Words Joe Hamiton Photos Jessica Tezak
Each year, over the first weekend of November, the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC) hosts their annual fundraiser in Knoxville, TN. This year, Kona partnered with their local shop, Tennessee Valley Bicycles (TVB), to bring the party back to town! This event brings together riders, families, and the hard-working volunteers who have spent countless hours building and maintaining the local trails that have helped put Knoxville on the map as a destination. What began as an annual party for volunteers has grown into a multiday event including rides and shuttles, clinics, a kids’ race, and shreddy events like a sendy whip-off and Best Line Invitational trick contest. The party closes each night with live music and cold beverages.
In 2025, we expanded our presence with a fleet of demo bikes, and they also served as the showcase raffle item. Kona sales rep Joe Hamilton, along with TVB owner Scott Smith, were present to get attendees out on demo bikes. After a chilly morning and clearing out the post-Halloween cobwebs, attendance was at an all-time high with the weather topping out in the low 60s. Attendees lined up to ride the new Hei Hei CR, Ouroboros, and Remote 160 DL.
It was a busy day of demos and spreading the Kona stoke that ended with smiles and high fives. Kona is back, and the love for the brand was on full display!
As part of this event, the AMBC raffles off a custom-built bike with all proceeds going to keep the trails running all year long. Kona stepped up, and for this year’s raffle, the winner got to choose between a Process 153 CR/DL or 134 CR/DL frame and an amazing buildout provided by SRAM, RockShox, and Industry Nine. A true dream build! TVB handled the assembly and setup, making sure everything was dialed. The winner was announced at 8:30 pm on Saturday evening, with local Knoxville resident Steven choosing a Process 134 CR/DL! Having recently purchased a new trail bike, he decided to pass the winnings on to his wife, Kendahl. Congratulations!
A huge thank you to AMBC, TVB and the fine folks in Knoxville for making this event a success! See you next year!
