Sean C. Morgan
While the Santiam Four-Wheel Drive Association is not running its Mud Fest this year, an event it has organized for decades, another group will run the Northern Farms Mudfest on March 2 at the same site in Holley.
Donnie Wagner of Toledo, who said he had attended Mud Fest every year at Holley, the old Berlin Road site and a few times at Foster Lake, has partnered with Chris Kaufman of Veneta and Ryan Warden of Lyons as All or Nothing Productions to operate the Northern Farms Mudfest.
Wagner said the property owners asked him to organize the event after SFWDA notified the property owner it was not going to run Mud Fest this year.
The association did not explain why it is not hosting its Mud Fest this year. In a statement on its website, themud.com, the association said, “Due to unforeseen circumstances we will not be hosting Mud Fest 2019. To respect all involved, that is all we will say at this time.”
The statement was updated last week to add, “As a nonprofit organization, hosting four-wheel drive events for 50 years, we want to say thank you to all of our loyal participants, vendors, sponsors, community and the sport of four wheeling.”
Wagner said he and his partners are running Northern Farms Mudfest on the same grounds, but they’re in the process of opening up more than 7.5 acres, removing blackberries and felling some trees, that will include a hill climb, which Mud Fest had not had since moving from its former Berlin Road site.
“There’s probably room for 10 to 12 rigs to be on the hill at the same time,” Wagner said. The Berlin hill climb was longer but not as wide, allowing fewer vehicles to be on it.
The climb will be “slick” and “nasty,” with some old trees, rocks and fluffy dirt, Wagner predicted. It’ll be challenging as drivers climb the first part of the hill, hit an old dirt road and reach the second part of the climb.
The event will include a timed obstacle course at the vendor area, Wagner said. That’s one of four events that will provide cash prizes. Santiam Powder Coating has provided $1,000 in gift cards, which will be split among the four events, and sponsors have added $100 to each bucket.
To participate, drivers drop $5 in a bucket, Wagner said. Whatever is in the bucket at the end of the day goes to the person with the fastest time.
In addition to the obstacle course, sponsored by Total Metal Innovations, drivers will compete in runs at the “tree hole,” sponsored by Extreme Nature 4×4; the “progressive mud pits,” sponsored by Davis Glass; and the “money pit” sponsored by Basin 4×4 and Fabrication.
Drivers are still welcome to try the challenges without paying, Wagner said, but they won’t be eligible to win the bucket at 3 p.m. when winners are announced in the vendor area. Until the winners are announced, no one will know what is in each bucket.
Wagner said the vendor area is changing. The Sweet Home Kiwanis Club will sell concessions, joined by Natalie’s Mexi Kart and Roger That BBQ. Sunshine Espresso will sell coffee, and Hot Tees, Inc. will sell customizable event apparel around the event logo.
Total Metal Innovations will provide demonstrations and give away beadlocks to the winner of the obstacle course.
The event has a capacity of 2,750, Wagner said, and about half is sold.
Tickets are available at Basin 4×4 in Klamath Falls; at Diesel and Offroad Authority in Veneta, which is owned and operated by Kaufman; at American Barricade in Portland; and by searching Northern Farms Mudfest 2019 at Eventbrite.com.
Tickets are $45. Admission for one child 10 and younger is free with each paying adult.
Gates will open at 5 a.m. to clear congestion from Highway 228, Wagner said. The event begins at 7 a.m., and the grounds begin clearing at 3 p.m.