Grand Rising Returns to North Fresno With 5K, Mocktails, Wellness Vendors

Grand Rising returned to north Fresno today with an alcohol-free day party that paired free 5K and 10K group runs with DJs, mocktails and wellness vendors inside Azara Supper Club, also referred to in coverage as Azara Club. The main event ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., while optional runs started at 8 a.m. from 9447 N. Ft. Washington Road at Riverview Shopping Center.

Organizer Evan Nebeker, co-founder of Grizzly Fest, led the coalition behind the event with partner Fresno Run Club and new sponsors including Trinity Fruit, listed elsewhere as Trinity Fruits, and Card City. Thebusinessjournal reported event tickets at $10 to $15 per person, and GV Wire emphasized the runs and several activations were free to attendees.

The morning mixed fitness and a dayside rave atmosphere: a live DJ provided the soundtrack while families danced on the Azara floor, echoing ABC30 Action News coverage that described a high-energy, family-friendly scene. KFSN quoted Lewis Everk, owner of Everk Hospitality Group: "People are choosing different alternatives to having fun and one of those alternatives is the exclusion of alcohol. You don't really need to have a drink to have a good time and I think these events and parties like this they're very health-forward and it just lends to a different way to have fun."

Vendors concentrated on coffee, matcha and low- or no-alcohol refreshments. GV Wire listed Sad Tire serving espressos, Saint Goods offering matcha and coffee, Hydroot returning with local honey and green tea, and Azara supplying mocktails. Trinity Fruit / Trinity Fruits distributed free fresh-squeezed juices during the run and inside the venue, MycoPop provided free samples of functional energy drinks, and Nature’s Way sold sea moss and ginger shots.

Wellness activations included complimentary services and family-friendly extras: Ohana Massage offered complimentary massages, free photo booths were available on-site, and Thebusinessjournal noted free face painting for kids and adults. New merchandise for purchase included bandanas, fans, keychains and coffee cups, as listed in GV Wire coverage.

Nebeker framed the event as an intentional shift in local nightlife culture: "Everything is alcohol based — it’s just the truth of it. We’re not telling people not to drink. But we’re just not serving it here," he told GV Wire in earlier coverage. Thebusinessjournal quoted him describing the goal this way: "People still want to party, have a good time and connect. They just don’t want to be out super late doing it."

This installment marked the fourth Grand Rising alcohol-free day party since the concept moved toward dayside events beginning in August 2025, reinforcing Nebeker’s effort to combine live music, wellness vendors and family activities as an alternative to late-night, alcohol-centered gatherings in Fresno.