Event Details
The event will focus on non-motorized sports with an emphasis on biking, camping, hiking and paddling. Attendees can expect various activations related to these sports along with presentations from the Minnesota Star Tribune's Outdoors team, camp cooking demos from local chefs, live music, and a host of other engaging activities.
Strib Unbound aims to offer a family-friendly environment free of barriers, open to anyone passionate about the great outdoors or simply interested in having a good time with friends and family in an outdoor setting.
Featured Programming
Mikah Meyer - Travel Expert, Speaker, Advocate
World Record setting adventurer, Mikah Meyer, had been called everything from a "Sexy Travel Guru" to a "Best Instagram to Follow" for his 3-year journey to all 400+ National Park Service sites. Featured by NPR, The Today Show, and Washington Post, Mikah has spoken for everything from Amazon's headquarters to National Park Foundation galas. His other adventures include running across the states of Mississippi, Nebraska, and Minnesota to share his Outside Safe Space products that are sold in REI stores and make outdoor, rural, and athletic spaces more welcoming for LGBTQ+ people. His new short film "Canyon Chorus" can currently be seen on the 2025 Banff World Tour. More at mikahmeyer.com or on Instagram @mikahmey.
Stay tuned! Additional programming to be announced soon.
Yia Vang - Executive Chef and Owner at Vinai
Yia Vang is the Executive Chef and Owner at Vinai. and started nationally acclaimed Union Hmong Kitchen, a restaurant that features Hmong culture, stories, rituals, foods and flavors that quickly became a community staple in Minnesota. Vang has been featured in the New York Times, Nat Geographic, and Bon Appetit, as well as showcased on PBS, CNN, among others. Most recently, Vinai was featured on the New York Times 2024 50 Best Restaurant List and Eater’s 2024 Best New Restaurants in America.
Emily Vikre - Co-founder and Co-owner of Vikre Distillery
Emily Vikre is a native Duluthian who holds a PhD in food policy and behavioral theory from Tufts University. She is co-founder and co-owner of Vikre Distillery, which has been named best craft spirits distillery by USA Today. A nationally recognized food and drinks writer, Emily is the author of Camp Cocktails, The Family Camp Cookbook, New Camp Cookbook Fireside Warmers, and On the Trail. She was formerly a regular columnist for Food52 and has written for Lucky Peach, Minnesota Public Radio, and Norwegian American Weekly. She lives in Duluth, MN with her husband and two kids. Her favorite activities are skiing, hiking in the woods, dancing ballet, and cooking for friends and family.
Bizhiki - Musical Artist
The music of Bizhiki blends the ethereal vocals and visceral drumming of Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings (Bad River Ojibwe) and Joe Rainey Sr. (Red Lake Ojibwe) with contemporary soundscape multi- instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer S. Carey. The talented performers’ diverse instrumentation - including powwow drums, percussion, drum programming, electric bass, synthesizers, guitars, piano, and vocals - expertly evoke the lived Anishinaabe experience in a unique format.
Thomas Sticha - Musical Artist
Singer-songwriter Thomas Sticha has been carving out his own niche of Country and Folk in the Minnesota music scene over the past year. In his songwriting, he extracts the intimate and peculiar elements of Folk and Bluegrass storytelling, and he pairs it with the cosmic and nostalgic sounds of Classic Country music.
Beer Partner
Utepils is the official Beer partner of Strib Unbound. Sip on select Utepils offerings at the trailhead throughout the day, and make sure to check out the fun that will be taking place at Utepils Brewing starting at noon and continuing into the evening. Enjoy outdoor presentations and activities at the brewery, and catch a screening of "Canyon Chorus", a river rafting journey with Mikah Meyer. Stay tuned for schedule updates!
Venue Partner
Special thanks to Winnebago Industries, the official Camping Sponsor of Strib Unbound, and Catan, the official Hiking Sponsor of Strib Unbound.
