Northwest Tune Up Reveals 2026 Bike Event Lineup, Bringing More Racing, More Progression and Front Row Spectator Action
Enduro, slopestyle, pump track and best whip competitions drop into Bellingham, WA, July 10–12, 2026.
Northwest Tune-Up is turning five, and it's celebrating the best way it knows how: by getting more people on bikes—or getting them closer to the action.
Returning to Downtown Bellingham July 10–12, 2026, the Pacific Northwest's bike-and-music festival has unveiled its signature bike event lineup, featuring a mix of elite competition, grassroots participation and spectator-friendly action spread across Bellingham's waterfront and trail networks, all free to watch.
No tickets are required to spectate any of the bike events. From start gates to finish lines, pump track to best whip, the festival bike competitions are meant to be experienced up close.
This year's updates focus on one simple idea: more riding. Race formats have been streamlined, schedules tightened up and courses refined to keep riders moving and spectators engaged. Whether you're chasing podiums, throwing tricks in the air or heckling your favorite riders from the sidelines, Northwest Tune-Up's fifth edition promises its most rider-focused bike program yet.
The 2026 lineup includes the Trailforks Galbraith Mountain Enduro presented by Maxxis, Kona Bikes Pump Track Race, Outdoor Research Freestyle Showdown presented by Zink Bikes and Red Bull Best Whip.
"Five years in, we've learned a lot about what riders actually want and what makes for a better show," said Brandon Watts, Festival Director of Northwest Tune-Up. "The goal this year was simple: create more opportunities to ride, improve the athlete experience and make every event just as fun to watch as it is to compete in."
TRAILFORKS GALBRAITH MOUNTAIN ENDURO PRESENTED BY MAXXIS
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Galbraith Mountain has become a bucket-list destination for mountain bikers around the world, and once again it'll play host to Northwest Tune-Up's marquee trail race.
The Trailforks Galbraith Mountain Enduro presented by Maxxis returns as a bonus round of the Cascadia Dirt Cup series by Race Cascadia, serving up a healthy dose of roots, rocks, loam and leg-burning transitions. New for 2026, the event moves to a single-day format, giving racers more time to enjoy the festival while keeping more of Galbraith's trail network open to the public throughout the weekend.
Race entry: $125–200, depending on category, and includes a 3-Day festival pass. Registration link: https://www.racecascadia.com/galbraith2026
KONA BIKES PUMP TRACK RACE
Friday, July 10, 2026
The Kona Bikes Pump Track Race returns to the waterfront with a revamped format designed to keep riders circulating and spectators glued to the fence. Faster bracketing, fewer delays and a new race director reduce downtime between heats and keep both racers and spectators focused from start to finish.
The pump track race unfolds in the heart of the festival. The Heckler’s Lounge Beer Garden, Rainier Tune Town Stage and the food truck zone are all centrally located around the course, with views that make it easy to watch racing while grabbing a drink, catching a local music set or grabbing a bite to eat without missing a second.
The event remains one of the most accessible competitions of the weekend, welcoming riders as young as seven years old. Two Kona Shonky bikes are up for grabs for top youth finishers, and equal cash payouts are on the table for the pro men’s and women’s categories.
Race entry: $40–80 depending on category, and includes discount code for a festival pass. Festival pass not required to compete. Registration link: https://nwtuneup.redpodium.com/kona-pump-track-drag-race
OUTDOOR RESEARCH FREESTYLE SHOWDOWN PRESENTED BY ZINK BIKES
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Big tricks are back at the waterfront.
As the only FMB Bronze-level slopestyle event in the United States, the Outdoor Research Freestyle Showdown presented by Zink Bikes continues to attract rising talent and established names looking to earn points, build momentum and put on a show that’s free to the public.
For 2026, riders will face an entirely refreshed, five-jump course featuring bigger transitions, new feature combinations and a rebuilt roll-in designed to generate more speed, more amplitude and more opportunities for creativity. The redesign is led by Instinct Builders in conjunction with Bellingham Millwork Supply, Kulshan Brewing, Hardware Sales and Janicki Logging, with shaping support from Sensus RAD Trails. Equal prize purses offered for both men’s and women’s categories.
Race entry: $100 and includes discount code for a festival pass. Festival pass not required to compete. Registration link: https://nwtuneup.redpodium.com/nwtu-freestyle-showdown-fmb-bronze
RED BULL BEST WHIP
Saturday, July 11, 2026
No stopwatches. No race clocks. Just style.
Red Bull Best Whip debuts in the free public zone at the waterfront venue as one of the festival's anticipated spectator events, giving riders 45 minutes to throw their biggest, most sideways and most crowd-pleasing whips of the weekend.
Built in collaboration with Red Bull, a new dedicated jump adjacent to the slopestyle course will create a purpose-built stage for the competition, with finalists advancing from an open jam session into a winner-take-all showdown. Expect plenty of airtime, plenty of cheering and at least a few moments that make everyone question gravity. Cash prize of $750 rewarded to the top male and female.
Race entry: $15. Festival pass not required to compete. Registration link: https://nwtuneup.redpodium.com/nwtu-x-red-bull-best-whip
ABOUT THE 2026 BIKE RACES
Northwest Tune-Up's 2026 bike program reflects the festival's continued evolution as a gathering place for riders, racers, brands and fans. From first-time competitors to internationally recognized athletes, the weekend is designed to celebrate every corner of mountain bike culture while showcasing the trails, community and creativity that have made Bellingham a global riding destination.
