Laconia is now only 2 weeks away. It officially begins on Saturday, June 9th, however I will not be arriving until Wednesday, June 13th and I’ll be there through the second weekend. While it’s not the largest or most popular motorcycle rally that goes on, it’s a biggie for us on the east coast because it’s easy to get to. It’s also one of the oldest rallies in the country, rivaling Daytona and Sturgis.
Here’s some other interesting facts:
- it’s usually held in June and typically ends Father’s Day weekend (except in 2008, when it’ll actually start on that weekend)
- motorcyclists began converging on Weirs Beach, NH in 1916
- it began as a weekend event for races, shows and hill climbs
- the popularity of the “biker” image caused a surge in attendance which extended it to “bike week”
- in the 60′s, Laconia saw troubled times when riots between bikers and the police broke out, causing a decline in attendance. The week-long eventually downgraded to only 3 days.
- in the 90′s local businesses, hoping to boost tourism, looked back to the bikers and reviving the week-long event, which is now run by the A.M.A
- 7 years ago, motorcycle week turned into a 9-day event and attracts 100,000 to 400,000 people
- I have been going for about the past 15 years
