by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Motorcycle enthusiasts prepare for two major events each year: Bike Week and Biketoberfest®, both of which take place just an hour and a half away in sunny Daytona Beach. Expect to see a surge in bikers heading south this week: Biketoberfest®, an award-winning motorcycle rally that is entering its 14th year, is now upon us. Biketoberfest® officially begins October 19th and runs through October 22nd.
A little brother to the infamous Daytona Beach Bike Week, Biketoberfest® began in 1992 and at the time the fledgling event attracted 5,000 new visitors to the area. Since its inception, the fall festival has grown, with Daytona Beach welcoming an estimated 100,000 motorcycle enthusiasts a year. Proud Biketoberfest® “Birthmother” and president of the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Janet Kersey, says the growth was expected.
“I always knew it would be what it is today,” she says. “That was the dream years ago and all our effort has gone into making it another one of the top recognized and awarded events in the country. You see, Daytona Beach has a very long tradition of producing some of the most recognizable events in the world and we knew if we set our sights on being the best, formulate a plan and then get the community and business leaders to work with us, we too could expect the same results for our Biketoberfest®.”
While you might think the insurgence of visitors is a nuisance to the people that live and work there, the bikers are very good for the local economy, generating millions of dollars each year. That’s certainly worth the extra traffic!
“The economic benefits of the event have enabled many in our community to prosper and do more year round to promote this fabulous destination we enjoy everyday,” Kersey explains.
The seaside city will come alive this Thursday when Biketoberfest® 2006 officially kicks off. Activities will include motorcycle shows and rallies, some of the best live music around, plenty of shopping from various local and out-of-state vendors and charity events that will help important causes. Visitors will get to try out the newest motorcycles by Honda and Harley-Davidson at the Daytona International Speedway, which will also host thrilling motorcycle races, autograph sessions and “Monster Dash,” a parade that benefits the Halifax Medical Center Women’s and Children’s Program . For those who want to get away from the crowds for a few hours and follow the open road, two scenic rides await. A 22-mile trek dubbed “The Loop” allows bikers to experience the natural beauty of the area and a trip to Ponce Inlet’s historic lighthouse provides spectacular views and some terrific chow at one of the area’s many seafood restaurants. For directions, listings of all the events and free stuff, visit one of the Official Biketoberfest® Event Welcome Centers inside Daytona USA (1801 West International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach) and Destination Daytona (1637 North U.S. Hwy. 1, Ormond Beach).
Biketoberfest® is not just for sketchy, haggard old bikers looking to party. While you may find a few of those, these days the people who attend these events come from all walks of life and every corner of the globe. As long as you’re interested in motorcycles, you’re welcome. That means festival-goers can expect to see people young and old, men and women, the rich and the not so rich coming together to celebrate life as a biker.
“That is one of the founding principals we established for the event,” Kersey explains. “We want families of all ages to enjoy this wonderful hobby of riding and showing off their personal motorcycles. We truly believe it is a family affair for many generations which is exactly what we envisioned.”
There is, as the official Biketoberfest® website (www.biketoberfest.org) correctly states, a little biker in all of us. Now’s the perfect time to get in touch with yours!
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