Last year, The Skirmish – A Delta Gravel Festival brought cyclists from 14 different states to Jonesboro for a family-friendly festival that put Jonesboro on the cycling map. As organizers prepare for the second annual event, The Skirmish and festival are shaping up to be bigger and better, thanks in large part to the efforts of Craig and Sarah Rickert and the welcoming Jonesboro community. 

“Jonesboro has a strong and growing cycling community, and cycling events are a great way to showcase your community,” said Craig, the executive director of the Jonesboro Advertising & Promotion Commission. “It was a goal of mine to create a unique cycling event for Jonesboro. I started to talk to USA Cycling and Bruce Dunn of All Sports Productions in early 2024. When we did the groundbreaking for the new mountain bike trails at Craighead Forest Park in 2024, USA Cycling and Bruce were in attendance, and they were blown away by the amount of community interest and support for cycling.

“We quickly realized that Jonesboro, with Crowley’s Ridge, is an ideal setup for a unique gravel cycling event. With incredible support from Gearhead Outfitters, St. Bernards, Hytrol, AceOne Technologies, Arvest and so many other sponsors, The Skirmish was born.”

Dunn is the owner and event promoter of All Sports Productions, a sports event management company that produces cycling, running and multi-sport events across Arkansas and the region. Craig’s wife, Sarah, serves as the local coordinator for All Sports Productions, and together, the three launched the inaugural Skirmish last spring to rave reviews.

The four-day event begins Thursday night with a Community Slow Roll at Native Brew Works. Friday will offer expo packet pickup and registration, a rider meeting, two shakeout/group rides and live music. The main event will kick off on Saturday, with 24-, 43-, 63- and 100-mile races, along with a free Skirmish Fun Ride for the whole family. The family/kid zone will open at 9 a.m., and there will be a full day of family fun, live music, barbecue and more. Sunday morning will wrap up the festival with a Recovery Ride that will leave from Starbucks.

Craig describes the festival as a family-friendly barbecue festival with bikes. While the rides are unique and a main draw of the weekend, the rest of The Skirmish’s offerings have something for the whole family.

“We make sure it’s an event for Downtown Jonesboro and families,” he said. “We want people to come visit the vendors, grab a meal and help welcome the athletes to town.

“We are very excited to expand the Family Fun Ride this year. It’s a short ride on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. from Downtown to A-State and back. It’s free, and every participant gets a really cool medal. ... A-State has been a tremendous partner for this.”

For the cyclists, organizers say the rides offer a perfect blend of elevation changes and flat, fast Delta farm roads. 

“From a pure cycling perspective, the terrain is much different than many of the gravel races you find in other parts of the state and the region,” said Dunn. “Crowley’s Ridge is unique, albeit not severe climbing/elevation, but the flat farmland of the Delta offers a different challenge. The first Skirmish was successful because of the local hospitality, the start/finish line in Downtown Jonesboro, which is very unique to gravel races, along with having several non-event things to do such as free live music, the family fun ride and a vendor expo.

“Our sponsors and community partners really put their best foot forward to make the aid stations a great experience and very memorable for the riders. Sponsors did an amazing job of giving our riders a best-in-class goody bag. Besides the amazing support we receive from our sponsors, the community volunteers were a key reason for this event being successful.”

After a well-received 2025 race weekend, 2026 The Skirmish is set to be bigger and better, with registration already ahead of last year and a goal of 350 participants. 

“After last year’s event, Craig and I talked to many of the riders, including those from other states, which last year The Skirmish drew riders from 14 other states, and the consistent feedback was that they were amazed at the quality of the event, especially considering it was the first year,” said Sarah. “This speaks to our partnering with All Sports Productions Inc. working with them fulfilled our expectations of creating a quality event that sets the bar.”

“I got chills watching the cyclists take off from Downtown Jonesboro,” added Craig. “Seeing all those athletes roll through our downtown was exhilarating.

“The athletes love the course and, above all else, the hospitality they received in Jonesboro. Several of them told us they are coming back and bringing friends.”

Organizers say that the community support helped make last year’s event a success, as well as the Rickerts’ passion for building on and adding to all that Jonesboro has to offer.

“My husband, Craig, and I have a heart for this community and bringing people together through outdoor activities, festivals and events that will not only bring people to our great town but give our community positive things to be a part of, support and build traditions with their loved ones,” said Sarah. “We see over and over again that whether it is a large company or an individual volunteer, there is a desire to be a part of something good that makes us proud to live here.”

For a detailed schedule, to register or for more information about The Skirmish – A Delta Gravel Festival, which will be held May 28-31, visit skirmishjonesboro.com.