September 25, 2008
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It's the weekend of the biker festival in our town. We have about 70,000 inhabitants, counting the students, and this weekend we will have 300,000 bikers visiting us. We will be severely outnumbered.As a town, we're ambivalent about this festival. Like all towns that rely on tourism as a part of our economy, we have developed a widespread awareness that it's about money. There will be debates in the letters to the editor section of the local newspapers about whether the bikers really bring much money into the economy, and whether it counts if it's all spent in the entertainment district, but I worked in retail here, and we always had lots of bikers coming in to shop for their grandchildren.
That is the demographic. Most of the bikers are older. It is possible that this lessens the chance that there will be a sudden uprising in which the bikers take over the town, declare a king, and establish themselves as the permanent residents. The crime rate doesn't even go up much; probably not as much as it would if we became a town of 370,000. It just gets nosiy, that's all.
My husband loves the festival. It's a big public party. What's not to like? But there are plenty of people who leave town for the weekend. It's part of their annual plans: get out of town for the biker festival.
I'm fairly neutral. I don't like the noise level, and of course I give up all thoughts of getting across town between now and Monday, but I like to see people enjoying themselves.
Comments (9)
Hastings has a similar festival over the early May Bank Holiday. However, there are slightly fewer bikers. And rather more morris dancers. The two groups don't really overlap, but the fish & chip shops do very well. ~x~
@pink_hebe - What we need around here is a larger population of morris dancers. Like any at all. It would add tone to the festival.
personally i just wish there was a some colour other than black leather (& the occasional brown leather) of the biker uniform
hub and i have harleys.... havent ridden in years, but i think i stopped because i got sick of black leather! i also got sick of those 'events'.... same vendors, same people, same everything........not much of a variety.
I have no strong feelings about the bike rally either way. It does make the city crowded and noisy, but it's nice to go to Dickson Street and not run into the usual suspects. Plus, the bikers that stay at my hotel are way more enjoyable to host than any group of Hog fans. There's just something about the attitude of alumni with money that thoroughly irritates me.
just last week I told my husband that one of the things on my "bucket list" is to ride on the back of a harley with him. I have never ridden on a bike, never, makes me sad cuz I'm sure it would be a fun thing to do. festivals on the other hand well when our burb has them we usually pack up and leave for the weekend, just not my thing.
Beauty is as beauty does.
I've gone to loads of science fiction conventions, and there are a number of pranks you can count on from the fans.
I was discussing this with a friend at a con once, and was told of a SF con witch was held in the same hotel at the same time as a police convention.
The SF people were appalled! The police con had fights, and real, actual destructive behavior such as carving grafitti into the walls of the halls and elevators, holes put in the walls, and lots of other really destructive stuff, some of it involving people who were later hospitalized.
The pranks of the fans, however, are totally different. Once, (I found out later my daughter instigated this one) they stuffed an entire elevator full of balloons. I pushed the button for the elevator, it came, the door opened revealing a solid wall of balloons packed to the ceiling. I stood there with my mouth open while a couple of errant balloons floated out. The doors shut, and off it went. I stood there for about 15 minutes watching people repeat my performance. It should be noted that the other elevator right next to it was totally balloon-free and useable by anyone who needed to get to another floor.
Another prank involving elevators was one particular elevator singled out to be decorated. One time I used it and it had a couch, and an end table with a lamp. The next time I used it, it had a small table, two chairs and a hanging light over the table. Every few hours it was redecorated. At the end of the con, all the furniture was back where it came from, and everything was back where it started. There was no property destroyed.
SF cons are fun! I hope your bikers are as much fun!
@DreamWoven - I hadn't thought about the color scheme, but it is a bit uniform. We have good music here, and good BBQ, too. Maybe that makes it more entertaining.
OMG!! I read your title and about died from laughter! I really enjoy your blog alot!! I wish our little town had more events of any kind - I'd even settle for a Biker Rally!! It would sure bring some excitement to this town of 70,000!!
@Janel64 - 70k is a good number for a town, though.
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