile junior riders begin at 8:30 am, followed by other 50-mile riders at 9 am.
*25-mile participants launch at 9:30 am
The annual Finish Line Party goes from 11 am to midnight Saturday.
Awards will be split between Saturday and Saturday, with riders in the 50- and 100-mile rides getting their awards Saturday afternoon at the Granada Theatre. Riders in the XL and 200 will get their awards starting at 8 am Sunday at the Granada.
