I grew up in a small town where everyone knew everything about you.
Who your parents are, what you did last weekend, and what mistake you made when you were sixteen.
When I was younger, that could be tough. All I wanted was to leave. I wanted to get out and be somewhere bigger, somewhere louder—somewhere where nobody knew my story.
But something shifted in my late twenties.
I started to miss it.
I missed running into people at the grocery store. I missed knowing my neighbours the way I knew my family. I missed feeling like I belonged somewhere, regardless of what I had or what I had accomplished.
More importantly, I started leaning into who I really was, not who I thought I should be.
I am a small-town Canadian girl from extremely humble beginnings, and that is exactly what Mudfest is built on.
The Heart of Mudfest
Growing up, our weekends were simple.
Dirt biking, quadding, barbecuing with neighbours, music blasting, parents having drinks, and kids dancing, laughing, and running around until dark.
Those are some of my fondest memories.
That was community.
That was connection.
That was belonging.
That is truly where Mudfest was born.
It didn’t start with a business plan. It started with a feeling of togetherness. A feeling of freedom. A feeling of being exactly where you were supposed to be.
Looking back now, it makes perfect sense that being raised in a small town created the most powerful movement of my life and became the backbone of everything we do.
Small Towns Know How to Rally
When we launched Mudfest, it wasn’t big corporations that carried us.
It was small businesses, local sponsors, volunteers, families, and friends. People who showed up after working all day because they believed in something bigger.
Small towns know how to rally. They know how to show up, support their own, and have fun. That work-hard, play-hard mentality has been rippling through me my entire life, and that spirit is priceless.
Why Community Loyalty Is Different
After all these years in the mud, one thing stands out clearly.
People don’t just support businesses that sell them something. They support businesses that support their community.
When you give back, people notice. When you reinvest locally, people feel it. When you show up consistently, people stay.
That is how loyalty is built.
Not through ads. Not through hype.
Through heart, action, commitment, and genuinely caring.
When you invest in the community you operate in, something powerful happens.
You build culture and experiences that strengthen bonds. You give people something to be proud of. You give kids memories and families traditions. You give small businesses and local groups opportunities to showcase what they do and why they do it.
You create a community that doesn’t just survive—it thrives.
Rooted in Small Town Values
As we move into 2026 with bigger dreams ahead of us, this is what I will never forget.
No matter how far we go or how big we grow. No matter how many borders we cross.
We will always be rooted in small-town values.
Community first.
People first.
Heart first.
Because that is what built this. That is what has sustained this. And that is what carried us forward during the years when we didn’t even know if we would make it.
A Message to Small Business Owners
If you are a business owner in a rural area, the real power of business is not in how much you spend.
It is in how much you give.
How you show up for the community. How you invest in the people around you. How you support the place that supports you.
Small businesses have the power to change the world. No one else is going to do it for us.
This year, look at your community and do your best to be the change you want to see.
Volunteer.
Sponsor something local.
Show up.
You might be amazed at the results.
Because when community comes first, incredible things can grow from even the smallest towns—something we are reminded of every year in the mud.
