Summer Season At Sunday River Resort Jam-Packed With Events For The Whole Family
As summer in Maine ramps up, Sunday River Resort is preparing for a busy events season. Tickets are already on sale for many larger events, and there’s only one week left to register for 12th annual Tough Mountain Challenge – Sunday River’s iconic mountain obstacle race. Special events and activities listed below will take place at the resort and the surrounding towns.
2022 Summer and Fall Events Schedule:
River Rock Festival – July 1-2
A two-day Christian rock festival, River Rock brings many bands from opening acts to headliners to perform outdoors at South Ridge Lodge.
Scenic Lift Rides Open – July 3
Sunday River will offer scenic chairlift rides on the signature Chondola, which offers both open-air chairs and enclosed gondola cabins. Lift rides are available Thursdays to Sundays from 10AM-4PM through Labor Day, and Saturday and Sunday until October 10.
Bethel Area Arts & Music Art Market – July 2 & August 6
Local artists and artisans will gather at the Philbrook Place to sell their wares.
New England Forest Rally – July 15-16
The annual New England Forest Rally (NEFR) is a two-day car race that starts at Sunday River Resort before taking place on the back roads of Western Maine and Northern New Hampshire. Sanctioned by Rally America, the NEFR is one of six National Championship rallies that take place in the United States.
Tough Mountain Challenge – July 23
Tough Mountain Challenge is back again this summer after its triumphant return in 2021. TMC is the ultimate running race and obstacle course, with more than 3,000 preregistered athletes who will take on over a dozen mountain obstacles and some of the most demanding alpine terrain spread across a 5k course. Registration now open.
Mini Mountain Challenge – July 24
Mini Mountain Challenge returns! Mini Mountain is similar to Tough Mountain Challenge but designed for kids ages 4 through 12. Kids can expect uphill and downhill running combined with dirt, mud, fun obstacles, snowguns, and more – with bigger challenges and longer distances for older kids. Registration now open.
Bethel Harvestfest – September 17
Celebrate the beginning of fall foliage season in Bethel with artists & craft vendors, a farmers’ market, live music, pony rides, an apple pie contest, and more from 10AM-3PM at the town common.
Maine Brew Fest – September 17
After hanging out in town at Harvestfest, join us from 1-5PM at South Ridge lodge for the annual Maine Brew Fest. Experience over 100 craft beer and cider sampling from over 30 Maine breweries. Tickets on sale now.
Fall Festival – October 8-9
Celebrate one of Maine’s most cherished seasons with Sunday River’s favorite fall event—Fall Festival. Complete with the North American Wife Carrying Championship, live music, a beer garden, wine tasting, the annual Blue Mountain Arts and Craft Fair, children's games and activities, scenic lift rides, wagon rides, and more. Fall Festival the resort’s last long weekend for summer activities like scenic lift rides and mountain biking, and the unofficial kickoff to its winter season of skiing and snowboarding.
North American Wife Carrying Championship – October 8
Each year this wacky event draws over 2,500 spectators who line the mountain course to watch teams of 50 husbands and wives from around North America compete for the grand prize of the wife's weight in beer plus five times her weight in cash. Registration will open later this summer.
New England Cornhole Championship – October 9
48 teams will take to Sunday River's slopes on the Sunday of Fall Festival for the 8th annual New England Cornhole Championship where one cornhole team will be named champion. Cash prizes are up for grabs along with bragging rights! Registration will open later this summer.
