Women’s cycling events get money

BENTONVILLE — The Advertising and Promotions Commission agreed Thursday to spend $10,000 to support three events, two of which are geared toward women mountain bikers.

Women Shred is a new event coming to Bentonville and will be held May 8 through 11.

“The idea behind it is to bring in some pro-level riders to help educate, teach skills and go riding with women mountain bike riders,” said Aimee Ross, Bike Bentonville director.

She was representing the event organizers Kenny Belaey and Fien Lammertyn to the commissioners at their Thursday meeting.

Ross said the hope is it will become a reoccurring event. There are plans to make short documentaries about all kinds of women who mountain bike, she said.

The first documentary series will be produced throughout this year, according to the application.

“The resulting film, which is set to be an annual tradition, will receive its exclusive big screen premiere during the Bentonville Film Festival of 2020,” the application reads.

Organizers requested $3,000, which the commission approved. The money will be spent on production costs.

The other cycling event, Ladies All-Ride, will be coming to Bentonville for its third year in May.

It’s a women mountain biking clinic selling out the previous two years, said Amanda Khanga, Visit Bentonville meeting and sales manager, who was representing the event organizer, Grit Clinics.

There’s room for 63 participants, and typically twothirds of them come from outside Arkansas, Khanga said, explaining Grit Clinics holds several events annually throughout the country.

“Women plan this into their year based on where they want to go,” Khanga said.

The commission approved the $2,000 organizers asked for. The money will be spent to cover travel and lodging expenses for the 10 coaches and one staff member, according to the application.

“They really do sell Bentonville as a destination for cycling,” said Kalene Griffith, Visit Bentonville president and CEO.

The commission also approved $5,000 to support the NWA Shakespeare Festival

produced by Trike Theatre.

The festival will be June 10 through 16. The money will be spent on local and regional marketing, said Paul Savas, event organizer.

Visit Bentonville budgeted $130,000 this year to help support events showing promise of bringing in tourism dollars to the city.

The commission previously dolled out $93,140 to 16 events this year. May event organizers requested the

money in 2018. Adding the $10,000 committed on Thursday, the tourism bureau has $26,860 left for other requests this year.

The commission also appointed Jeananne Hawkins, director of sales and marketing for Hilton Garden Inn, to fill the unexpired term of Jordan Gardner. The term will expire in December 2021.

The third project supported is the NWA Shakespeare Festival.