Dirt Days 2026

Dirt Days is a festival held the first weekend of May in Downtown Williamson, West Virginia that showcases some of the best Side-By-Side, ATV, and Dirt bike Trails in North America. The festival includes many industry-related vendors, an awesome local food scene, over 500 miles of trail riding in 2 States, (all within a 1/4 mile of the city), a parade, a mud-pit, dirt drag racing, kids night, and more! Please read all the information below, BUT, if you have any additional questions or concerns, simply call the Tug Valley Area CVB at: 304-601-0374.

If you plan to attend Dirt Days on any type of motorized off-road vehicle (Side-By-Side, ATV or Dirt Bike) we HIGHLY recomend purchasing tickets! From May 15 - December 31st 2025, Early Bird Registration is $50! January 1st 2026, registration will increase to $75. At 11:59PM on April 30th, Registration is Closed.

**Please Be Aware** - By registering AFTER April 10th 2026, Dirt Days cannot guarantee a T-Shirt to be delivered to you in your goodie bag due to production time/turnaround. If you register AFTER April 10th, shirts are first-come first-serve. With that said, we will send your shirt to you in the mail as soon as we receive it.

Registration includes the following:

-Official Dirt Days Goodie Bag

-Official Festival T-Shirt (Please Let Us Know Your Size as you Complete Registration!)

-Official Festival Decal

-Hatfield McCoy Trails Event Wrist-Band (Trail Pass that gains you access to every Hatfield McCoy Trail System, ONLY good for April 27th through May 4th!)

-2025 Hatfield McCoy Buffalo Mountain, Devil Anse and Rock House Trail Maps

-Mud-pit/Dirt Drag Area Armband for entire weekened!(Gains you access to ride your vehicle into the respective areas. $40 value per person)

-(3)-$5 Food Vouchers (Vouchers will be good for local participating restaurant sponsors)

-Official Sponsor List

-Various "Goodies" from Sponsors

Official Festival Events will include:

-Immediate Access to 500+ Miles of Trail Riding on the Buffalo Mountain, Devil Anse and Rock House Trails in West Virginia, as well as Local Trails in Pike/Martin Counties in Kentucky

-Immediate Access to the MOST single-trails of ANY Hatfield McCoy Trail System for Dirt bike Riders.

-Mud-pit (West 2nd Avenue, Williamson, WV, Friday & Saturday; Downtown Williamson)

-Dirt Drag Racing (West 2nd Avenue, Friday & Saturday; Downtown Williamson)

-Heads-Up-Drag Racing (West 2nd Avenue, Friday & Saturday; Downtown Williamson)

-Photography-Based Poker Run

-Vendors and Showcases (1st Avenue, Friday 12PM-10PM & Saturday 10AM-10PM; Downtown Williamson)

-Off-Road Cruise-In (TBA)

-Car Show (West 2nd Avenue, Friday & Saturday; Downtown Williamson)

-Parade (Time/Date TBA, Downtown Williamson)

-Entertainment (TBA Time, Saturday Night; Downtown Williamson)

-Fireworks (Saturday at 10:00PM, Downtown Williamson)

PLEASE NOTE: After you have pre-registered, you may pick-up your "goodie bag" at the CVB office in downtown Williamson or at the registration table during the event.

Vendor registration and Sponsorship Opportunities are available now!

When/where can I pick-up my Goodie Bag if I have pre-registered?

For folks that pre-register, you may begin picking up your goodie-bags as early as 12PM (Noon) on Thursday May 30th at the Tug Valley Area CVB office located in City Hall. While Dirt Days doesn't officially kick-off until Friday May 1st, we allow folks to pick their goodie-bags up early so that they can spend more time enjoying the trails!

I don't want to pre-register, but would like to be able to ride the mud-pit or participate in other events, Can I just show up?

You MAY show up for the Dirt Drag Racing OR Mud Pit and purchase a wrist-band to ride into the event space. Wristbands are $20 PER person per day and are absolutely REQUIRED for anyone entering the mud-pit/dirt drag area on an off-road vehicle. Anyone who enters the area by off-road vehicle will also be required to sign a liability release. Failure to sign will result in no admittance to the area. HELMETS REQUIRED.

