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A "Top 10 Event" for the State of Alabama Join 5,000 other race fans lining the race course for the Sunny King Criterium in historic downtown Anniston, Alabama. With the Talladega Superspeedway in our back yard, NASCAR is something we understand. A criterium is like NASCAR -- except it is powered by legs and lungs, not gasoline engines. Hundreds of pros and amateurs race bikes around the .6 mile closed course multiple times -- racing inches apart at speeds reaching 40 mph. And you're just inches from the racers as they zoom by on the course. The Red Diamond JumboTron located near the Finish Line ensures that you catch all the action on the course, providing slow motion replays -- which can be especially interesting when there's a pileup. Your afternoon downtown will quickly turn to evening when the Pro Women and Pro Men take the course in back to back races under the streetlights of downtown. More than 12 restaurants are on site providing great food and snacks all day at the 7th Annual Red Diamond Restaurant Tour--so plan to eat lunch and dinner at the festival. The McWane KidZone offers more for your kids than they can handle -- art, climbing walls, jump stations, kids bike races and running races, a Talladega Superspeedway pace car, live critter shows, and much more. Many of the kids activities are free. Some have a modest fee. And you'll even see Luke Skywalker and his buddies, Darth Vader, Princess Leah and more Star Wars characters roaming around the festival. If you are a runner, jump in the Mellow Mushroom Mad Dash and run one lap of the bike race course for cash! Enjoy Bike pARTs -- a sculpture competition of recycled bicycle parts. All entries will be displayed around the festival. Add live music and you have a day for the family that you don't want to miss. Thanks to our Corporate Sponsors for Making the Event Possible.
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