Unicycle Fests and Conventions That You Won’t Want to Miss

Our sport is an inclusive one and most unicyclists and riders of odd bikes are more than happy to lend a helping hand as well as the benefit of their experience to the advantage of those who are less experienced.

Aside from the unique challenges of mastering the world’s most inefficient machine, this is probably the best aspect of our sport - it’s a community.

And nowhere else is that community atmosphere so apparent as it is at a Muni fest or a unicycle convention. Here are some of the best ones that happen each year, so dust off the unicycle or the clown circus bike and mark your calendars.

Moab Muni Fest

This year’s Moab Muni Fest just happened, between March 15th and 17th, 2024, in Utah. It’s definitely one of the best Muni fests out there, and offers participants a positive atmosphere and a great family environment. It’s great for beginners, too, even if you’ve literally never ridden a day in your life.

Moab is the undisputed Mecca of mountain biking so it naturally follows that Muni riding is popular there as well and it is on full display during the annual Muni fest that occurs there. Plus, riding conditions are almost always excellent unless there’s rain, which rarely (almost never) happens. Also, riding on petrified sandstone is like riding on sandpaper - you get excellent traction and you’ll probably leave the weekend with a skill or two you picked up along the way that you didn’t have before.

The vibes at Moab Muni Fest are immaculate. It’s the sort of place where you can leave gear out without fear of having it stolen, plus you get unimpeded access to arches, Porcupine Rim Trail, The Whole Enchilada Trail, Castle Valley, and more. The views are epic, and you simply can’t not have a good time there. It’s impossible, especially if you consider yourself an outdoorsman to begin with.

There are just so many things to do at Moab Munifest that it’s like a make-your-own-adventure type of thing. Try it once and you’ll be hooked for life and be marking your calendar yearly. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Registration for Moab Munifest is free, too, but there’s just one thing you need to know about it. It’s sanctioned by the Unicycling Society of America, so you will need to register as a USA-member beforehand.

Arizona Muni Weekend

Arizona Muni Weekend is another yearly event, this one hosted in February by the Arizona Unicycle Club, though more often than not it is hosted in the fall.

It’s like a more toned-down version of Moab Muni Fest, and a little more intimate than Utah, usually with a smaller crowd in participation, somewhere around 30.

However, like Moab, you usually get fantastic, dry, sunny weather and sandstone trails for riding that leave little to be desired. The only difference is that Moab’s sandstone is red and Arizona’s is mostly white.

If you’ve been to Moab Muni Fest and loved it, make it a point to visit Arizona for their Muni Weekend at least once in your life.

UNICON 2024

This year’s UNICON will be hosted in Bemidji, Minnesota between July 14th and 26th, and if you’re thinking of joining, sign up sooner rather than later!

UNICON, which has been hosted all over the world, is coming home to America and Bemidji was chosen as the perfect location. This year, over 1200 athletes are expected to participate in multiple activities and disciplines over 12 full days.

This is like the “olympics” of unicycling, and is the be-all, end-all for competitive unicyclists. If you’re into all things competition, this is the single unicycle event you cannot afford to miss. There will be unicycle wrestling, track and field events, wheel walking competitions, cycle-cross, marathon riding, mountain biking, slalom, and so much more, including tons of unicycle sports such as hockey and basketball.

Of course, there’s also freestyle riding, gym exercises, one-foot riding competition, synchronized riding, trail riding, trials, and much more. There will even be bike events - tons of disciplines are supported. 

S.T.O.M.P. Muni Fest

Coming this October 17th to the 20th, S.T.O.M.P. Muni Fest will be back at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama.

This is one of the more popular and publicized of the Muni Fests, and usually gets a participation of about 60 or so - sometimes with high profile attendees; last year Lutz Eichholz was there!

Actually, Kris Holm has been there before, and the organizers make a good effort to try to get a unicycle celebrity to come every year. It’s usually a good showing and you’ll get to try your hand at a wide range of different mountain trails that are not as well known to the general public.

It’s not like Moab, but it’s a good time, especially if you love eastern mountain trail riding.

Cali Muni Weekend

Last but not least we have Cali Muni Weekend, which mostly consists of a close-knit group of one-wheelers that have been doing this since the 70s or 80s, so they’ve been at this a while. For more information, get in touch with us or look into the Unicycling Society of America.

Honorable Mention: New York Unicycle Festival

Not in the same league as the other conventions and muni weekends we’ve mentioned, we’d be remiss if we didn’t even tip our proverbial hat to New York’s Unicycle Festival, which occurs every year and is upcoming this year from August 29th to September 1st.

This one is somewhat less organized than the others and is more of a free-for-all. You’ll be likely to see beginners here, and you might even catch a glimpse of a minibike or a clown circus bike or two among the unicyclists.

It’s a great place for beginners because you can test ride unicycles, try new tricks, ride the boroughs - it’s more or less like a big, loosely organized party in a park. You’ll also likely come across other odd cycles like the crab unicycle or the “dicycle” (not to be confused with the bicycle).

All in all, NY Uni Fest is a great event that builds the community and offers a great opportunity for people to meet, try out new wheels, and see New York’s sights.

Gear Up with a New Unicycle or Clown Circus Bike

Thinking about taking on a new challenge before you roll up to one of these conventions or unicycle fests? Get yourself a new unicycle, minibike, or clown circus bike here and gear up with the right unicycle safety gear and bike tools before the event.

Also, if you have questions about any of them, get in touch with us and we’ll be more than happy to help you out.