I don't plan on riding but would like to attend Dirt Days, what can I do?

For those coming to Dirt Days who won't be hitting the trails, we'll have many other options available for you! Please keep in mind that you DO NOT need a ticket (or need to pre-register) to do the following:

-Ride the Hatfield McCoy Trail Systems

-Visit Vendors and Showcases in Downtown Williamson

-Attend Musical Entertainment in Downtown Williamson

-Attend the Parade in Downtown Williamson

-Watch Riders participate in the Mud-Pit

-Watch Riders participate in the Dirt Drag Racing

-Watch the Fireworks Show

Where are majority of the festival events located at?

Most of the events pertaining to Dirt Days will be centered around Williamson, West Virginia. Vendors, The Parade, Mud-Pit, Dirt Drags and Musical Entertainment will all be held in the Downtown area. Other events will be near downtown. Lastly, and most importantly, trail riding is the largest part of Dirt Days and from Williamson you're able to ride to the communities of Delbarton, Matewan, Lenore, Dingess, Gilbert, and Man in West Virginia. You can also ride to Inez, Threeforks, and Phelps in Kentucky.

What type of weather can I expect/Will weather affect the event?

Dirt Days is a rain or shine event. In early May, the Williamson area typically sees a daily high temperature around 72 Degrees and an over-night low of 44 Degrees. Additionally, the area receives around 12 hours of daylight.

How can I purchase an annual Hatfield McCoy Trails Permit?

Permits can be purchased at nearly any local convenience store/gas station, lodging facility, the Coal House in downtown Williamson, and the Tug Valley Area CVB office in City Hall. These permits are $50 for Out of State Residents and $26.50 for In-State Residents or Veterans. The permits are good through December 31st of each year. Permits can also be purchased online at the link below, however, it take several days to process and ship: https://trailsheaven.com/get-a-permit/

What rules/regulations apply to trail riders for Dirt Days?

General Rules for Riders on the Hatfield McCoy Trail System:

1. User permit/weekend permit required for all drivers and passengers
2. Everyone must wear a DOT, Snell or other approved helmet and eye protection
3. All operators and passengers must meet manufacturer’s minimum age and size requirements
4. No one under the age of 6 is allowed on the trails under any circumstances
5. Any operator or passenger under the age of 16 must be under the direct supervision and within eyesight of their parent or guardian at all times
6. Obey all signs, gates and barriers, stay on marked trails
7. Trails only open during daylight hours
8. No littering, No camping, No fires
9. No alcohol may be consumed or possessed
10. No glass containers of any kind
11. Be aware of oncoming traffic, particularly in blind curves and hills
12. No competitions of speed, endurance or climbing ability allowed at any time without a special use permit
13. Operate at reasonable speeds and under control at all times
14. All machines must be equipped with a properly functioning muffler and USFS approved spark arrester

UTV-Specific Rules:

1. Wear helmets (DOT or SNELL approved)
2. Wear seat belts at all times; the number of passengers is limited to the number of factory installed seat belts.
3. Keep their hands, arms, feet, head and legs inside the vehicle at all times during operation.
4. No booster seats or car seats are allowed
5. Possess a valid owner’s manual for the machine being operated that is able to be produced upon request.
6. Stay on designated trails. UTVs are permitted on easiest, more difficult, and select most difficult trails (signed accordingly).
7. UTVs must be equipped with a steering wheel and low pressure tires.

A full list of trail regulations can be found here: https://trailsheaven.com/about-the-trails/trail-rules-regulations/Additionally, all local laws and regulations pertaining to riding on pavement apply to trail riders. Williamson IS a trail-rider friendly city, meaning you can legally ride your machine(s) on city streets. Because Williamson is a "border" city to Kentucky, take special note that the laws/regulations set forth do NOT include the state of Kentucky.

If you're looking for lodging options in the area, click this link: Places To Stay

If you're looking for things to do when you're not riding, click this link: Things To Do

Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Williamson, Festivals in Williamson.