Opal Wapoo Gravel Experience Named Semifinalist for Transformative Promotion Activity Main Street Award

What happens when a beloved event disappears and a community refuses to let it fade?

For years, the Opal Wapoo Gravel Experience was more than just a race. It was a calling card for Excelsior Springs. A bold invitation to cyclists from across the country to experience its rugged gravel roads, its welcoming spirit, and its vibrant downtown. Created by passionate volunteers Phillip and Stacey Scherer, Opal Wapoo began as a grassroots effort, originally tied to a local festival. But as the gravel cycling scene exploded nationwide, so did the event’s reach, reputation, and demands.

In 2021, devastating flooding forced organizers to quickly pivot the race to a new location just to keep it alive. That moment marked a turning point. The increasing complexity, risk, and workload, paired with growing professional demands, ultimately led Phillip and Stacey to make the difficult decision to place the event on indefinite hiatus. Their farewell message reflected both pride and heartbreak: they had achieved their mission of bringing the cycling community to Excelsior Springs, but sustaining the event had become unsustainable.

Yet even in its absence, Opal Wapoo never truly left.

Cyclists continued to show up, weekend after weekend, for what became known as the “Ghost of Opal Wapoo” rides. Without formal organization, marketing, or infrastructure, riders still traveled to Excelsior Springs simply to experience the routes and the community that had left such a lasting impression. Downtown businesses noticed. Bikes lined the streets again. The spirit of the event endured organically, proving its lasting impact.

Recognizing this momentum, the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. saw an opportunity, not just to revive an event, but to reimagine its role in downtown revitalization.

In early 2024, conversations began between Executive Director Lyndsey Baxter and the original founders. The question wasn’t just whether Opal Wapoo could return, it was how it could return stronger, more sustainable, and more impactful than ever before. By October 2024, that vision became reality with a simple but powerful announcement: “We’re Back.”

The relaunch of Opal Wapoo required strategic thinking and bold decision-making. The gravel racing calendar had become crowded, and finding the right date was critical. Ultimately, an end-of-season October race was selected, a move that extended tourism into and created a unique niche in the regional cycling circuit.

The results were immediate and meaningful.

In its return year, the Opal Wapoo Gravel Experience welcomed approximately 300 riders to Excelsior Springs on race day, along with their families, support crews, and spectators. But the true impact extended far beyond a single day. More than 1,100 volunteer hours were invested in planning and execution, demonstrating deep community buy-in and shared ownership of the event’s success.

Downtown came alive.

Participants were intentionally connected to the district through built-in economic drivers, including downtown gift certificates provided as part of race registration. Riders didn’t just pass through, they explored shops, dined in local restaurants, and engaged directly with businesses. The event culminated in a high-energy after party at the iconic Hall of Waters, transforming the space into a celebration of shared experience.

But perhaps the most transformational aspect of Opal Wapoo lies in its legacy beyond the event itself.

Through a powerful partnership between the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Opal Wapoo organizers, Excelsior Springs Parks and Recreation, and Urban Trail Company, the event has become a catalyst for long-term recreational tourism development. A portion of the event’s revenue is now directly funding the creation of Excelsior Springs’ first singletrack trail system, a project that will permanently expand the community’s outdoor recreation offerings.

This is where promotion becomes transformation.

Opal Wapoo is no longer just an event that brings people to town, it is an investment in infrastructure that will bring people back again and again. It introduces a new visitor demographic, strengthens Excelsior Springs’ identity as a destination for outdoor adventure, and creates year-round economic opportunities tied to recreation.

What began as a grassroots cycling race has evolved into a multi-dimensional economic driver, one that blends tourism, placemaking, partnership, and long-term vision.

The return of Opal Wapoo didn’t just revive a beloved event. It redefined what a promotional activity can achieve and proved that when a community believes in something enough to bring it back, the impact can reach far beyond what was ever imagined.