Hi Jared13,
Very Cool you are going to be Fester with us! I will answer your questions but I first things first, It's a Fest! And all about fun! No stressful races or competition; just riders sharing a love of the trails.
For the MTB 101, I would get here about a 1/2 hour early. That way you will be able to get a feel for the fest grounds and meet a few people. Ray and Bex are conducting it and there are no more accomodating knobbies. Although the group rides have a scheduled time, there will be gangs of folks going out all day. So yes you can grab a Demo bike and find a ride. The rides will be of all speeds but I can assure you, the fast guys will ride fast and the rest of us will go at a comfortable pace. You will easily find a ride at your pace.
The other trail systems are about 15 miles away so you will have to drive. We will have scheduled rides at those parks as well, but all day riding will go on at all 4 parks. I look forward to meeting you as you are the first person I will know from Neveda, my birthplace! As we say, To the Bikes!
Dirtboy