From left, Lisa Labar, Scott Berry and Margaret Twichell take part in a past Polar Roll fat tire bike race. With the Polar Roll racing through the area this weekend, Marquette County will once again welcome the largest fat tire bike race in Michigan. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — With the Polar Roll racing through the area this weekend, Marquette County will once again welcome the largest fat tire bike race in Michigan.

Events start Friday night with a DJ set from Double Trouble Entertainment at the Range Area Mountain Bike Association trailhead in Ishpeming.

The mass-start races begin Saturday morning in Ishpeming.

“We’ve had to evolve how we do our events because of the pandemic. We’re happy to be back offering the mass start for the race,” said Todd Poquette, Director of Adventure at the 906 Adventure Team. “There are a lot of people doing this format who have never done races before.”

The 15-mile race, the MS-15, starts at 8 a.m. Saturday and the 30-mile race, the MS-30, starts at 8:15 a.m.

Participants also had the option to sign up for the DT-30 event, which includes a daytime ride and a nighttime ride.

The event wraps up Saturday night with an after-party at Barrel + Beam in Marquette.

The event will feature athletes of all skill levels. “Everyone is welcome. Men, women, children, young and old,” The official Polar Roll field guide states. “Every finish matters, from the elites to the last person across the line. It’s not you against each other, it’s you against us. We’ve worked hard to create an inclusive community. The experience will bring you together, if you allow it.”

The Polar Roll dates back to 2015 and has become a favorite event for area bikers and winter sports enthusiasts.

The Polar Roll is put on by the 906 Adventure Team, a Marquette County-based nonprofit whose mission is to “empower people to become the best version of themselves through outdoor adventure.”

Registration is closed for the weekend’s mass-start races, but people can also participate through the self-supported EX format biking and snowshoeing options through March 15.

Beyond the Polar Roll, there is also an EX event coming up in March.

“It’s self-guided,” Poquette said. “You can do it how you want to do it.”

More information can be found online at www.thepolarroll.com and www.906adventureteam.com.

Randy Crouch can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. His email address is rcrouch@miningjournal.net.